To be or not to be a Trainer? You decide…

Trainer: benefits

Being a Trainer can be a varied and exciting role, travelling to UK and International destinations, meeting people of different cultures, with no two days the same. But every job has its up and downs, so what is it really like to be a Trainer?

Delivering courses to large groups of people can be a daunting task. Standing up at the front with all eyes on you could be someone’s nightmare, but then again some people love being the centre of attention! Speaking publicly is something that takes practice and time to build confidence, but this skill is something you’ll never lose once mastered. There’s nothing like the feeling you get from a job well done – receiving great feedback and knowing that you have helped people learn something new or motivated them to develop themselves further. There’s always the odd time when you have to deal with an unruly delegate, but no job can be smooth sailing all the time, and there is a great support network of trainers so we can help and advise each other and learn from each others’ experiences.

People often wonder how trainers remember everything they need to deliver their courses. Although all learning and development professionals spend years developing a base knowledge of a variety of subjects and theories that they can refer to when delivering training, by no means are they required to have all of this information on the tip of their tongues. Preparation is key! Subjects can be revisited and refreshed upon the night before and notes can be made to refer to during the training sessions and in breaks. Of course, some of the learning is so embedded, delivery just comes naturally.

Another big part of the job is the travel involved. Trainers for Capita Learning & Development travel across the UK and also abroad to places like the Middle East, The Gambia and Europe where they can drink in the culture and sights. However, as the travel is for work, trainers find their free time for tourism quite limited as the majority of their time is spent travelling to the venue, preparing and working. But some people are just not made to sit in an office…

So, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of any job. And our trainers have all jumped into their roles – imparting their expert knowledge, passion, and support to many people on a daily basis.

As one trainer summarises: “What other job can offer you the experience of working in so many different places, industries, cultures, with new faces and challenges on a daily basis?”

So you decide. To be or not to be a Trainer?

Written by Claire Hopkins, a learning consultant at Capita Learning & Development.