Do you enjoy creating programs, performing assessments and leading discussions? Maybe you also have a knack for connecting with people or identifying areas for improvement. If so, a career as a training and development specialist might be a good fit.
Whether you’re mapping out your professional path or considering a career change, there’s a lot to think about when deciding if becoming a training and development specialist is the best move for you. Understanding what the role entails, taking stock of relevant skills and identifying educational requirements are only a few of the ways to evaluate this career path.
Training and Development Specialist: All About the Role
Before deciding whether or not this is the role for you, it’s important to understand what a training and development specialist does as well as the associated responsibilities and required skills.
What Is a Training and Development Specialist?
Training and development specialists are the people who design, create and implement training programs that promote employee development. As part of the program design process, training and development specialists work to identify a company’s training needs and build curriculums that best meet them.
What Does a Training and Development Specialist Do?
Training and development specialists create training programs for businesses and other organizations, and then facilitate the individual training sessions. These can take place in classrooms, conference rooms, specialized training facilities or even virtually. Common activities include lectures, team-building exercises, discussions, hands-on learning, and more.
More often than not, training sessions occur in person. This opportunity to work face-to-face with participants is called instructor-led training (ILT). However, when these classes occur online — either in a virtual or simulated environment or if participants are located in different geographical areas — they are referred to as virtual instructor-led training (VILT) sessions.
What Skills Do Successful Training and Development Specialists Need?
Because so much of what these professionals do involves working directly with people, training and development specialists should have excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Giving engaging presentations, using various instructional strategies and providing constructive feedback are all central components of a valuable training experience, making instructional competencies equally crucial.
Since this role is also heavily involved with designing and creating training programs, training and development specialists must have competencies including critical thinking, creativity, organization, technology and troubleshooting.
How to Become a Training and Development Specialist
Here’s what you’ll need to get started in this field.
Qualifications
The training and development specialist role generally requires a bachelor’s degree — usually in business or a business-related subject, though other degrees such as psychology, education or communications may be applicable. Related work experience is also a common prerequisite. Teachers and human resources professionals will find that a number of the skills they’ve learned on the job (such as lesson planning and leading staff development exercises) will seamlessly transfer to a career as a training and development specialist.
Though not usually required, earning a certification in instructional design or a similar discipline is a good way to demonstrate professional expertise to potential employers. Holding a certificate also shows that you’re invested in the subject matter and committed to professional development.
The Road to Becoming a Training and Development Specialist
The most common path to the career is through a combination of education and experience — typically a bachelor’s degree and on-the-job skills building. However, if your degree is in an unrelated subject area, earning a relevant master’s degree can be a good way to gain the specialized knowledge you’ll need to make your application stand out from the competition.
If you’re a career changer hoping to capitalize on transferable skills from a related role, it may make sense to supplement your experience by enrolling in certification courses.
Training and Development Specialist Salary & Career Outlook
Knowing the projected salary and career outlook for training and development specialists can help you decide if this is a career path you want to pursue.
- Career outlook. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for training and development specialists is expected to increase by 6% between 2022 and 2032 — slightly faster than the national average across all occupations. In more concrete numbers, 35,400 positions will need to be filled each year by the end of the 10 years.
- Salary information. In 2023, the median yearly salary for training and development specialists was $64,340. Keep in mind that this figure will depend on your employer and the industry you work in. Industries with the highest median wages for this role include professional, scientific and technical services while administrative and support services offer the lowest.
Potential Career Paths for Training and Development Specialists
It’s never too early to start thinking about your long-term career goals or what comes next after you land your first job as a training and development specialist. Your career at large will depend on the industry you work in and your interests, but some of the most common roles that people in this profession transition into include:
Instructional Designer
Instructional designers are responsible for designing and developing learning products and experiences, including tutorials, online courses and how-to manuals.
Average salary: $70,612
Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree is typically required — relevant concentrations include education, psychology and graphic design, though many come to the position with unrelated degrees. Earning an advanced degree in a pertinent subject, such as the Master of Science in Learning Design and Technology from the University of San Diego, can give applicants an advantage.
Education Consultant
Education consultants help schools and higher education institutions develop, enact and improve policies and programs. Those in this role also work directly with K-12 administrators, students and parents to create tailored learning plans.
Average salary: $66,496
Qualifications: To become an education consultant, a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and, on occasion, a PhD in education (or related subject) is required. Experience working in the field and a thorough knowledge of state and federal regulations is also necessary.
Training Consultant
Training consultants have the same responsibilities and duties as training and development specialists. The main difference between the two is that training consultants work independently and offer their services to clients across a wide range of businesses and industries.
Average salary: $69,901
Qualifications: The educational requirements for this role are also identical to what’s needed to become a training and development specialist. However, for this role, experience is essential. Since training consultants offer their clients a certain level of expertise, at least three to five years of previous experience is required.
If you’re interested in the role as a stepping stone to a future career as a consultant or instructional designer, this free eBook, 9 Things to Know About Careers in Instructional Design, from USD is a great resource for planning your next steps. Download your copy today or contact us for more information.