Corporate Trainer Responsibilities (And How To Become One)

Updated 20 October 2022

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A corporate trainer is responsible for maintaining an organisation's talent by providing thorough employee training during onboarding and as needed afterwards. Their responsibilities include creating training programmes, devising ways to monitor employee performance and collaborating closely with high-level managers and department leaders to identify areas for improvement. If you want to become a corporate trainer, learning about these responsibilities can help you make an informed decision about whether the role is right for you. In this article, we discuss corporate trainer responsibilities and outline different ways you can become one in an industry of your choice.

What Are The Corporate Trainer Responsibilities?

Corporate trainer responsibilities may vary depending on the specifics of your position and the organisation and industry in which you work. Organisations hire corporate trainers to ensure their employees acquire the desired abilities and knowledge to perform their tasks. You can either work exclusively for one organisation or for a consulting firm that provides its services to different organisations. Even if the allocated budget may be low, organisations benefit from maintaining elevated hiring standards because of the responsibilities involved. Below are some of these responsibilities:

Identifying the training requirements of the employees

Identifying and understanding the training requirements of employees is one of the core responsibilities of a corporate trainer. To make an assessment, you may first want to determine what skills the company is looking for to fulfil its goals and then analyse the current skill level of the employees. Then, you can examine the available training programmes, report accordingly on their requirements and suggest training plans.

Creating and evaluating educational materials

Making sure that the training content is as interesting and rewarding as possible is another fundamental duty of corporate trainers. You may achieve this by providing access to mobile learning options, which allow employees to access the training materials whenever and wherever they want. To help maintain focus, you can also design shorter and simpler lessons and integrate games into the training content.

Organising training sessions

Corporate trainers are also responsible for organising training sessions to improve morale and keep employees focused on their common objectives. To make these sessions effective, you may want to encourage employees to set learning goals that follow the SMART (i.e. they are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely) framework. You can also conduct activities in small groups to help people get to know one another.

Other Responsibilities Of A Corporate Trainer

The core responsibilities above highlight the most basic roles of a corporate trainer. There are several additional duties that you may undertake in this position. Below are some of the other responsibilities a corporate trainer may take on:

Onboarding new employees and trainees
Training employees to use workplace technologies
Educating employees on policies, procedures and other rules
Coordinating with management to determine the organisation's training needs
Proposing department-specific strategies to boost productivity and profitability
Ensuring the compliance of all training materials with the applicable regulations
Providing new hires with guidance and support through the human resources department
Selecting and reserving appropriate training locations
Adjusting and following established training budgets
Maintaining records and overseeing the attendance of training sessions
Assessing situations to find opportunities for improvement

How To Become A Corporate Trainer

There are many approaches you can take to become a corporate trainer. Some people know that they want to be corporate trainers before starting their careers, and they may complete the necessary academic qualifications to start working in this career field right away. Others may enter a corporate training position after working in different fields for some time. You can follow these steps if you are interested in working as a corporate trainer:

1. Choose your preferred industry

Before making any decisions about your schooling or profession, you may want to consider your current skills and qualifications. This can help you determine a suitable industry for a corporate trainer position. Some business trainers work in several industries, including finance, compliance and human resources, while others specialise in a single industry.

2. Research the role and prepare for it

If you are looking at becoming a corporate trainer, it may help to do some research about the sector and industry you want to work in. Aspiring corporate trainers often start developing the necessary skills for the job before looking for available positions. This is because the job responsibilities of a corporate trainer include more than providing standard training to employees. They also include duties like developing curriculum, collaborating with stakeholders and reviewing training sessions for efficacy.

3. Complete a bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically a basic requirement for corporate trainers, but some may hold additional graduate degrees. You may consider obtaining a bachelor's degree specific to the industry you want to work in as a trainer, or you may seek one in a field that is generally related to education and training. Corporate trainers frequently hold bachelor's degrees in human resources, business administration, organisational management, educational psychology and education.

4. Work in education or human resources

You may want to check that you have or can acquire the required skills if you are interested in switching from another career field to a position as a corporate trainer. It is typically easier for those who already work in human resources or education to move into corporate training since there is more overlap between these positions. But if you have experience in a business-related field, you may also be able to obtain additional training and make this career change.

5. Strengthen your public speaking skills

Public speaking is one of the most crucial skills for a corporate trainer. Many trainers deal with large groups, which may require capturing and holding the attention of several people at once. To improve this skill, you can enrol in public speaking classes, volunteer your services to an organisation in a position that demands public speaking or join a group that helps improve a candidate's public speaking abilities via regular practice and feedback.

6. Consider your ideal work environment

You may want to think about the type of workplace you would prefer. Some organisations, especially large companies, use in-house trainers to oversee new employee orientations, professional development and other training sessions. Others use consulting services, where corporate trainers from consulting companies conduct the organisation's training. In comparison, some organisations hire independent contractors as their corporate trainers.

7. Acquire field-related certificates

You may want to consider obtaining a corporate training certificate. Although it may not be necessary for the field, having it can help you distinguish yourself from other candidates. You can search for organisations issuing certificates that many industries recognise.

8. Apply for jobs

Once you have worked on your skills, earned a degree and obtained the required certifications, the next step is to apply for corporate training jobs. You can submit applications for available positions within your desired industry and work environment. In addition to searching online for job listings or asking for information about open positions from your professional network, you can also contact companies directly to make inquiries.

9. Focus on professional development

Once you land a job as a corporate trainer, it would be prudent to actively put effort into advancing your career. You may want to look for training opportunities to stay up to date with changes in the field of education and training outside of your specific role. This may also help you ensure that the training materials you design remain relevant.