Step1
**What is corporate training?**
Corporate trainers are just like college professors or public school teachers. They instruct and train others. The only difference is who their "students" are. Corporate trainers teach company personnel things.
What things? Literally anything and everything! Some specialize in a particular area of training, while others teach a multitude of subjects.
For instance, trainers might instruct employees on things like: policy changes, software updates, new products and services, sales and marketing techniques, an office equipment upgrade, etc.
Now trainers can be of two types. One is an outsider who works for a third party who provides the training. This is what I did. I worked for a company that sent me out to other companies to train their personnel.
Others work for the actual company. In other words, they train their own company's employees. Both do exactly the same thing, but one is an employee too and the other is an independent.
Step2
**Training necessary?**
Do you need any special training in order to become a corporate trainer? Well that all depends on what you'll be teaching. With corporate trainers, having practical experience in the area where you'll be training is what's most important.
For example, if I'm going to be providing sales training, then my having worked in sales is relevant and important to have. Someone without sales experience isn't knowledgeable about how sales works and would find it hard to relate to those in the profession.
So it is important for a corporate trainer to have some experience in the area in which he or she will be teaching. How much will vary from company to company, but the more, the better!
Step3
**Train the trainer**
There are many corporate trainers who teach a wide variety of things at multiple companies. That was my situation. It's common for trainers in this position to attend what's called Train the Trainer sessions.
These are exactly what the name implies. You are taught something, and then you go out and teach it. So the trainer is first schooled in the subject area to develop the expertise necessary to train others. Once that is done, then the trainer goes out into the field and conducts the training sessions for company employees.
Step4
**Skills needed?**
As a corporate trainer, you need the same skillset as any teacher. That's because you are a teacher, instructing company employees as your students.
This means you need to know how to effectively convey information so it's easily remembered and understood. You must know how to use a variety of learning methods to get your information across. And you must be able to assess the progress of your students.
Step5
**Training materials**
Many corporate trainers are given materials needed to instruct. This way, you don't have to make up your own. This was the way it worked when I worked as a corporate trainer. I never had to develop my own materials. The company already had them prepared and I simply used them in the classroom.
However, there could be trainers who need to develop their own materials. And so, just like any other teacher, you should know how to develop effective instructional aides.
Step6
**Technology used**
Depending on what you'll be teaching and how high-tech things are, you may never use things like projectors, digitizers, etc. You may simply use paper handouts and a white or blackboard.
Other trainers have used LCD or overhead projectors, computers, and other high-tech pieces of equipment to facilitate the learning process. It all depends on the subject and the students you'll be dealing with.
A good corporate trainer is flexible and knows the best way to get his or her information across. Remember, your job is to help company personnel learn, apply, and remember the information you're talking about. So you're giving practical advice rather than theory!
Step7
**Classroom?**
You may do your training in a classroom environement, such as an auditorium or small conference room. But you may also do your training at peoples' desks. I've done individual instruction walking around from office to office. And I've done group instruction with people together in one room.
A good trainer is able to instruct well in any environment!
Step8
**Working with others?**
Some corporate trainers work totally independent and alone. In other words, you're the one and only trainer on-site. Others work in teams of multiple trainers. This is generally done at larger locations where one person can't effectively train everyone sufficiently.
I've worked in both environments and enjoyed them equally!
Step9
**Curriculum?**
Some trainers are given a curriculum to teach and they simply follow it. Others have to develop their own gameplan (lessons). Regardless, a good corporate trainer must be able to manage his or her time well. This means grouping information into manageable chunks so it's easily absorbed.
Remember, corporate training is just like teaching. You've got specific information to convey, and limited time to do it. And so you must manage your time well in order to get through everything.
A training session could be as short as a couple of minutes. Or it could last days. I've done training sessions that have lasted an entire week. It all depends on how much and how complex the material you're instructing is.
TIP: You may have to instruct something that really needs more time.
Sometimes, you may be given a shorter timeframe than is really needed in your opinion. You need to do your best to manage your time so you can get through all the major things necessary. So effective time-management is a very important skill in corporate training!
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