THE ROLE OF A CORPORATE

TRAINER IN EDUCATING THE

WORKFORCE
 What is a corporate Trainer ?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics defines training and development specialists as

professionals who develop and implement programs intended to improve
employees’ skills and knowledge. In addition to updating workers on company
policies and goals, corporate trainers emphasize how training on a range of work-
related topics helps the organization achieve its goals while simultaneously
promoting employees’ career prospects.
 How to Become a Corporate Trainer

Becoming corporate trainer typically begins by earning a bachelor’s

degree and gaining work experience in such areas as instructional design,
HR, teaching, or other fields engaged in training and development. The U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes employers prefer to hire training and
development specialists who are familiar with mobile training, e-learning
and other technology-based approaches.
 Education and Work Experience

To qualify as a corporate trainer, most employers require a bachelor’s degree in business, communications or

education, according to PayScale. However, corporate trainers come from diverse educational backgrounds, including
business administration, social science, education and organizational psychology.

While many firms look for corporate trainers who have knowledge of and experience in their industries, a master’s
degree often takes the place of work experience. Companies in highly regulated industries, such as financial
services and pharmaceuticals, rely on corporate trainers to ensure their employees understand and comply with all
applicable regulations.
Licensing and Certification

Among the professional associations offering certification programs for corporate trainers are
the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and the 
International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). Business News Daily lists 
five top corporate trainer certifications:

•ATD’s Certified Professional in Talent Development (previously called

Certified Professional in Learning and Performance)
•HRCI’s Professional in Human Resources (PHR)
•HRCI’s Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
•SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
•SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)
Choosing a Corporate Training Specialty

Many corporate trainers specialize in subject areas, such as HR, business management,
organizational administration, educational psychology and information technology (IT). The
instructional specialties available to corporate trainers include:

Distance Learning Specialists:Distance learning specialists are also referred to as e-

learning specialists
Train-the-Trainer Programs:Train-the-trainer programs emphasize the need for corporate trainers to build
on their subject matter expertise by using the most effective approaches to the training process itself. The
Training Clinic describes the elements of a train-the-trainer program:

•Model adult learning principles and delivery techniques

•Use training programs and materials meeting the standards ATD and other entities have
established
•Incorporate organization-specific information in training programs
•Be receptive to coaching and feedback from peers and facilitators
 Corporate Trainer Duties, Roles and Responsibilities

According to Workology, a corporate trainer’s typical workday may include leading training sessions for new or
existing employees, or devising skill development programs targeted at filling organizational needs. They work
directly with managers in human resources (HR) and business groups to identify training needs and strategies.

Assess the Training Needs of Employees

An HR services firm, describes the steps to assess an organization’s employee training needs

:

•Identify what skills or knowledge the business lacks

•Determine the existing state of skills in the organization and the skills it needs to achieve
its goals (gap analysis)
•Analyze the training options available to fill the gap
•Report on training needs and make training plan recommendations
Create and Review Training Materials

The best way to overcome any reluctance employees may have about taking time away from their duties to participate in
training programs is to make the process as engaging and rewarding as possible. Knowledge Anywhere describes 
five techniques for creating training materials that resonate with and empower workers:

•Pretest to determine the skills employees currently possess to avoid boring them with topics
they’ve already mastered.

•Use self-paced video training modules that allow employees to progress at their own speed.

•Provide workers with mobile learning opportunities they can complete while commuting or
traveling for work.

Design the material in short, easy-to-complete lessons to help workers maintain focus on the
material.
Conduct Training Sessions

Training sessions present opportunities for managers to boost morale and keep workers focused on their
shared goals. They also teach new skills and enhance employees’ professional knowledge. T
ips for planning an effective training session:

•Focus on the adult learning principles of problem-solving and self-motivation.

•Establish learning objectives based on the SMART framework: specific, measurable,

attainable, relevant and timely

•Apply the 1-6-6 rule for training presentations: one idea per slide, no more than six bullet
points and a maximum of six words per bullet point

•Employ small-group activities that let attendees get to know one another
 Topics Taught by Corporate Trainers

Employee training begins with onboarding new hires and continues as workers prepare to qualify for new
roles and responsibilities. Most corporate training focuses on four aspects of employment:

Onboarding New Hires and Trainees

Theonboarding period is crucial because it’s when the organization can make a positive first impression. The
importance of establishing a connection with employees that conveys the company’s vision, values and
culture. For example, an aviation and aerospace firm used a story-based video strategy to present its shared
culture and expertise.

Training Employees in Job-Specific Skills

Companies that offer their employees on-the-job (OTJ) training are more likely to retain those workers by
ensuring they qualify for positions requiring new skills.OTJ training is one of the wisest investments a
company can make. When I Work describes a five-step OTJ training program:

•Design
•Development (resources, materials, etc.)
•Implementation (finding the right trainers)
•Evaluation (feedback from employees)
•Analysis
 Training Employees on Corporate Policies, Procedures and Workplace Rules

A corporate policy establishes expectations and provides guidance for employees. It explains how specific
workplace situations will be handled and offers direction on what’s deemed appropriate and inappropriate
behavior.

Management Consulted lists the training subjects that companies request most often:

•Leadership development
•Communication
•Conflict resolution
•Emotional intelligence
•Presentation
•Relational and group dynamics
•Productivity and time management
•Influence (the ability to persuade)
•Customer service
•Business ethics
 Corporate Trainer Skills

While computer-based training (CBT) continues to be a valuable tool in the corporate training arsenal, nothing tops the
effectiveness of in-person training. These are the most common skill areas for corporate training professionals:

Instructional Design/Course Materials

Creately describes the seven steps in designing instructional material:

•Identify the target audience and business or training needs

•Create a learner profile, including roles and duties
•Specify the training objectives
•Select the topics and decide on an approach
•Use storyboards to model the flow and organize content
•Create a testable prototype of online courses
•Monitor and assess the program’s effectiveness after it launches
Classroom and One-to-One Instruction

EdgePoint Learning weighs the pros and cons of instructor-led-training (ILT) versus e-learning. ILT makes it easy
for employees to ask questions while the instruction proceeds, and employees are able to learn from each other. It
also offers a direct immersive environment that facilitates teaching complex, highly collaborative subjects. By
contrast, e-learning is less expensive; takes less time to complete; gives employees more flexibility; allows training
to be customized; and for some subjects, increases retention of information .

Collaborative Training and Other Informal Methods

A study found informal, ad hoc training is now considered as important as formal OTJ training in teaching critical,
job-related skills. Such training typically occurs via peer-to-peer collaboration and social networking, although it can
be challenging for organizations to measure and validate informal and experiential training. Three ways corporate
trainers can promote collaborative and informal training are:

•Offer feedback and coaching

•Officially recognize accomplishments achieved informally
•Develop benchmarks for gauging the informal training’s benefits
Here are seven skills corporate trainers and instructors must have:

•Mastery of learning management systems (LMSes), mobile learning apps, video editing
and content authoring tools.

•Ability to teach adults new and traditional subjects in a helpful, engaging manner

•Ability to organize coursework and training materials

•Willingness to adapt teaching methods to accommodate individuals who may respond

better to alternative approaches

•Ability to assess employees’ willingness to learn and the skills and knowledge they’ve
learned in training

•Ability to research the most effective approaches to employee training

•Infectious zeal and abiding love for learning and a drive to inspire others
 Impact of Training in the Workplace

Improved performance from employee training can reduce staff turnover,

lower maintenance costs by reducing equipment breakdowns and result in
fewer customer complaints. Better performance from employees typically
creates less need for supervision and brings increased worker output.
Thank You…