Co-operative education and training programmes should provide opportunities to enable managers and employees in co-operatives understand the distinct nature of the organisation and the needs of their members. this is particularly important for those coming to a co-operative enterprise from an investor-owned business where the need to ensure capital returns for shareholders is very different to a co-operative's business objective of meeting the economic, social and cultural needs of its members. Co-operative boards should also consider including in candidate specifications, contracts of employment and job descriptions for managers, a requirement that managers learn, understand, support and foster the Co-operative values and Principles of their co-operative enterprise.

With the impact of globalisation we are now seeing increasing numbers of managers and employees move from investor-owned businesses and the public sector to co-operatives. Whilst 'new blood' with wider business experience can be good for a co-operative, it is essential that managers and employees joining co-operatives receive induction training that educates them about the specific nature of co-operatives, their principles and their values.

for senior managers, educational programme outcomes should include understanding that business development and continuous improvement should be directed at meeting members' needs. Creating an effective two-way dialogue between members and managers and between employees, their managers and democratically elected leaders, is a key part of this process.

throughout the world, co-operative colleges have played an important role in helping develop managers with appropriate co-operative skills. In recent years higher level programmes, such as master's degrees in co-operative and credit union management, have created opportunities for emerging leaders of different co-operatives to come together, providing opportunities to share ideas and experience in an online learning environment.

Co-operatives have traditionally provided programmes to assist first-line staff to develop the vocational skills they need to carry out their roles efficiently. It is important that the distinct co-operative nature of their business is not ignored in such programmes. first- line employees are generally the main point of contact with co-operative members and the wider public. over a century ago co-operatives recognised that if employees were not sufficiently aware of the nature of the organisation and its advantages to the extent that they wanted to be a member themselves, they were hardly likely to be in a position to convince the wider public.