[douglas]

Advanced Storage, Hardy Industrialists, defensiveness (not aggressiveness - useless with the talisman), maintenance bonus, space yard bonus, research bonus, minerals bonus. Read the article I linked to. Specify a number of race points, galaxy size, and number of AI's, and I'll post what I consider to be a very good empire design when I get off work.

Edit: 40% vs 60% certainly seems less important to me. It also takes longer to get the full benefit of training than CS and ECM (ignoring research time).