In November 1992, Southern California Water Company (now Golden State Water Company) facilitated the paradigm shift toward a learning organization by introducing the corporate university concept to promote employee development. The training prescription with a learning mode proliferated a major change in the approaches for delivering a comprehensive employee development program. It was evident that there was the need to create a learning organization where training will not be devoted to solving problems, but rather to prepare employees to anticipate and prevent problems. Senior management felt at that time that an employee development program within a corporate university structure would help to ensure that the work place is able to operate at the highest level of efficiency and effectiveness.
The corporate university structure is set up to encourage employees to learn how to utilize education as a catalyst for change by empowering them to Learn, Change and Grow! It is organized to foster an environment of continuous learning and to make sure that the programs and systems that are developed are aligned with the Company’s business strategies and priorities. Traditionally, corporate universities reside under Human Resource. At Golden State Water Company, the Employee Development University is under the Senior Vice President for Asset Management.
