Topic 1:

Career Change: from Education to Training/ISD

Question: I was a classroom teacher for 12 years. I am presently tutoring 14 hours/week. I would like to write curriculum or work on product development for an education software company or publisher. Training is another option. I do not have my masters and am not interested in pursuing it at this time. Any suggestions?

--Christine, Washington, DC area

Answer: It is quite common for educators when thinking of a career change to consider training as an option since there are many similarities between the two fields. Teaching provides people with a number of skills and competencies that transfer quite well to T&D. However, as you think about whether T&D is the next career experience for you, ask yourself some basic assessment questions:
1. How much do you really know about training - competencies, roles, functions, etc?
2. Why do you think you would like the training field?
3. As a trainer, what would be the subject matter of your courses/workshops?
4. What are the rewards for you to be a trainer?

Then, consider the following qualifying action steps:
1. Become familiar with the language and practices of T&D to be able to translate your skills and experience into HRD terminology. Read a chapter from Career Moves, which describes current job opportunities in the T&D field.
2. Identify your transferable/functional skills that are applicable to training such as: planning, teamwork, project management, interpersonal, evaluation of learning, curriculum design, and instructional.
3. Identify any work content skills, that is, expertise specific to a particular industry or field e.g., literacy, non-profit, business English, etc. A helpful resource is What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles, Ten Speed Press, 2002.
4. Although you are not interested in acquiring a graduate degree, I would recommend that you take some courses/seminars in basic training knowledge, skills and/or techniques. Consider a certificate program. You need to be brought up to speed on the technical side of training: adult learning, performance assessment, workplace learning, w-learning/distance learning, survey design, facilitation, etc.
5. Review the ASTD job bank to have a better idea of minimum requirements for training positions.
6. Attend meetings of your local ASTD Chapter and network to learn more about the field.

--AR