Training managers oversee the training of employees. They are usually connected
to the human resources department.
Training managers might do some training themselves. Other duties may include
designing training courses, including seminars on writing and presentation
skills. They also order books and other teaching materials.
Another growing branch of training management uses the Internet to reach
millions of potential trainees. Dave Egan is founder and vice-president of
provider strategies for a website that helps companies mix and match different
online schools, publications and other resources to come up with their own
training programs.
"Online training is growing more and more useful for corporations," says
Egan. "It builds choice while delivering training cheaply and effectively."
To be a training manager, it's important to have good organizational skills.
Managers need to be able to manage projects and people. They must understand
how employees will learn best. That is often different for each employee.
"You need to have a strong presence in order to engage all the students
and compel each of them to learn," says Egan. "You have to be a great communicator
while being highly competent at what you're teaching -- often taking complex
issues and putting them into simpler terms."
Training covers a wide range of topics. A company might switch computer
systems, for instance. That means every person in the company must be taught
how to use it. Companies with factories where heavy equipment is used must
give more training.
Managers often deal with many different personalities.
"One of the biggest problems overlooked in corporate environments is cultural,"
says Richard Battaglia.He is executive director of the International Society
of Performance Improvement in Washington, D.C. "These days, some people just
don't feel they belong -- like square pegs in round holes."
Most trainers are generalists. For specialized tasks, most companies will
turn to outside firms. There are hundreds of training consulting firms in
North America.
Thomas Ebert runs a company that provides training on a contract basis.
"It's mostly the smaller companies that contract out," he says. "The larger
corporations generally have their own training infrastructure in place."