Becoming a Trainer (not a shoe!)

FingersCrossed_2

Sorry for the crap joke.

I am always looking for extra ways to earn cash in addition to my modest full time wage. I've always thought about training and wondered what you need to do to get in to it.

I have a degree in Communication and a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) qualification. I have delivered training courses in previous jobs but some time ago. However, the experience I have in my current job is definitely relevant.

I work for a local authority at the moment and have been on tons of training courses. I hate to say it but most of them have been dreadful! I know I could easily prepare and deliver far better. Speaking to my boss I found out that the trainers we use charge £250 per day! And, I know this is cheap in comparison to others.

Could I just start offering services as a 'trainer' in my areas of expertise or would I be expected to have some kind of formal qualifications?

Thanks all.

foreign_correspondent

well - I deliver some training, and I think the quick answer is 'it depends'! -

For example, I deliver one course which is very specialised with lots of technical and legal aspects (and for which you have to be a licensed trainer with annual re-assesment). The delegates are assessed on their competancy at the end of the course. There are a lot of criteria for delivering this training, as the body who developed it own the license for it and have very stringent conditons.

I also deliver other training which is more generalised, and based on my area of professional practice. The generalised training tends to be sporadic, and through people I know (it also pays less).

I guess it depends what you are planning on training in? What is your area? Would your experience and qualifications put you in a good positon to educate others? Would there be legal implications if your training was not up to scratch?

FingersCrossed_2

Thanks.

I would consider my area of expertise to be communications but I am aware this is a broad subject. I'm thinking presentation skills, effective communication, business writing skills, interpersonal skills - that kind of thing. I also have extensive experience in customer service and would love to get involved in courses in this area.

Recently I have attended courses on diversity, managing conflict and customer service through work. I know I could design and deliver far better courses than each of those I went to. They were really really poor.

I am sure my qualifications and experience justify my ability to deliver such training. As far as legal implications, I wouldn't imagine i'd be venturing in to that area. Although I would check that out.

I have signed up to a local adult learning centre and they are going to get me started teaching adult literacy and numeracy. However, it be great to think I could also do some courses as above. I could certainly offer then to my work cheaper (and far better) than £250 a day!

foreign_correspondent

The difficulty tends to be that if you deliver courses 'in house' they normally do not expect to pay you anything over your normal pay, and will probably ask you to do it in work time.

However, it may well be worth delivering 'in house' to develop your skills, reputation and CV.

I think you would be ok as far as legal implications go - (by that I mean legal implications of the content you are delivering) - but it is a consideration if you are teaching people anything where them mis-practicing could injure or damage - for instance, if you taught child protection, food hygeine, first aid etc. and you misinformed students on key points there could be comeback!

Emmzi

I've worked in training for a decade and every customer thinks they have someone who can do it better/ cheaper etc.. heh.

NVQ 4 in training is the usual entry level qualification, and covers more than just standing up delivering - thats the easy bit!

You need to have a knowledge of training needs analysis, design, blended learning, learning styles, evaluation, return on investment, and be able to show experience, to get the high rates with my company.

Also £250 a day is low - add a hundred or two onto that - but for that time day in the classroom there may be 1/2 days prep also...

cazziebo

I'm sure you could do a better job than many "trainers" out there. It doesn't make it easy to make a living out of it. (and out of that £250 you have marketing, travel, subsistence, IT, materials, admin etc etc costs to find).

I run a training consultancy, and have just recently succeeded in getting on to the preferred supplier lists for a number of government departments. I needed to have turnover of a certain threshold, hold a number of professional accreditations and have professional indemnity insurance of £2m. I employ a number of people and also use a network of associates. I do work in a very specialised area and my daily charge rate is around £1200 per day. That might seem a lot but it's taken my more than 25 years to build up my knowledge. I spend a considerable amount on individual and team development. It is financially and personally rewarding.

You are right when you say that communications/personal effectiveness is a broad spectrum, and it's also overcrowded. I started off in this (worked for a major multinational so was an in house trainer). Would your work sponsor you on a train the trainer course? this would be a start. Build up some experience and then think about whether it's what you want to do. If it is, then it's not likely that your employer would be happy with you pursuing it while you are working for them. Best case scenario would be to get a training position within the local authority and build your portfolio of skills.

It's not as easy as it looks. Looking back, I found delivering Customer Care week in, week out demoralising and difficult. Management development was slightly more rewarding, but as a trainer, you didn't get to see the end result. It was on to the next city and the next programme.

If it's what you really want to do, good luck.

foreign_correspondent

Emmzi and Cazziebo make some very good points - sometimes the preperation, evaluation, assessment etc. takes longer than the face to face work. Its also hard work - often a couple of hours driving either way trying to find some remote building, lugging flip charts, projectors, screens and materials about, setting rooms up, moving furniture, spending every break and lunchtime answering queries - you are 'on' all the time.

An understanding of group dynamics is also essential, as is the ability to manage the personalities and attutides within a single group - there is generally a person who knows it all, a person who argues with you about everything and someone who grumbles about the venue/toilets/coffee or all of the above - as a trainer you have to juggle this whilst also drawing the person who is sitting in the corner feeling bored / anxious / unconfident into the session...

It is harder than it looks!! You also have to have the experience and background to be able to effectively and correctly answer questions thrown at you, and you need to be up to date with current good practice and policy.

FingersCrossed_2

Thanks,

I know there is a lot more than the presentation. Luckily my degree and teaching qualification have given me most of these skills. Although i'm sure there would still be a learning curve involved.

I guess that's why i'm so keen to get in to this. I feel that the current trainers do just think it is an easy number. Whereas I actually have a passion for helping people learn and improving their skills.

foreign_correspondent

FingersCrossed wrote: »

I feel that the current trainers do just think it is an easy number. Whereas I actually have a passion for helping people learn and improving their skills.

To be honest, I doubt whether the ones who think it is an easy number will get much repeat trade - I work my socks off for positive feedback and good evaluations at the end of the course.

Good luck if you decide to go for it, I think your current plan of doing some work for the local FE college will be a good way to test out whether you like it or not - however, most people will be there becuase they are motivated to learn - which is sadly not always the case when people are 'sent' on a course from work!

It's not great when on the first morning people are drifting in saying 'don't know why we have got to do this crap, I came on something just the same last year' - oh joy!

FingersCrossed_2

Thanks.

One of the problems is that I live in a rural region and work for a local authority. As there is probably very limited competition among trainers and the pay is low, they are not going to attract the best.

The attendees do have the attitude you noted. However, taking a day away from your work, traveling to a training centre (for some 150 mile round trip!) and then being faced with a full day of pointless activities only aggravates this.

I have been on some great courses before I moved here and I know if done correctly training can be life changing (at least in your work).

Your comments have all been useful and have given me some food for thought - thanks.

DKLS

One thing that did stand out with your post and your skill set, was developing e-learning content.
A quick google reveals a number of perm and freelance vacancies.