Training and Development Managers

Summary

What Training and Development Managers Do About this section

Training and development managers teach training methods to specialists.

Training and development managers oversee staff and plan, direct, and coordinate programs to enhance the knowledge and skills of an organization’s employees.

Duties

Training and development managers typically do the following:

• Oversee training and development staff
• Assess employees’ needs for training
• Align training with the organization’s strategic goals
• Create and manage training budgets
• Develop and implement training programs that make the best use of available resources
• Review and select training materials from a variety of vendors
• Update training programs to ensure that they are relevant
• Teach training methods and skills to instructors and supervisors
• Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and instructors

Training and development managers oversee training programs, staff, and budgets. They are responsible for creating or selecting course content and materials for training programs. Training may be in the form of a video, self-guided instructional manual, or online application and delivered in-person or through a computer, tablet, or other hand-held electronic device. Training may also be collaborative, with employees informally connecting with experts, mentors, and colleagues, often through social media or other online mediums. Managers must ensure that training methods, content, software, systems, and equipment are appropriate and meaningful.

Training and development managers typically supervise a staff of training and development specialists, such as instructional designers, program developers, and instructors. Managers teach training methods to specialists who, in turn, instruct the organization’s employees—both new and experienced. Managers direct the daily activities of specialists and evaluate their effectiveness. Although most managers primarily oversee specialists and training and development program operations, some—particularly those in smaller companies—may also conduct training courses.

Training and development managers often confer with managers of other departments to identify training needs. They may work with top executives and financial officers to identify and match training priorities with overall business goals. They also prepare training budgets and ensure that expenses stay within budget.

Work Environment About this section

Training and development managers may meet with training vendors to choose training materials.

Training and development managers typically work in offices. Some travel between a main office and regional offices or training facilities. They spend much of their time working with people and overseeing training activities.

Work Schedules

The majority of training and development managers work full time during regular business hours. Some work more than 40 hours per week.

How to Become a Training and Development Manager About this section

Most candidates need a combination of education and related work experience to become a training and development manager.

Most candidates need a combination of education and related work experience to become a training and development manager. Although training and development managers need a bachelor’s degree for many positions, some jobs require a master’s degree.

Education

Training and development managers need a bachelor’s degree for many positions, and some jobs require a master’s degree. Although training and development managers come from a variety of educational backgrounds, it is most common for these workers to have bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, education, or a related field.

Some employers prefer or require training and development managers to have a master’s degree, usually with a concentration in training and development, human resources management, organizational development, or business administration.

Training and development managers may also benefit from studying instructional design, behavioral psychology, or educational psychology.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Related work experience is essential for training and development managers. Many positions require work experience in training and development or another human resources field, management, or teaching. For example, many training and development managers start out as training and development specialists. Some employers also prefer experience in the industry in which the company operates. Increasingly, employers are looking for workers with experience in information technology as organizations introduce more e-learning and technology-based tools.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Although training and development managers are not required to be certified, certification can show professional expertise and credibility. Some employers prefer to hire certified candidates, and some positions may require certification.

Many professional associations for human resources professionals offer classes to enhance the skills of their members. Some associations, including the Association for Talent Development and the International Society for Performance Improvement, specialize in training and development and offer certification programs. The Society for Human Resource Management offers general human resources certification.

Important Qualities

Business skills. Training and development managers must understand business operations in order to match training to the business’s strategic goals. They also need to be able to plan and adhere to budgets.

Communication skills. Training and development managers must clearly communicate information and facilitate learning by diverse audiences. They also must be able to effectively convey instructions to their staff.

Critical-thinking skills. Training and development managers use critical-thinking skills when assessing classes, materials, and programs. They must identify the training needs of an organization and recognize where changes and improvements can be made.

Decisionmaking skills. Training and development managers must select or create the best training programs to meet the needs of the organization. For example, they must review available training methods and materials and choose those that best fit each program.

Collaboration skills. Training and development managers need strong interpersonal skills because delivering training programs requires working in concert with staff, trainees, subject matter experts, and the organization’s leaders. They also accomplish much of their work through teams.

Instructional skills. Training and development managers need to understand the fundamentals of teaching and lesson planning. In addition to developing training, they may lead courses or seminars.

Leadership skills. Managers are often in charge of a staff and are responsible for many programs. They must be able to organize, motivate, and instruct those working under them.

Pay About this section

The majority of training and development managers work full time during regular business hours. Some work more than 40 hours per week.

Job Outlook About this section

Overall employment of training and development managers is projected to grow $pc.toString().replaceAll("^\-","") percent from 2020 to 2030, $gra.

About $tools.number.format('#,###',$op) openings for training and development managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Employment of training and development managers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations. In many occupations, employees are required to take continuing education and skill development courses throughout their careers, creating demand for workers who develop and provide training materials.

Innovations in training methods and learning technology are expected to continue throughout the next decade, particularly for organizations with remote workers. Organizations increasingly use social media, visual simulations, mobile learning, and social networks in their training programs. As social media and collaborative learning become more common, training and development managers will need to modify training programs, allocate budgets, and integrate these features into training programs and curriculums.

In addition, as companies seek to reduce costs, training and development managers may be required to structure programs to enlist available experts, take advantage of existing resources, and facilitate positive relationships among staff. Training and development managers may use informal collaborative learning and social media to engage and train employees in the most cost-effective way.

Job Prospects

Overall, job prospects should be favorable due to the constant need for workplace training and education. Job openings will stem from growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation.

State & Area Data About this section

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)

The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.

Projections Central

Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved.

CareerOneStop

CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For more information about training and development managers, visit

Association for Talent Development

International Society for Performance Improvement

For information about human resources management careers and certification, visit

Society for Human Resource Management

CareerOneStop

For a career video on training and development managers, visit

Training and development managers