How to Become a Training and Development Manager

Recently, we wrote about what you can do with an accredited Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management, and here, we’ll explain how you can use your degree to get a job as a training and development manager.

This is a fantastic job that allows you to oversee all organizational training and employment development programs, but because of the importance of the role and the challenging nature of the work, you’ll need a strong foundation in HR before being considered for open positions.

Fortunately, you can acquire all the foundational knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to become a training and development manager by earning a degree in Human Resource Management.

This post will explore why you should consider getting into this line of work, what you’ll need to do to prepare for a job in this field, what you’ll be asked to do on the job, and how you can increase your chances of landing this competitive position.

After you’ve read about how to become a training and development manager, fill out our information request form to receive additional details on our online Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management or our online Master’s Degree in HR Management, each of which will help put you on the path towards achieving your career aspirations! 

If you’re ready to get started, submit your application today.

Is Training and Development Really a Good Career Field?

Yes, this is a great opportunity for you to develop skills and abilities you can use for a successful, lifelong career doing interesting and important work.

There are three main reasons to consider getting into this field, including:

1. Demand for qualified training and development managers is increasing, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting that employment for this role will rise 7% between 2021 and 2031, which is faster than the average rate of growth for all occupations.
2. Training and development managers play an essential role in modern organizations. They are responsible for overseeing all training and employee development, which makes them extremely high-valued assets in nearly every industry.
3. This is a well-paid position, with BLS reporting that training and development managers earned an annual average salary of $120,130 as of May 2021.

BLS also reports that you’ll typically need a bachelor’s or master’s degree and around five or more years of work experience in a related role to be considered for this position.

What do Training and Development Managers Actually Do?

Training and development managers serve a critical function, as they’re responsible for planning, coordinating, and directing all of the training activities, functions, and resources provided to an organization’s employees.

In this way, they take on the task of ensuring that the organization’s people are fully prepared to handle their own assigned tasks and responsibilities, which is why we say that this role is so important to overall organizational success.

As a professional training and development manager, you may be asked to handle tasks like:

• Manage all training and development activities, staff, budgets, technologies, resources, etc.
• Determine training needs for the organization’s departments, teams, and individual employees.
• Ensure training strategy is properly aligned with the organization’s business goals and objectives.
• Review training technologies and platforms to select the proper systems based on the organization’s training budgets and needs.
• Design, develop, and implement training programs, taking concepts from ideation through deployment.
• Monitor training effectiveness, collect feedback and use that information to determine next steps, updates, etc.

To summarize, training and development managers have a full plate of important responsibilities and they are viewed as some of the most important individuals for driving organizational success.

If you’re interested in working in this space, you’ll need to focus on developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to drive organizational success.

What Skills & Abilities are Needed to Become a Successful Training & Development Manager?

This is not an easy role, as it requires a great deal of expertise and experience in both traditional HR disciplines, as well as in modern training and development best practices.

To become a successful training and development manager, you’ll need to develop a series of important abilities, including:

• Fantastic communications skills, including verbal and written skills, as you’ll be responsible for coordinating all the communications between trainers and employees.
• Great presentation skills, since you’ll oversee all the presentations, lectures, and training materials created and presented by your training staff; at many large, modern organizations, and expertise in PowerPoint (or similar) will be required.
• Experience working with a variety of training platforms, systems, and methods, including the latest learning management systems, online learning platforms, etc.
• An ability to design, create, and improve training materials, like presentations, quizzes, tests, surveys, written materials, etc.
• Traditional HR skills, including leading and managing teams of employees, measuring employee performance, and building a positive, successful corporate culture and identity. 

Fortunately, while you may not already have all of these skills and abilities, you can develop them by completing an accredited degree in Human Resource Management. CSU Global offers both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in this specific field.

Do I Really Need a Degree to Become a Training and Development Manager?

Yes, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you’re going to need at least a Bachelor’s Degree in HR or a related field to be considered for this position.

In fact, you may even also need a Master’s Degree in HR, as well as several years of experience working as a professional training or development specialist.

Remember that this role serves a critical function for modern organizations since whoever runs the training and development program is directly responsible for ensuring that company employees are capable of handling their jobs, which is why it’s unlikely any organization is going to trust you in this position without the academic credentials to prove that you know what you’re doing.

One of the best ways to earn the trust of a recruiter attempting to fill this position is to complete CSU Global’s online Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Management, which will provide you with everything you need to succeed in this challenging role.

What Will I Learn When Studying HR Management?

CSU Global’s B.S. in HR Management program will provide you with everything you need to become a successful training and development manager, including all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required by this complex job.

