Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Tabatha Chapman (Public domain)
Job description
Specialists present material through a mix of formats, role-playing, simulations, team exercises, group discussions, videos, or straight lectures, and they build the manuals, handouts, and visual materials that support each session. Before designing a program, they assess what's actually needed through surveys, employee interviews, focus groups, or conversations with managers and instructors, then evaluate whether in-person or virtual delivery works best for cost and effectiveness. Most of the day is spent at a desk following fairly structured procedures, and the job can mean dealing with frustrated participants or supervisors when training isn't landing the way it should.
Pros
- Much faster than average projected job growth (10.8% over the next decade)
- Large and growing field with nearly 44,000 jobs nationwide
- Varied, creative work designing programs rather than repetitive administrative tasks
Cons
- Wide pay range with a relatively modest entry-level floor around $38.8k
- Regularly deals with frustrated or upset employees during training rollouts
- Requires constantly updating materials and formats to keep pace with changing training needs and technology
A typical day
The morning is a needs-analysis call with a frustrated department head who wants a training fix for what smells like a process problem -- and saying so diplomatically is part of the craft. The middle hours go to building: storyboarding an e-learning module, recording a screencast, and rewriting a compliance course so it respects adult attention spans. The afternoon is delivery, facilitating a three-hour new-hire workshop where energy management matters as much as content. The day ends reviewing feedback forms and quiz data, revising the two slides where every cohort stumbles.
Tasks at the job
- 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.
- Monitor, evaluate, or record training activities or program effectiveness.
- Design, plan, organize, or direct orientation and training programs for employees or customers.
Workplace & working conditions
Work happens indoors in a climate-controlled setting, and most of the day is spent sitting at a desk.
There's a regular, moderate amount of time pressure, and you're expected to exercise significant independent judgment day to day. The work is highly structured, following set procedures. You'll regularly deal with frustrated or upset people as part of the job.
Education necessary or common
Bachelor's degree
Common college majors
Licenses & certifications
- ATD APTD
- Instructional design certificates (optional)
Career path
Related fields
Courses to take
- AP Psychology -- how people learn is the discipline
- Public speaking -- facilitation is performance teaching
- AP English Language -- instructional writing must be tight
- Computer applications or media production -- e-learning tools
- AP Statistics -- evaluating training with data
Clubs, activities & competitions
- Peer tutoring -- teaching reps
- Make how-to videos for a club or channel -- instructional design in miniature
- Camp counselor or youth instructor work
- Yearbook or media production -- content creation pipeline
First steps you can take now
- Create a five-minute how-to video and test whether someone can follow it
- Run a workshop for younger students on a skill you own
- Learn one e-learning or presentation tool deeply
- Read about adult learning principles and critique a boring training you've endured
