What Is a Training Degree?

A training and development degree is essentially an education that prepares students to work as qualified teachers in settings other than schools. The creation and implementation of various programs and educational materials with the aim of assisting workers in learning professional skills is the responsibility of professionals in the training and development specialist occupation. As a result, they need to prepare for this career with an education that emphasizes learning concepts and their practical applications in work training.

The field of training and development is relatively interdisciplinary. There is a strong connection to the business world because training given to employees is often done for the benefit of firms and other companies.

The methods of professional training and development are the focus of post-baccalaureate certificate programs in addition to degrees in training and development, which are commonly provided at the bachelor's and master's levels.

Many degree programs in training and development are offered through the business administration's human resources division or through a business department more broadly. In other cases, a communications department or a school of education may offer this kind of degree.

Employment after Earning a Degree in Training and Development

Training and development specialists typically hold corporate positions and spend the majority of their time in offices. On-site or off-site, however, training and development specialists may also operate in classrooms and other training facilities. Some training and development expert roles require a great amount of travel, particularly if the specialist is in charge of training staff at numerous branches or offices spread across a wide geographic area. Training and development professionals should stay up with their own training, which may include attending numerous conferences and seminars, since trainers cannot teach someone a technique or skill they do not understand.

Other Important Alternatives for Training

One approach to begin preparing for a career as a training and development professional is to get a degree in this field, but it's not your only choice.

Communications 

Since good teaching and training depend on strong communication, it seems sense that a communication degree could help you get started on this professional path. The development of new media content and resources, as well as business writing and public speaking, are all important communication skills for this professional path. Communication majors gain knowledge of persuasive rhetoric, cross-cultural and demographic communication, and message customization for target audiences, all of which can be useful skills for training and development professionals.

Although the link between education and training is obvious, this degree path might not be. It generally doesn't make sense to select a major that stresses classroom teaching for elementary or secondary schools and calls for student teaching with young students if your goal is to work primarily as a corporate trainer. A state-issued teacher credential is not required to serve as a corporate trainer.

Human Resources

The HR area includes identifying training needs for employees and bridging those gaps, therefore concentrating in human resources can set you up for this career. Studies on the fundamentals of human resource management, staffing, recruitment, pay and benefits, employment law, organizational development, and training and development may be covered in courses. Try to find a human resources position in a firm where corporate training is a full-time job or a full-scale department rather than an infrequent activity for HR generalists whether you hunt for internships or search for your first career out of college. You are setting the framework for advancement to this more specialized area of human resources, even if you must begin in a generalist position.

Psychology

A psychology major can be beneficial if you wish to comprehend the science of learning. Psychology majors can take coursework in learning theories and techniques for putting ideas like classical and operant conditioning, reinforcement, and the social and cognitive processes that underlie and affect learning, in addition to a variety of other classes that deal with human thought and behavior.