Businesses hire a training specialist to help them train their employees. The types of training that specialists provide vary greatly. Training specialists may be hired on a project basis to teach employees how to use new equipment in some cases. In some cases, full-time training specialists are hired, such as in a scientific laboratory to train lab assistants. A training specialist falls under the category of “human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists,” according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Training specialists must communicate effectively with both the hiring managers and the employees they are expected to train. A training specialist may be hired by a company to help improve workers’ general skills or to increase employee loyalty and productivity. Training specialists may examine each employee’s areas of weakness and work with them to improve their skills and productivity.
Some training specialists specialize in new hires. They give new employees orientation, which is essentially a tour of the company or corporation as well as the new employee’s responsibilities within that environment. New hires may be given on-the-job training by a training specialist. Typically, the specialist will assess each new employee’s performance either directly or through his or her supervisor or manager.
A training specialist can work on a construction site or in a classroom setting. Employees can even be trained from afar using Internet research and email communication, according to some training specialists. Seminars and workshops may be planned and led by training specialists in one industry or across several fields. A productivity training specialist is likely to work in a variety of industries, whereas a trainer who focuses on a single industry, such as transportation, may only work in that industry.
In corporate environments, full-time training specialists must communicate with various departments to understand their needs for trained employees. These responsibilities necessitate the specialist’s thorough knowledge of the company’s various departments. Larger companies are more likely to hire full-time training specialists.
A degree in a specific subject or field may be required of a training specialist. The exact responsibilities of training specialists are determined by the environment in which they work. A corporate trainer, for example, frequently meets with groups of office workers in boardrooms to discuss new technology like business software programs. On the other hand, an oil industry training specialist may be required to train workers on the job site.