Training Officer
What is the work like?
Training officers organise training for staff within companies. This can involve delivering training personally, or arranging training events through other colleagues, external providers, consultants, academic institutions or training centres.
As a training officer your work would include:
- identifying individual and company training needs through staff appraisals and consultation with managers
- designing, delivering and evaluating training programmes
- revising programmes as a result of evaluation or of changing needs in the company
- developing induction training and staff appraisal schemes
- making sure training is cost-effective and within budget
- coaching and assessing individuals or small groups on work-based training or college courses
- producing training materials.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
You are likely to begin as a trainee or assistant in a personnel or training department. Alternatively you could move into training from elsewhere within a company and then study for training qualifications.
You may need company or sector knowledge and experience if staff training needs are very specific to the line of work.
For some jobs you could have an advantage with a degree covering business studies, management, training or personnel subjects.
What further training and development can I do?
Once you are working as a training officer, you could complete Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualifications, including:
- Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP)
- Certificate in Training Practice (CTP).
Visit the CIPD website for details.
Depending on your qualifications, you can join the CIPD at Associate, Licentiate or Graduate grade. CIPD membership is often valued by employers, so could be useful for your career development.
The CIPD also runs a Professional Development Scheme (PDS), which you can study in four modules:
- Leadership and Management
- People Management and Development
- Specialist and Generalist Personnel and Development
- Applied Personnel and Development.
If you complete all the modules you will be eligible for Graduate CIPD membership.
Alternatively, you could work towards NVQs at levels 3, 4 and 5 in Learning and Development. These can lead to CIPD membership at the appropriate level.
You would need to keep up to date with developments in training throughout your career. You can do this by:
- attending short courses
- adding to your qualifications
- networking and attending conferences.
You could also develop your knowledge and skills by doing a postgraduate diploma or MSc degree in training and development. You may be able to remain in employment whilst studying, as there are part-time or distance learning options. For entry, you would usually need one of the following:
- a degree
- a professional training qualification
- substantial relevant work experience.
Contact individual universities for exact requirements.
Where can I go for more information?
5th FloorSt Andrew’s House
18-20 St Andrew Street
London
EC4A 3AY
Information and Advice Service: 020 7936 5798
Email: advice@lluk.org
London
SW19 1JQ
Tel: 020 8612 6200
47 Vaughan Way
Leicester
LE1 4SG
Tel: 0116 251 7979
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- Training assistants can earn from £16,000 to around £18,000 a year.
- Training officers can earn between £20,000 and around £30,000.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
You would usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You may sometimes need to be more flexible, for example if you are involved in residential courses or workshops, or if your company operates a shift system.
You would be office-based, but may be expected to travel between company sites or to training venues like hotels or conference centres.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- commitment to staff training and development
- the ability to relate to staff at all levels
- excellent spoken and written communication skills
- organisation skills
- planning and time management skills
- presentation skills
- the ability to encourage and motivate people
- negotiating and influencing skills
- the ability to write clear reports and keep accurate records
- IT skills.
What opportunities are there?
You could work as a training officer for a wide variety of organisations in both the private and public sectors. Depending on the size of the organisation, you could be part of a training team, or of the human resources or personnel department. Some training officers work for commercial training providers that run courses for other organisations.
In a larger organisation you may have the opportunity to progress to senior training officer or training manager. Smaller companies may not offer many promotion opportunities, so you may need to move to a larger company in order to progress.
With experience you could become a freelance trainer or consultant.
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