Personnel and Training Courses

Personnel and Training: Overview

Every large organisation will have personnel and training departments.

The structure of these departments will vary according to the size of the organisation or the training programmes.

Expected Salary

Salaries in training vary 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.

£18,000 - £21,000 - Typical starting salaries

£22,000 to £30,000 - Starting salaries in London

£29,000 - £60,000 - Senior level/with experience

Training

Various training and qualifications are available at centres throughout the UK and can be studied part time, by block release or through open and e-learning. Employers often finance study for training and qualifications.

Alternative on-the-job qualifications are available in learning and development at levels three, four and five. NVQs can lead to Charted Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) membership.

You are expected to keep up to date with developments in the industry throughout your career and to network with fellow professionals.

Further information on qualifications and training are listed on the Underoak Website

Underoak lists many short courses to aid you in your career progression. These may be funded individually or through your company (please check the prices with the trainer, as sometimes they often offer a lower price for self funded training). To search these courses, simply type the relevant key words and click on 'request further information' to send your enquiry direct to the trainer.

Other soft skills may be useful, such as assertiveness or customer service, first aid and health and safety.

Related Careers Include

There are many career prospects in the area of personnel and development.

Further career options:

• Human Resources Officer
• IT trainer
• Management Consultant
• Recruitment and Selection Manager
• Recruitment Consultant

Useful Links and Job Sites

Charted Institute of Personnel and Development

Personnel Today Jobs

Training Reference

recjobs

Core Skills

You need to have good communication skills and like working with people. IT skills may also be required, depending on the job title.

Specialisation in training and development often follows general personnel experience.

Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:

• Interpersonal skills that enable you to work with people at all levels, motivate others and change people's attitudes when necessary
• Written and spoken communication skills that allow you to inform and advise others clearly
• Problem-solving and negotiation skills
• Initiative and the ability to offer new ideas
• Organisational and planning skills to manage your own time and to meet deadlines and objectives
• The ability to control group situations and facilitate groups
• Good personal presentation
• Personal commitment to improving one's own knowledge and skills

Average working hours per week

Job Spotlight

Training and Development Manager

The Role
A training and development officer/manager manages the learning of an organisation's workforce.

• The training element gives staff the understanding, practical skills and motivation to carry out particular work-related tasks
• The training officer/manager will either deliver training sessions to participants or, alternatively, arrange for others to do so
• The development work relates to the ongoing, long-term improvement of employees' skills so that they can fulfil their potential within their organisation

The training and development manager is responsible for developing a comprehensive training package that encompasses both these elements in order to maintain a motivated and skilled workforce and to fulfil the needs of the organisation.

Tasks may include:

• Identifying training and development needs within an organisation through job analysis, appraisal schemes and regular consultation with business managers
• Designing and developing training and development programmes based on both the organisation's and the individual's needs
• Considering the costs of planned programmes and keeping within budgets: assessing the return on investment of any training or development programme is becoming increasingly important
• 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
• Developing effective induction programmes
• Conducting appraisals
• Devising individual learning plans
• Producing training materials for in-house courses
• Managing the delivery of training and development programmes and, in a more senior role, devising a training strategy for the organisation
• Monitoring and reviewing the progress of trainees by using questionnaires and through discussions with managers
• Ensuring that statutory training requirements are met
• Evaluating training and development programmes
• Amending and revising programmes as necessary, in order to adapt to the changes that occur in the work environment
• Helping line managers and trainers to solve specific training problems, either on a one-to-one basis or in groups
• Supervising the work of trainers
• Keeping up to date with developments in training by reading relevant journals, going to meetings and attending relevant courses
• Using IT to produce training materials and manuals
• Increasingly, having an understanding of e-learning techniques

Salary:
£29,000 - £60,000  dependent upon sector and location

Career Development

In order to become a manager or a trainer in the personnel and development sector you are required to have gained three or four years of experience in a related role and also relevant training. After starting in a role such as training administrator or training officer you are likely to progress to higher levels which depends on the size of the organisation which may include:

• Team leader/junior management
• Middle management/head of department
• Senior management

To reach the highest levels, you need to show great personal achievements within the field of training and development.

If you work in a small organisation, it may be necessary to move to a larger one in order to continue your progression. You will need to demonstrate a high level of career management skills in order to take advantage of any opportunities.