Our program was designed to provide you with critical work-related skills, and will include training on:

• Building a collaborative and inclusive company culture.
• Maximizing employee performance via sophisticated training, engagement, and motivational strategies.
• Managing organizational policy creation and implementation.
• Overseeing staffing, onboarding, and employee negotiations.

Should you decide to pursue another specialty track within HR, you’ll be fully prepared to handle more traditional duties as well, as our program will include detailed instruction on applying leadership principles to employee administration and organizational development via courses on:

• Business Policy
• Conflict Resolution
• Employee Law
• Management of Team Dynamics
• Professional Development
• Training

This program is the ideal way to prepare for a successful, lifelong career in HR, whether you choose to become a training and development manager, or your interests lie in other niches of human resources.

What Can I Do to Increase My Chances of Success?

If you’re serious about getting a job as a training and development manager, then you should consider doing more than just earning a B.S. in HR.

Why? Because this is an extremely competitive position that could require additional degrees or certification. There are several things you can do to help increase your odds of getting hired for available roles.

First, consider earning a Master’s Degree in Human Resources, which will prove you’ve dedicated the time and effort required to develop leadership and management-level skills and abilities in the field.

CSU Global’s online Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management is the perfect option for anyone looking to get an accredited, widely-respected M.S. in HR.

Next, think about completing a relevant certification program, or even several of them, as these are designed to boost your resume by sharpening your skills and abilities.

According to Reworked.co, five of the best learning and development certifications include:

• Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• ATD Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP)
• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR)
• Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP)

You don’t necessarily need any of these certifications to become a training and development manager, but again, they’re likely to help enhance your resume and improve your marketability when it comes to applying for available jobs.

Finally, remember that the training and development manager title is not an entry-level role, and will most likely require some experience working in this specific arena before you can land this coveted role.

One of the best ways to set yourself up for becoming a manager in this space, then, is to first work as a training and development specialist. 

If your long-term goal is to become a training and development manager, then you can and should pursue the specialist title immediately after completing your Bachelor’s Degree in HR, as the experience you pick up working that role will set you up perfectly for eventually achieving your career aspirations. 

Should I Get My Degree Online? 

Yes, no matter which higher education path you choose to pursue, we certainly suggest getting your degree and credentials online rather than in person.

Studying online offers many benefits to in-person learning, but the most important is that it offers you much more flexibility and freedom, as you can learn anytime, and from anywhere that you’ve got a solid internet connection.

In fact, should you choose to study online with us at CSU Global, you’ll also get to take advantage of several excellent benefits our 100% online programs provide, including:

• No requirements to show up at set times or in physical locations.
• Monthly class starts.
• Accelerated courses.

Our students report that these benefits have made it far easier to complete their degrees while continuing to accomplish their other responsibilities.

If you’re a busy person with existing family and work responsibilities, consider getting your degree online for maximum flexibility. 

Why Should I Choose CSU Global?

We’ve got the perfect programs for anyone looking to become a training and development manager, including our online Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Human Resource Management.

Both programs are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and designed to provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to launch a successful, lifelong career in training and development.

Each program is also accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs, and each program’s curriculum is also aligned with the Society for Human Resources Management HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates.

Simply put, our degree will provide you with everything you need to become an effective training and development professional, increasing the odds that you can accomplish your career goals and advance your career in this competitive field.

Reasons to Choose our B.S. Degree in Human Resource Management

Our online B.S. in Human Resource Management program holds two excellent rankings including:

• A #1 ranking for Best Online Bachelor’s in Human Resources from The Best Schools.
• A #5 ranking for Best Online Bachelor’s in Human Resources from Successful Student.
• A #17 ranking for Best Human Resources Degree Programs from Best Value Schools.

87% of program graduates also report working in HR, and our alumni report an average salary increase of 26% four years after completing their degree.

Reasons to Choose our M.S. Degree in Human Resource Management

Our online M.S. in Human Resource Management program also holds several impressive rankings, including:

• A #2 ranking for Best Online Master’s in Human Resources from Online Course Report.
• A #11 ranking for Best Online Master’s in Human Resources from Intelligent. 

Program alumni also report great results after graduation, including a median annual salary of $74,509 three years after earning their degree.

CSU Global itself is also widely regarded as an industry leader in higher education, having recently been awarded several prominent rankings, including:

• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges & Schools in Colorado from Best Accredited Colleges.
• A #1 ranking for Best Online Colleges in Colorado from Best Colleges.
• A #10 ranking for Best Online Colleges for ROI from OnlineU.

Finally, we offer our students affordable tuition rates and a Tuition Guarantee which ensures that your rate won’t increase for as long as you remain enrolled as a student.

To get additional details about our fully-accredited online Degrees in Human Resource Management, please give us a call at (800) 462-7845, or fill out our Information Request Form.

Ready to get started today? Apply now!