Training Officer

Introduction

Training officers identify staff training needs, and plan and organise suitable training programmes.

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Work Activities

Training officers identify training needs, and plan and organise training programmes. They match the skills, abilities and ambitions of employees with an organisation's present and future staffing requirements. Once training needs have been identified, the training officer works out the most cost effective and appropriate way to meet them. They often negotiate with training providers to select the most suitable training. Training officers monitor training programmes while they are in progress and evaluate them by asking the trainees for their views.

Trainees may include school leavers starting their first job, graduates requiring specialist training, and experienced employees being prepared for managerial roles. The training officer often plans programmes to help existing staff to develop and expand their range of skills or to learn how to use new equipment.

Training officers do not always provide the training themselves; this may be the job of a supervisor or trainer.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a training officer, you will need to be able to communicate and negotiate well. You will need organisational ability to set objectives, meet deadlines and plan ahead. You will also need a high standard of English and numeracy, and an understanding of statistics. Computer literacy is useful for planning and organising training programmes.

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Pay and Opportunities

Salary levels for training officers vary depending on the size of company and the range of responsibility.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Training officers earn in the range of £15,000 - £18,500 a year, rising to £23,500 - £28,500. Higher earners can make around £34,000 a year.

Training officers usually work 35-40 hours Monday to Friday. However, you may be required to run courses in the evenings and at weekends. This may involve nights away from home.

Employers throughout the UK are firms in industry and commerce, training agencies, public utilities and public sector organisations such as the health service and central and local government departments. Consultancy and freelance work is often possible for those with substantial work experience.

There is a lot of competition to enter this work.

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Adult Opportunities

It is now illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many training officers have relevant work experience. This can include work as a training, personnel, or human resources assistant, or administration work in a human resources or training department. Specialist knowledge, for example, in information technology is an advantage.

However, competition for all posts is fierce.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) offers flexible learning courses. The CIPD also works with colleges and universities to offer local courses for those already in relevant employment or related activity.

• 10% of people in occupations such as training officer have flexible hours.
• 4% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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