Questions:
1: Describe the process of identifying the need for employees to get additional training or development opportunities?
2: This article goes over why Human Resource Planning is important to a company. ",human resource planning (having the right number and kinds of people, at the right places, at the right times)" but also it is important to include the planning for development of employees. Planning the development of employees into the business strategy means to always be working ahead. Filling in where the employees should be in years to come while the business is growing into it its goals will help to prevent hiccups in the plan later on. Forecasting where an employee should be when you are in your current skill set with the employees will allow the company to aid the employee in training for new things to come in the business. Assessing skill transferability is also something that can be planned for, if HR knows where company may or may not be headed they have a better idea as to what type of skills can carry over to changes, and positions that may be created in the company.
3: I would like to say I agree with your comment about employers trying to hire the perfect person on paper; that it can lead to some interesting situations. I think that upon some situations HR chooses the "perfect resume" because they may feel it is an easier transition because the basic or foundation skills for the position are already known and that those specific potential time consuming skills do not need training for the new hire. However, as you stated this does not show the strength of character or even actual skill ability for the job duties. A person with a not so perfect resume as you may have been implying about your own, could have gained the same if not better skill set, however not given the option to express that no one will ever know. Now days anyone can "make up" a resume and say what ever they want. It is in the characteristic's in the face to face and hands on where you can truly see who fits, and is capable of performing these duties.
4: How does HR control high cost of labor, but in the same time bring in the most talented indiviuals?