The rapid advancement of science and technology has created a gap between the skills and knowledge produced by the educational system and that which is essential to global economic productivity. Corporations and other business organizations bridge this gap through corporate training and other development programs. 

The need for expertise in the facilitation of these programs has given rise to the training profession mainly, in the person of certified training professionals (CTP). These certified training professionals are also known as: 

• talent development managers, 
• trainers, 
• instructional designers, 
• performance consultants, 
• frontline managers, 
• workplace learning professionals
• and more

Perks of Becoming a Certified Training Professional

The average salary of a certified training professional is S60,000.xx. But, it can reach S75,000.xx or more depending on the industry and state. 

As a Certified training professional, you often do not need to worry about logistics and resources for your training since the company will provide these whether you are an in-house trainer or a hired one.

The job of a certified training professional will always be needed, as people continually consume information and adapt to digitalization in order to elevate the quality of their lives in relation to work and business management.

Ways to Obtain a Trainer’s Certification

In order to become a certified training professional, you need to obtain a Professional Training Certificate.

There are three main avenues in obtaining these.

1. Enrolling in an Academic Institution or Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)

One of the ways to become a certified training professional is to enroll in universities or online courses. The advantage of securing your certification from an educational institution whether online or on-site is that these institutions often give you more time to hone your skills and broaden your knowledge. 

Another great advantage of online courses is that you can have more time for other day-to-day activities while also learning. With MOOCs,  there is a variety of ways you can learn and you can collaborate with your teachers and fellow learners with ease. 

Some of the universities and colleges offering professional Training Certificates are :

The following are some of the major institutions in the world that offer a course on professional training and development:

• Canadian College
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Algonquin College
• The University Of Michigan

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a wide variety of certifications depending on the company’s or individuals’ needs.

The Canadian College offers a simpler process. You just need to study their textbook, the Certified Training Professional CTP Body of Knowledge (CTP BoK), then get a schedule for and then pass their exam (CTP).

The CTP BoK comprises various themes of knowledge and skills which a Certified Training Professional must demonstrate competency. According to this textbook, a CTP is basically someone who:

• Understands the basics of training and talent development. Measures the efficacy of the training program  with the use of various techniques and tools before, during, and after training is conducted
• Facilitates  training sessions well and in accordance with the organizational goals
• Uses various tools in handling difficult training sessions, participants, and complex group dynamics 
• Delivers lectures and presentations masterfully with the use of videos and audios to aid discussions 
• Communicates with confidence and manages the audience with ease
• Masters their gestures and facial expressions and monitors their body language for effective communication.
• Is ethical, endorses, and enforces ethical practices, and respects people’s rights in workplaces.

Some of the online courses are:

Learning and Development hosted on reed.co.uk – offers a certification program (CPTM) the CPTM’s focal point is the role of the training manager. The trainer learns to manage the training programs so it will align with the company’s immediate and future goals. 

The CPTM training program is $3,495, which includes access to the online pre-work modules, participation in the practicum of your choosing, and two attempts at the final exam.

Here are the other online courses:

• Certified Professional in Training Management on Training Industry -CPTM also
• Adult Learning on td.org – offers a full course on adult learning 
• The program is composed of eight application-based courses that cover different facets of adult learning. It utilizes animations, case studies, branching scenarios, expert videos, downloadable tools and templates, and facilitated discussion forums. 
• Langevin.com – offers a variety of professional training with certification

2. Signing up for Professional Certifications Online

Another way to become a certified training professional is to sign up for certifications online. Online certifications offer the same advantages as online courses. The following offers certification online:

a) Management and Strategy Institute – offers a variety of professional training with certification

b) TalentLMS.com – offers lots of training courses at different levels

d) Simplilearn.com -offers various online certifications, prominently PMP (Professional project management)

e) HubSpot – offers a variety of courses and certification

f) Microsoft Virtual Academy – offers courses specializing in info technology.

Some of these popular centers for obtaining online certifications are offering paid courses, while there are also free ones. Just bear in mind to be careful in your choice of learning course so you won’t have to spend on something not relevant to your field.

3. Joining a Professional Body

One more way to obtain certification as a training professional is to join a professional training association and fulfill its requirements for certification. There is usually a training seminar that you need to pass too. The following associations can certify you as a certified training professional:

a. International Board of Certified Trainers (IBCT) – is an international global foundation acting under European law. However, it started in 1988 as a professional society in the United States.

b. Asian Regional Training and Development Organization (ARTDO) – originated from a 1974 productivity conference in Manila attended by national productivity organizations from 12 Asian countries, It offers the following training;  

• Certified Professional in Learning and Performance Certification (CPLP) The CPLP measures the competency of professional trainers in ten (10) areas of expertise (AOES)
•  Certified Professional in Training Management (CPTM) certification (same description as above CPTM)

c. The Association for Talent Development, the ATD (formerly known as the ASTD) Certification Institute – ATD’s members come from more than 120 countries and work in organizations of all sizes and all industry sectors. 

d. Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) – is focused on the management of privacy in communication and data. It was incorporated as the EDP Auditors Association in 1969 by a small group of individuals who recognized a need for a centralized source of information and guidance in the new field of electronic data processing audits. Today, ISACA serves 145,000 professionals in 180 countries, who span several roles in assurance, governance, risk, and information security.

Being a member of a professional body also gives you access to several other perks, aside from the certification. You will not only become a certified training professional, but you will also be able to grow your network which is something really important for trainers.