EAP Coordinater, Employment development Specialist. What are certifications needed?

Training, Other Qualifications and Advancement for Employee Training and Development Specialists

The level of responsibility and job duties vary considerably, and in turn so do the educational backgrounds of employee training and development specialists. Entry-level positions typically go to college graduates with degrees in human resources, human resources administration or Group ID: 020CA55B labor and industrial relations. However, some employers seek candidates with a business or technical background or those with a well-rounded liberal arts education.

A bachelor’s degree is typical for employee training and development specialists, but since many colleges and universities don’t offer human resources-specific degrees until the graduate level, students can take relevant courses or concentrations in human resources or training and development.

In this field, an interdisciplinary background of social sciences, business administration and behavioral sciences is helpful. Finance, law, engineering or science knowledge may be necessary for more specialized positions. Courses in organizational structure, industrial psychology and principles of management are commonplace and accounting and finance are becoming more and more important for this career.

At the entry-level, workers complete administrative tasks such as creating employee handbooks or data entry. On-the-job training programs help them advance and later move into a supervisory level as employee training and development specialists.

Experience is one of the most important qualifications for employee training and development specialists. An internship or work-study program during college will appeal to employers. Employee training and development specialists must be committed to the organization’s goal and have impeccable communication and interpersonal skills. Some of these skills can be learned through other activities such as volunteering and teaching and it’s not uncommon for workers in this field to come from careers in education, social services administration, business or the military.

For employee training and development specialists, communication skills—both written and spoken—are imperative. With a diverse workforce, they need to communicate effectively among different cultural backgrounds, experiences and education levels. Foreign language skills can be a huge advantage especially when working with international corporations or those that hire large immigrant workforces. Stress, conflicting viewpoints, persuasion and exuding integrity are all a part of a days work for employee training and development specialists.

Employee training and development specialists can seek certification or take professional development courses to help improve chances for advancement by improving and proving skills, competency and credibility. The American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Certification Institute offers a certification to training and development managers for example that covers nine areas of expertise. Candidates must pass an exam and demonstrate successful work experiences. The organization also offers 16 short-term certificate and workshop programs covering a range of training and development topics.