Topic 8:

Professional shift from platform training to T&D and job search resources

Question: I would like to switch to the T&D career track. I have one year of experience delivering soft skill training sessions and some experience delivering technical training. How can I utilize my experience to get into the field? What level should I start at? Aside from this Website do you have any other suggestions where I could look for jobs?

--Fanord, New York City

Answer: Platform training is the basic entry-level T&D position, and therefore I'm not sure what you meant by "getting into the field" and "starting level." There are various roles and functions in T&D, including needs assessment, instructional design, distance learning, and facilitation. In today's corporate world, a T&D professional is a learning and performance specialist, stressing knowledge, performance improvement, and coaching. After gaining experience in a number of roles/functions, the usual career progression is to a human resources management role or to become an external consultant.

You need to think through what type of T&D experience will be best for your career plans. What do you want to focus on? Where do you want to be three or five years from now? Your submission did not include any education background information. If you have not had any formal education in T&D, consider minimally acquiring a certificate to improve your credibility and competitiveness in the job market.

Become more informed about the trends, new developments, and concerns in T&D by visiting the ASTD Website on a regular basis. Check in with the learning communities, career, and T+D magazine sites. It may be helpful to your decision-making process to post some questions on a bulletin board.

Regarding other avenues for job searching, look at Career Change to T&D/OD, Question 2. In addition, there are two Websites for NYC job listings that maybe helpful to you: nyjobsource.com and newyork.preferredjobs.com.

--AR