I have been in training for 6 years and a self employed trainer for 4. I have a Cert Ed qualification and have been specialising in providing bespoke training to law enforcement agencies in IT systems and soft skills from communications to leigislation and investigative skills. Within my specialist area I have never bee asked for more than the Cert Ed but I have recently been looking beyond the law enforcement field and have also considered becoming a training manager. I feel that a further qualification may serve me well and have been looking at CTP. Almost £8000 through CIPD or £2000 elsewhere (Bit of a diference there?) It seems a lot of money. Is it worth it? Will it pay for itself in time? Am I shutting myself out from a whole market by only havin a Cert Ed?
Neil Pitts
8 Responses
Cert ed /CIPD
Hi Neil,
I did some part time teaching a couple of years ago and had to do a cert Ed as part of the role.
When I decided to stop teaching I had to stop the course also and so did not complete it.
It was a brilliant course. The many theories of learning I have read about whilst researching for master’ degree and doctorate were covered. The tutor was also excellent and so provided a good opportunity for me to reflect on my practice as a trainer.
My fellow students, many of whom were very experienced vocational teachers responding to government demands for a formal teaching qualification were some of the best learning practitioners I have met.
So I would say that CIPD /CTP would not add much in terms of your knowledge or practice.
In terms of client profile I had four excellent years freelancing without a CIPD badge.
Not one client/associate company raised it as an issue.
Cheers and good luck.
What’s it really about?
Some of the finest, most effective trainers and coaches I have had the pleasure of working with and benefiting from do not have a qualification to their name. In a couple of cases not even GCSEs/GCEs/CSEs or what ever they happen to be called this week.
That said it CAN make a difference in some quarters. I completed my MSc in Management Training while I was out of work and looking for training manager roles. I received a letter from the University confirming I had passed and been awarded the degree and could henceforth use this fact on CVs etc. Prior to this I was receiving approx 80% rejection rate at the first stage. After receiving this letter and changing my CV accordingly I experienced an 80% success rate at the first stage of recruitment. Was this because of the MSc itself or because it was with a top 10 university? I don’t know, and at the time didn’t care.
I did the MSc not to further my career but because I wanted the challenge of more learning & development at a higher level – I did it for ME.
So my question to you is, given that many fine and very successful people are so inspite of a lack of qualification, and given that people do things like CTP for their own development, what do YOU really want to get, and how will a CTP for example help or hinder you get what you want? And I’m not expecting you to share your response to these questions here – they’ll be private to you.
So, what ever your answers, my very best wishes in what ever you choose to do.
Cheers
Martin
Not one size fits all…
Hi
The CTP is a great programme for those new to the world of training, for a person like yourself with some ‘training qualifications’ – the Cert Ed, I would say no.
Other options include:
Or if looking to be an internal trainer I would look towards the TAP programme.
Hope this helps
Mike
http://www.rapidbi.com
Training: The Qualifications that Count
Dear Neil
Last year Annie Hayes wrote a very useful article on this subject for Trainingzone entitled Training: The Qualifications That Count. You will find this at:
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=171238&d=680&h=608&f=626&dateformat=%25e-%25h-%25y
Ross Bentley also wrote a useful article entitled How to progress in training and learning and development for Personnel Today last November. This can be found at:
http://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2007/11/20/43226/how-to-progress-in-training-and-learning-and-development.html
Regards
More…
I’d pretty much agree that with your experience and original qualifications that the CTP won’t add much.
It does concern me though that the focus here is on offering other training focused qualifications.
If you want to move into training management then you might want to consider a move towards managerial qualification – by and large management skills are generic and can be applied to training easily.
Though I have been a training manager/training consultant for quite a long time now and though I do have some training qualifications, I don’t have any managerial qualifications but my experience in the job market shows that I’m rarely asked for either.
However if it’s confidence in your training management skills that’s lacking – I’d go for the managerial qualifications, I would think your training skills are probably A-OK by now.
You also need subject knowledge
I think people need to distinguish between subject knowledge and an ability to put it over.
All the training qualifications discussed will, in their different ways, help you plan and deliver a training course or programme.
But alongside that people still ideally need an in depth knowledge of their subject.
I appreciate that people who know their subject sometimes can’t put it over and there are some trainers who can make something they know little about sound fascinating.
But a good teacher/tutor/trainer should have both delivery skills and subject knowledge.
If CIPD CTP – which programme?
Hi all
I was recently asked to recommend a CIPD CTP provider for a client that had decided this was what they wanted to do (taking all other comments and thoughts into account) and as part of that research I collated some information about the ‘package’ on offer by some of the larger, national based providers – you can read the results here:
CIPD CTP course providers
I hope this will save you some time.
Mike
Now more options are available
Just prior to the CIPD annual conference, the CIPD announced a new professional pathway. As part of that programme the CIPD announced the end of the current CPP & CTP programmes and a new series of level 3 qualifications. In addition there looks to be some Level 5 programmes due to be launched in Jan 09 – so may we worth having a look at the new offers when they become available