Caterpillar University, Essay Example

Caterpillar Inc., a manufacturer of heavy construction and mining equipment, provider of services for these products, and provider of financial services, employs a highly effective robust learning infrastructure to serve its needs as a multi-national corporation. The three pillars of Caterpillar Inc.’s robust learning infrastructure are effective governance, a learning technology infrastructure, and alignment. Caterpillar Inc.’s Board of Governors, Engagement and Learning Council, advisory boards, and lead learning managers placed in every division help the company to be a learning organization, strategically connecting learning to its enterprise and division goals. The Board of Governors directs knowledge management overall, the Engagement and Learning Council influences the corporate learning function and collects metrics, and lead learning managers direct learning and knowledge functions in their divisions.

Caterpillar University, or Cat U, has a central role to play in knowledge management: Cat U works across the enterprise to meet Caterpillar’s learning and education needs, and ensure that these are aligned with the company’s goals overall. Cat U employs a knowledge management system known as the Caterpillar Knowledge Network, which offers users information tailored to specific topics, including listings for about 10,000 subject matter experts. The Network also preserves knowledge of experts and executives who are retiring from the company, ensuring that their expertise and insights will remain available to the organization. Cat U conducts synchronous online learning to facilitate instruction worldwide, saving money from travel costs and increasing efficiency. The learning management system (LMS) employed by Cat U uses a learner-centric interface, one that customizes the learning experience for each individual learner by creating an individual learning plan (ILP) specific to their job. Overall, Caterpillar’s knowledge management system keeps learning strategically aligned with the company’s goals, by ensuring it is goal-oriented and specific.