Useful Education Degrees and Certifications for Corporate Trainers

Business enterprises across the world have long recognized that their greatest asset is their employees. And with the high costs associated with employee turnover, it makes sense to invest in current workers. Companies who develop their employees’ skills through training sessions show that they value their workers and are willing to spend money and time to make each individual more successful.

Larger businesses may hire an in-house corporate trainer to oversee employee growth. Small-to-medium enterprises may send their workers to off-site conferences or have them use online learning modules.

Either way, the system creates a great need for qualified individuals with a training and development degree or corporate trainer certification. These workers not only design and create training programs, but they’re skilled in passing along knowledge, much like teachers do with their students. They may also be responsible for assessing the program’s success.

Types of corporate training

There are a variety of corporate training scenarios, and all need the assistance of a professional development specialist, either directly for live or videotaped talks or in the background as a developer of materials.

• Live group sessions: Many businesses rely on the old standby of organized group meetings. They may pay for a visiting trainer to come in, or if the company is large enough, they may have in-house human resource staff.
• Virtual group sessions: Another option is to purchase video training materials, which employees can watch alone or in groups. Or the instructor can stay at one location while the remaining staff attends via video conferencing programs.
• Online education: Whether it’s to keep employees compliant with federal and state laws or to learn the ins and outs of a new software update, e-learning lets people study when it’s convenient for them and at their own pace.
• Off-site conferences and events: These may cost a bit more, but they allow employees to get away from their day-to-day activities and focus on building teamwork, developing new skills, and strengthening old ones.

Successful HR programs depend upon qualified specialists

Unfortunately, sometimes the task of delivering employee training is simply delegated to the person with the most free time. Still, as a whole, corporations have discovered that paying billions of dollars to “go through the motions” is not an efficient use of time or money. With that in mind, companies are hiring more qualified individuals for their in-house programs. They’re also making sure their conferences and video programs are prepared and led by able practitioners in the field.

Why teachers make great corporate trainers

A bachelor’s degree in education is the perfect complement to a corporate trainer career. As a teacher, you already know how to employ creativity in the learning process from development to delivery. Add in some years of experience, and you could be a real asset to any company’s HR department. Teachers often come with soft skills that make them uniquely qualified for adult corporate training, such as:

• Patience
• Resourcefulness
• Communication skills

They also have considerable experience planning lessons, assessing other people’s strengths and weaknesses, enforcing policies, and evaluating the effectiveness of a program.

For those hoping to rise in the ranks, an advanced degree, such as a master’s in Training and Development, is desirable. Here are just a few of the higher education options available for teachers looking to switch careers and move into the business sector:

• MS in Adult Education and Human Development
• MEd in Adult Education/Human Resource Development
• MA or PhD in Adult Learning and Development
• Education Specialist Degree
• PhD in Education in Human Resource and Workforce Development
• MEd in Curriculum Development
• MEd in Learning Design or Instructional Design

Strengthen your resume with corporate trainer certification

Several organizations promote the importance of using qualified individuals for workforce training and development. Here are some of the best corporate trainer certificates:

• International Society for Performance Improvement — This nonprofit organization offers a variety of resources to its members, including a career center and regular publications full of industry news. The Society provides several options for obtaining a certificate in corporate training and development:
• The Certified Facilitator of Training is for individuals heading up live and online learning, and eligibility requirements include three years of experience.
• The Certified Developer of Training is aimed at professionals with degrees in other fields but who have at least 18 months’ experience in devising learning strategies.
• The Certified Performance Technologist is designed to show that practitioners adhere to a set of standards and have a minimum of three years of field experience with detailed documentation of projects.
• Association for Talent Development — Corporate trainers can join this organization at the local level or through international membership. Conferences, publications, and educational programs help members grow in their profession. The site also includes a job board and information on its two certifications:
• To become a Certified Professional in Talent Development, an individual must complete two exams on learning skills and knowledge and must have five years of full-time experience in a related field.
• To be eligible for the Associate Professional in Talent Development, a member needs three years of experience and must pass the exam, which encompasses training delivery, instructional design, and learning technologies.
• Human Resource Certification Institute — This credentialing organization specializes in the human resource management field. It offers eight separate certifications, all with varying eligibility requirements. Focus is more on an individual’s skill and experience in human resources than their ability to train and teach.
• Society for Human Resource Management — The goal of this member-driven organization is to maximize workers’ skills and advance HR practices. As such, it offers two human resource certifications to set you apart from the competition. Both demonstrate knowledge of human resources; however, they’re not aimed at learning and training competencies.

While corporate trainer certifications can undoubtedly set you apart from the rest of the job-seeking crowd, they may not be as noteworthy as a teaching background. Combining the two is a great way to make yourself competitive in this growing field.