Using universities as a knowledge resource: how to identify and develop effective, educational programs for technical communicators

It is suggested that universities are in a position to provide valuable services to meet the training needs of technical communicators and the companies for which they work. Faculty members qualified in a wide variety of topics are available to help organizations stay abreast of current communications technology, as well as to provide basic educational needs. The benefits of these services include quick start-up time, exposure to diverse talent from diverse backgrounds, reasonable costs, and tailoring of programs to specific business needs. The authors assist technical communicators to identify beneficial training programs, avoid common pitfalls, and identify important phases of structure and design when working with a university so that the result will be of maximum benefit to the participants