Training and Development Manager: Job Description and Outlook
Last Updated July 12, 2023
Every employer wants talented employees with specialized skill sets. To develop a skilled workforce, someone must take on the responsibility of employee education. That’s where training and development managers come in.
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, training and development manager job descriptions typically include collaborating with supervisors to assess workplace needs and design and implement training sessions. Training and development managers need people skills, strong communication abilities and a good understanding of the logistics involved in event planning. The job often requires a bachelor’s degree and sometimes a master’s degree as well.
This job sector is expanding to such a degree that it encompasses continuously developing educational opportunities. The following sections explain how to become a training and development manager and the requirements and benefits of the role.
Who is a Training and Development Manager?
A training and development manager’s primary responsibility is boosting employee productivity. The first step in this process includes assessing the workplace and evaluating its state. A training and development manager then estimates which aspects of the company work well and which need improvement. After they determine the developmental needs of the company, they devise plans to address those demands.
The role of a training and development manager also includes designing workplace training sessions. These create training materials, acquire supplies, and notify employees about the training time and location. Afterward, they conduct follow-up evaluations to see the effectiveness of the training. If needed, the managers modify training programs to correct problems.
Typical Responsibilities for Training and Development Managers
Most training and development manager duties involve implementing employee training courses. They must first conduct a development needs assessment and compose a list of training objectives. Training usually gets conducted annually, though the timing varies depending on the workplace. After the assessment, the manager designs the actual training.
Training and development managers must be able to budget their training accurately. They consider all the costs of training materials, event space renting, and supplies. Usually, they are also responsible for placing the supply orders for their training events.
Good training and development managers work closely with other managers, supervisors, HR staff, and others involved in employee development. They facilitate communication between departments to ensure that all training events go smoothly.
What is the Typical Work Environment?
Training and development managers can work in a variety of industries. However, virtually every training and development manager position is indoor-only as these professionals tend to work in environmentally controlled office settings.
The job sometimes requires working more than 40 hours per week. The role of a training and development manager is a sedentary occupation, and most of these professionals spend about half their time sitting at a desk.
Recommended Skills and Qualities of a Training and Development Manager
Working as a training and development manager is a highly social job. Most report being in “constant contact with others.” They also rate teamwork as an important skill and feel comfortable interacting with many people daily, whether virtually or in person.
Communicating with coworkers is a big part of the job. That includes all the usual face-to-face types of communication plus online interactions: group meetings, individual discussions, and public speaking.
Since presentations are a big part of employee training, training and development managers should have a grasp of multimedia training platforms.
According to O*NET Online, the top abilities for a training and development manager include:
- Fluency in reading, writing and communication
- Computer-based training software experience
- Presentation software experience
- Graphic design
- Speech clarity
- Adaptability
- Instructional skills
- Fluency of ideas (the ability to come up with a lot of thoughts on a topic)
- Active listening
- Knowledge of personnel procedures and human resources
Earning Potential and Job Outlook for Training and Development Managers
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual pay for training and development managers was $115,640 in 2020 or $55.60 per hour*. The industries with the highest salary potential tended to be within the professional, scientific, and technical service sectors. Managers in these areas earned an average yearly salary of $135,780.
Even at the lower end of the pay scale, training and development managers still got paid well: the lowest 10% earned just under $66,270 annually. On the flip side, the highest-earning 10% of training and development workers earned a yearly wage of over $200,210.
The job outlook for training and development managers also shows growth opportunities. In 2020, about 42,100 people were employed as training and development managers. By 2030, that number is expected to grow to 46,600. According to the BLS, employment of training and development managers is projected to grow 11% from 2020 to 2030, faster than the national average for all other occupations.
The BLS projects that as technology progresses, innovations in employee training methods will advance too. An increasing number of organizations use social media and mobile learning in their training programs, so there’s a higher demand for tech-savvy managers. If the current expansion of remote work options continues, more companies may enlist training and development managers to design remote training sessions.
Education and Work Experience Requirements for Training and Development Managers
Per the BLS, training and development managers typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in business, social science, communications, or similar field. However, training and development managers come from different educational backgrounds, so majoring in business or a related field is not strictly required for success.
Some employers prefer training and development managers to have earned a master’s degree, and others may even require it. According to the BLS, the master’s degree should ideally be in one of the following fields:
- Training and development
- HR management
- Organizational development
- Business administration
The BLS also noted that instructional design, behavioral psychology, or educational psychology may be beneficial areas of study for training and development managers.
Work experience also is essential to starting a training and development manager career. According to the BLS, employers often ask for several years of work-related experience or on-the-job training in a related occupation. Some professionals satisfy this requirement by starting as training and development specialists. Others chose to work for a few years in a specific industry and then seek out training and development manager roles within it.
Steps to Starting or Expanding Your Career as a Training and Development Manager
If you want to pursue a career or develop your skills in a training and development management role, consider researching the position before making further steps. Often, one of the first steps toward preparing for this role is to advance your education from an accredited school. Michigan State University (MSU) is an internationally acknowledged university with multiple programs related to this career path.
MSU offers a variety of online certificate programs to help expand your knowledge of HR management and prepare you for the next step in your career journey. The Master Certificate in Supervisory and Human Resource Management aims to provide students with essential skills needed in talent development and organizational design roles. The Professional Certificate in Human Resources and Talent Management teaches students how to recruit, develop, and connect people to build for performance and create a culture of success. The Graduate Certificate (for credit) in HR Management and Development connects the core functions of HR, including compensation and benefits, training and development and talent management, with overall business strategies to help create competitive advantages.
Disclaimer
National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth. Information provided is not intended to represent a complete list of hiring companies or job titles, and certificate or degree program options do not guarantee career or salary outcomes. Students should conduct independent research for specific employment information.
