Corporate trainers are professionals who help new and current employees in an organization maximize their efficiency and productivity through new and enhanced education. The main responsibility of corporate trainers is to motivate, guide, teach and train employees. The skills and knowledge that they teach depends on the needs of the company and those of the specific employee.
Corporate trainers use demonstration, lectures, team exercises and more to inform employees of goals, protocols and company culture within an organization. A trainer may assess the needs of a department or individual employees and build training strategies around those needs or have direct orders from management concerning changes.
Corporate trainers design lesson plans and curricula, review training materials and use different training methods based on their audience and intended goals. Corporate trainers work within a budget given to them by human resources or the executive staff of an organization.
Training professionals can either work full time for a firm or company or as freelance training specialists available for hire. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12 percent work in the finance and insurance industry. The educational services industry employs 10 percent of corporate trainers, while healthcare and social assistance employs 8 percent.
In some cases, corporate trainers have more work during certain parts of the year. Corporate trainers who work in tax preparation, for example, spend much of the summer and fall months training tax preparers for tax season starting in winter. Many corporate trainers work during regular business hours. Other travel for work. Some lead training seminars in the evenings or on weekends.
Career Growth
Employment of training and development managers, including corporate trainers, will grow 7 percent by 2024. This is about as fast as the average for all occupations. Corporate training is experiencing innovations and new trends like webinars. Corporate trainers must be masters of many different delivery methods. This is especially important to companies that allow their employees to work remotely. Clear and effective training saves time and money for companies and fosters positive and productive relationships.
Salary Potential
The median annual wage for training and development managers is $102,640. Those who work in professional, scientific and technical services can make $113,680, and those who work in finance and insurance can earn $104,710.
Education Required
Prospective corporate trainers need at least a bachelor’s degree for entry-level positions that can lead to a training position. Many companies and organizations prefer candidates with a master’s degree, like a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Organizational Development and Learning.
In the course of both undergraduate and graduate studies, aspiring corporate trainers should focus on subjects like organizational processes, organizational culture, talent management, business administration and educational psychology.