you want to work in training

Most of us will go through some kind of training during our lives, whether it is at school, in college, at night classes or in work - but for some people training is their life.

Andrea Stimpson, who is 35 and from Bridgend, works for one of Wales’s leading training providers, Newport-based t2 Business Solutions, as a management trainer and has spent the past eight years helping people to upgrade their skills in the workplace.

As part of her role at t2 Business Solutions, Andrea researches, develops and delivers a mixture of bespoke and traditional training courses for managers at all levels and in all industries.

As well as providing managers with tailored training relevant to their jobs, Andrea also monitors their progress in the workplace helping them to put the theory into practice.

“Many people think that as you move up the career ladder, you can forget about training, but it’s just as essential as when they first began looking for work,” said Andrea.

“People need to update their skills continuously in line with the latest thinking and developments in technology and industry, especially if they are in a management position.

“But it’s important that the training received is specific to the particular job in question, which is why we design practical and hands-on workshops, which enable the individual to relate their learning back to their particular role in the work place.

“Training is a very rewarding job as you get to see the before and after pictures. Often when we first meet with someone, they are not particularly confident or motivated in their careers, so to see them feeling more positive and sure of themselves in their role after undergoing training is extremely satisfying.

“Being a trainer is a good job if you are a people-person as you meet such a variety of people of all ages and backgrounds. During the programmes, you get to know the people you are training very well and I often stay in touch with them long after it has finished to see how they are getting on.

“If you want to have a career in training you’ll also need to be an effective communicator. People might be a bit apathetic towards training to start with, so you’ll need to be able to fire up their enthusiasm and motivate them to make the necessary changes.

“You’ll also need to be approachable, friendly and understanding, as well as being confident, adaptable and organised. And, of course, you’ll need to undertake training yourself to keep up-to-date on the latest management thinking and training techniques. I regularly attend training sessions as part of my role at t2 Business Solutions to make sure I’m up to speed and delivering the best advice.

Andrea started her career in retail, where she spent five years as a retail manager in a leading Welsh chain of clothing stores. During her time she became involved in recruitment, where she began to appreciate the importance of training.

After getting more involved in human resources at the company, she took the post-graduate diploma management certificate course by the Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD), which covered all aspects of management including training and human resources. She then took on a training role at her company, before joining a private training company, which catered especially for managers. Andrea then joined the t2 Group in 2004.

The best way to start a career in training is to obtain the relevant formal qualifications and some first-hand experience. If you are working for a larger company, it is worth researching any in-house courses on offer or requesting a secondment to the training department, if your company has one. If these options are not available, the courses on offer from the CIPD are a good starting point, such as the Certificate in Training Practice.

An alternative route would be the National Training Qualifications (NVQs) in Learning and Development offered by City & Guilds and OCR at various levels. These can be accessed though independent training providers such as t2 Group. If you are still at school and considering a career in training, GCSEs or A-Levels in IT or English Literature and Language may also help to further your career later down the line.

For specific training areas, such as IT training, there are a number of specialist courses on offer – the most recognised in this field being the Certified Training Assessment Programme (CTAP), for technical IT training you have the Microsoft Certified Training Certification (MCT).

Independent companies, such as the t2 Business Solutions, offer a wide range of management and personal effectiveness training courses, such as Delivery Skills for Trainers, Situational Leadership, Introduction to Management, Assertiveness at Work, Introduction to NLP, Creative Thinking and Problem Solving, to name but a few.

“The important thing to remember is that there are lots of avenues into this career so choose the one that suits you,” added Andrea. “Don’t take an academic course if you don’t like that kind of learning – try a more practical course. It’s always a good idea to get hands-on experience, whatever course you choose, so try to get work experience in the sector and work on a voluntary basis if necessary.”

The t2 Group is one of Wales’s largest training providers, offering a number of quality-focused business support services. It specialises in management development solutions for small to medium size enterprises, providing a comprehensive set of training packages and mentoring programmes.

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