The Small Business Training Network (SBTN) is a customer-focused SBA strategy designed to enrich, educate and empower small businesses. It is an Internet-based learning environment - operating like a virtual campus - offering online courses, workshops, publications, information resources, learning tools and direct access to electronic counseling, and other forms of technical assistance.

The Training Network operates like an electronic umbrella under which many SBA and agency resource training programs are captured, aggregated, sorted by content and made available in multiple formats. It serves small business clients, agency resource partners, other federal agencies and global students of enterprise.

Many of the learning opportunities offered by the Network are developed by cosponsors (academic institutions and corporations), some are developed by SBA's resource partners and some are developed internally through agency contracts. All of the offerings are free, most are self-paced and the majority are considered "topical primers."

The Training Network is a vehicle for knowledge, an expansion of electronic government and an initiative designed to help small businesses successfully compete. It is most importantly, however, a balanced approach to training. Not all training can be effectively achieved or is best suited for an online environment. Therefore, in addition to a robust selection of online offerings, the Training Network serves as a window to all of the traditional, face-to-face technical assistance programs offered by the agency. Traditional training opportunities offered by SBA and its resource partners around the country can be easily identified by clicking on National Training Events.