The substantial differences in industrial training participation rates and costs at industry level are examined. Data on costs and participation rates for the European Community (EC) member states are presented, and attention is drawn to the differences in training systems among the countries, with special emphasis on The Netherlands. Results of an extensive survey on industrial training in The Netherlands show that remarkable differences exist between industrial sectors, both in training intensity and in organizational structure. A framework of analysis is presented that aims to explain these differences. Four groups of explanatory factors are distinguished. These are: 1. the industry structure, 2. the business environment, 3. the structure of industrial training programs, and 4. industrial relations in the sector. The preliminary results of the application of the framework stress, among other factors, the importance of the organizational and financial structure of industrial training activities.