Training and development officer

The nature of the training and development role is industry-specific, with the level of responsibility and variety of activities dependent on the type and size of organisation.

However, activities are likely to include some or all of the following:

• Identifying training and development needs within an organisation through job analysis, appraisal schemes and regular consultation with business managers and human resources departments
• Helping line managers and trainers solve specific training problems, either on a one-to-one basis or in groups
• Monitoring and reviewing the progress of trainees through questionnaires and discussions with managers
• Designing, developing and delivering training and development programmes based on both the organisation's and the individual's needs
• Managing training budgets and organising the procurement of external training consultants
• Evaluating training programmes and assessing the return on investment
• Working in a team to produce programmes that are satisfactory to all relevant parties in an organisation, such as line managers, accountants and senior managers at board level
• At a more senior level, devising a training strategy for the organisation;
• Keeping up to date with developments in training by reading relevant journals, going to meetings and attending relevant courses
• Increasingly, having an understanding of e-learning techniques

With the exception of a small number of higher education training roles a doctorate is unlikely to be an essential criteria for this occupation. Although this area of work is open to all doctoral graduates the following subjects may improve your chances:

• Business and related areas
• Education
• Human resources
• It
• Psychology

Business-related or psychology degrees may gain some exemptions from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) examinations, and will aid entry to specialised graduate schemes.

A Masters degree or diploma recognised by the CIPD will improve your chances of entry. If you have a postgraduate qualification that is not approved by the CIPD, you may still be able to get CIPD accreditation through Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL).

Specialisation in training and development often follows general personnel experience, and new graduates are not always recruited straight into a training role. It is also fairly common to work your way up from roles such as assistant training officer or administration assistant.

• Range of typical starting salaries is £18,000 - £27,000 (salary data collected November 2008)
• Range of typical salaries at senior level/with experience (e.g. after 10-15 years in the role) is £32,000 - £60,000 (salary data collected November 2008)
• Salaries in training vary widely depending on which sector you are working in, the size and location of the organisation, and the level of responsibility you have. Once you are established, there are good prospects for high salaries. Many organisations might be looking for individuals with Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) qualifications, which may help you to command a higher salary.

Sector information

Doctoral graduates from 2006-9 working in this occupation were known to be employed in the following profiled sectors six months after graduation:

• Financial services
• Health
• Higher education
• Public administration
• Social and welfare

Disciplinary background

The most common disciplinary backgrounds for doctoral graduates (2006-2009) entering training were:

• Academic studies in education
• History
• Psychology
• Sociology

Helen Lawrence

Freelance training consultant, Self-employed

"While I was doing both postgraduate and postdoctoral research, I did a substantial amount of teaching, which gave me valuable experience for my next career move to work as a graduate training officer. This role involved the design and delivery of development opportunities for postgraduate students and postdoctoral research staff. This experience confirmed that my passion was for training and development rather than research."

Other relevant career stories include:

• Fiona Denny
• Joan Smith

• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
• ENTO (Employment National Training Organisation)
• Human Resource Management at Work: People Management and Development - 4th Edition
• National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)
• Personnel Today
• Skills and Training Directory
• The Alliance of Sector Skills Councils
• The Training Manager's Yearbook
• TrainingZONE