Occupation · SOC 13-1151
Training and Development Specialists
Design or conduct work-related training and development programs to improve individual skills or organizational performance. May analyze organizational training needs or evaluate training effectiveness.
Median wage
$65,850
$37,510–$120,190
Projected growth
+10.8%
Faster than average
Annual openings
4,870
per year
Employed (US)
436,610
Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
634 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingInstructingLearning StrategiesActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessActive LearningMonitoringJudgment and Decision Making
Knowledge areas
Education and TrainingCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguagePersonnel and Human ResourcesAdministration and Management
Technology & tools
Document management softwareDevelopment environment softwareVideo creation and editing softwareComputer based training softwareGraphics or photo imaging software
Representative tasks
Present information with a variety of instructional techniques or formats, such as role playing, simulations, team exercises, group discussions, videos, or lectures.Obtain, organize, or develop training procedure manuals, guides, or course materials, such as handouts or visual materials.Evaluate modes of training delivery, such as in-person or virtual, to optimize training effectiveness, training costs, or environmental impacts.Assess training needs through surveys, interviews with employees, focus groups, or consultation with managers, instructors, or customer representatives.Offer specific training programs to help workers maintain or improve job skills.Monitor, evaluate, or record training activities or program effectiveness.Design, plan, organize, or direct orientation and training programs for employees or customers.Develop alternative training methods if expected improvements are not seen.Evaluate training materials prepared by instructors, such as outlines, text, or handouts.Monitor training costs and prepare budget reports to justify expenditures.Devise programs to develop executive potential among employees in lower-level positions.Keep up with developments in area of expertise by reading current journals, books, or magazine articles.Attend meetings or seminars to obtain information for use in training programs or to inform management of training program status.Coordinate recruitment and placement of training program participants.Select and assign instructors to conduct training.Negotiate contracts with clients for desired training outcomes, fees, or expenses.Supervise, evaluate, or refer instructors to skill development classes.Schedule classes based on availability of classrooms, equipment, or instructors.Refer trainees to employer relations representatives, to locations offering job placement assistance, or to appropriate social services agencies, if warranted.Develop or implement training programs related to efficiency, recycling, or other issues with environmental impacts.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Instructional formats such as lectures and group discussions — deliver under supervisor guidance in structured classroom or virtual training sessions.Training procedure manuals and handouts — locate, organize, and distribute according to established templates within a corporate learning environment.Training delivery modes such as in-person versus virtual — identify differences in cost and effectiveness by reviewing existing organizational documentation.Job-skill training programs — assist in facilitating pre-designed modules for employees under the direction of a senior training specialist.Employee training needs — gather basic data through structured surveys and scripted interview questions as part of a supervised needs assessment.Training activity records — enter participant completion data and evaluation scores accurately into a learning management system.New-employee orientation programs — support scheduling, room setup, and material preparation under the guidance of the training team.Alternative training approaches — identify and propose options from existing resource libraries when initial methods are flagged by supervisors as ineffective.Computer-based training software and document management tools — operate to upload content and track learner progress in a managed corporate system.Oral and written communications — prepare clear status updates and basic training summaries for review by experienced training development staff.
developing
Multiple instructional techniques including role playing, team exercises, and video content — deliver with increasing independence to diverse employee groups in hybrid work environments.Course materials such as visual aids, guides, and handouts — develop and revise using desktop publishing and graphics software to meet specific learning objectives.In-person and virtual training delivery modes — evaluate trade-offs in effectiveness, cost, and environmental impact and recommend adjustments to program coordinators.Targeted job-skill training programs — facilitate routinely for small-to-mid-size employee cohorts, adapting pacing and examples to audience experience levels.Training needs assessments — conduct independently through employee surveys, focus group facilitation, and manager consultations across familiar business units.Program effectiveness metrics — monitor and compile using LMS reporting tools, identifying trends and flagging concerns for senior specialists.Departmental training and onboarding programs — organize and coordinate logistics, timelines, and facilitator assignments with moderate oversight.Alternative training interventions — develop and pilot when evaluation data indicate that existing methods are not achieving measurable performance improvement.Video creation, editing, and web page authoring tools — use to produce and publish engaging digital training content for internal learner audiences.Active listening and social perceptiveness — apply during learner interactions to adjust facilitation strategies and address participant concerns in real time.
proficient
A full repertoire of instructional formats including simulations, scenario-based exercises, and blended learning — execute autonomously across varied employee populations and business contexts.Comprehensive training procedure manuals and course curricula — design and author end-to-end, integrating multimedia assets and aligning content to organizational competency frameworks.Multi-modal training delivery strategies — analyze and optimize independently by weighing learning outcomes data, budget constraints, and sustainability goals across the organization.Customized skill-building training programs — develop and deliver for complex, non-routine performance gaps, drawing on behavioral science principles and industry best practices.Organization-wide training needs — assess autonomously using mixed-method approaches including interviews, focus groups, performance data analysis, and consultation with senior stakeholders.Training program effectiveness — evaluate rigorously using Kirkpatrick or similar models, producing actionable improvement recommendations grounded in quantitative and qualitative evidence.End-to-end employee development and customer training programs — plan, design, and direct independently from needs analysis through post-program evaluation and iteration.Evidence-based alternative training solutions — develop rapidly in response to poor program results, deploying revised interventions with defined success criteria and measurement plans.CRM software, object-oriented development tools, and web platform technologies — leverage to build scalable, interactive learning solutions tailored to enterprise system environments.Complex problems in learning design and organizational capability — resolve by applying critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and cross-functional collaboration without requiring managerial direction.
advanced
Enterprise-wide instructional strategy encompassing emerging modalities such as immersive simulation and AI-assisted personalization — set direction for and champion across organizational leadership.Organizational learning content ecosystems including standards, governance frameworks, and quality benchmarks — establish and maintain to ensure consistent, high-impact training materials at scale.Strategic evaluation of training delivery infrastructure and technology investments — lead by synthesizing cost, effectiveness, equity, and environmental data to inform C-suite and board-level decisions.Long-term workforce capability roadmaps aligned to business strategy — develop and steward, ensuring training offerings proactively address emerging skill gaps before they affect performance.Organization-wide learning needs analysis methodology — design and institutionalize, enabling consistent, evidence-based identification of performance priorities across all business units and geographies.Training effectiveness and ROI reporting systems — architect and present to executive stakeholders, translating complex evaluation data into strategic narratives that drive continued investment.Enterprise training and development function — lead by setting vision, securing resources, managing vendor partnerships, and aligning programs to talent management and business objectives.Innovation in training design — model and cultivate by piloting emerging pedagogical methods, sharing findings across the field, and building a culture of continuous learning experimentation.Training and development professionals at all levels — mentor, coach, and develop through structured feedback, stretch assignments, and communities of practice that elevate team capability.Cross-functional and inter-organizational training initiatives — coordinate at executive scale, building coalitions with HR, operations, technology, and external partners to deliver transformational capability programs.
Also known as
537 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
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