I am currently a senior trainer with the CIPD Cert in Pers Prac. I want to embark on a distance learning program that can help me to move into the role of training manager. I have looked at the Dip in T&D provided by Leicester Uni but was wondering if anyone had any other ideas apart from CIPD. Particularly interested in strategies, budgets, trasfer of learning, and managing different cultures (Asia-pac, europe, US)
Any advice would be appriciated!
Angela Berry
10 Responses
Training Manager Course
There is a company called MentorU that has a great online course for training managers. You can contact them here:
+1 858 268 0800
service@mentoru.com
They’re great people and are very helpful.
Sean Higby
seanhigby@learningpipe.com
Head of Development
Learning Pipe – Online Learning Made Easy
Not CITP
This isn’t a particularly helpful comment to find other courses but I honestly wouldn’t recommend the CIPD’s Certificate in Training Practice programme which doesn’t deal with managing training at all and is really only of value to those who are very new to the training profession.
Unfortunately I’ll still be paying for mine for a while to come.
So you want to be a Training Manager?
True that the CTP is a nuts and bolts course, very practical and scary to be assessed by other trainers in your group, If you can’t handle this level then you should not be progressing any further up the Training, Learning & Development Management Field, After all whoose heard of a Training Manager that can’t train properly? (How can assess if someone you are paying to deliver training is any good if you haven’t done the basics?).
The CTP has a very good reputation much better than its CPP sister (The CPP has no standing in the Training Field) and is a great help underpinning the T,L&D NVQ 4 (The CPP can’t do that with the personnel NVQ 4!)
My main bug bear are these one day courses where people come away thinking that they are qualified trainers with the course pretend cerificate/piece of paper =:0
On the next level up if you do the CIPD Learning & Development Electives with a paticular course provider and pay an additional £100 then you can get joint validation by Edexcel and get the Advanced Diploma in Learning & Development as well as completing the elective fields.
My advice would be don’t try to run before you can walk, distance learning is expensive, make it count.
Have to disagree
I’m going to have to disagree, I’ve been training for four years and am completing my CITP in the next couple of months. The general agreement of the trainers on the course is that it’s pretty darned poor.
There is no TNA to help attendees improve on skills, the content is minimal and the days are drawn out with a million identical exercises in order to fill the time.
The feedback on the CITP from a large number of trainers (including on the CPD website) is that the course has been poorly thought out and is really only suitable for someone with no training experience.
It’s not a master class in training though it is purported to be by many people it’s a hugely expensive beginners course. Check out the GNVQ training programs or the IIT instead.
And to be honest it’s not scary to be evaluated by your fellow trainers when the course itself bears no relationship to the kind of training you deliver on a daily basis. If you were to purchase a “learn to train” book from Amazon for approx. £20 you’d save yourself £1720 over the cost of a CITP and be about as well off.
I’m with Nik on this
I am a training professional with a wealth of both corporate & freelance experience. Six years ago, my then Manager recommended against CTP, as in his opinion, I already had a level of experience, that led him to believe this basic course would have been of little benefit to either myself or the company.
More & more the CTP or part qual CIPD is a pre req for any training role, and therefore last year, I sought advice from an CIPD training provider with regards to returning to CTP best practice or completing the Dip. In hindsight I was ill advised, as even after a very long discussion about my working experience with a course tutor, the CTP was advised.
Nobody from my open learning course speak highly of the content, the learning schedule nor the delivery styles. The administration appears poor, the advertised tutor support is non-existent and the marking is extremely inconsistent.
After networking it appears that this opinion (along with Nik’s) is commonly shared. To this extent, I have made the corporate decision to remove other Training Officers from this development event and we are seeking other learning opportunities.
Did I learn anything from my experience? Yes – How NOT to manage an L&D environment.
It is interesting to note, that associates of mine have also posted responses to this article, naming & shaming the training provider, but their comments have not been added to the site. It would interest me to know of the providers that have a good/not so good reputation for delivering CTP, so that we as training professionals can share information, experiences and together change the way this training qualification is currently viewed. After all, if we do not believe in it’s value. What purpose does it have?
Go for something more broad
Hi,
I’m not able to comment on the CTP as I’ve no direct experience. I hope you’re feeding back to the training provider and CIPD. That’s he only way things might change…
Having been a training manager myself, I think you’d be best looking at a general business qualification, like the OU Diploma in Management. As a training manager you must be able to argue the business case for training – in business language. My partner is currently doing his DMS through the OU. It seems thorough, gives lots of breadth and insists that students apply learning back at work.
Carole
Training Manager – What to Study
Angela – All very interesting articles and opinions. You must really look at all the programmes that are available and decide what you wish to achieve now and in the future. I agree with many comments that it is difficult to get the right balance and level, especially if you have been involved in a particular area for a while – you have the experience – but not necessarily the qualification. I have dabbled in a mix of qualifications from HNC Business & Finance to CertEd(FE). I cannot make up my mind now whether to progress and do an MBA or a Masters in Education. Maybe too much choice. Unfortunately my company does not always support higher qualifications for exisiting staff, but does ask for degrees (no matter what the subject). Best of luck in your pursuit of becoming a training manager in any case.
Maybe not suitable for distance learning?
In reply to some of the comments about the CTP, I did mine in 15 weeks instead of 32.
It was a twice a week attendance course @ College and thinking about it there is no way I would think this course would be suitable for distance learning, because it of its emphasis on practical work not theory.
With the CTP you will get full membership of ITOL and be gain excemptions for membership of IITT.
As for costs mine cost around £350 (College in the South East. As for distance learning, yes I have looked @ it and you have to be careful as some providers are really good whilst others are diabolical (Do a quick internet search on user groups may give a fasinating insight on how not to waste your money). Another thing I was amased at how many people who undertake the CTP but don’t want CIPD membership, most Training Management jobs (the best ones) demand CIPD membership,
Dip T&D at Leicester Uni
I, like yourself, am in the training profession, and looked at what to study next. I decided on distance learning, and eventually considered the cert from Leicester; but thought the content was too basic for what I already know. I opted for the Dip T&D at Leicester and have found the material to be fascinating, I have learnt a few things about my organisation and I’m only two months in. The staff are helpful, any e-mail queries are dealt with promptly, marking and feedback has been fair and useful to date.
On the whole I would say that I am enjoying the course and feel like I made the right decision, but I would say that as I persuaded my employer to fully fund it.
I will agree with the one commentator though, don’t run until you can walk. It is essential to have proof that you can do TNA, design, delivery, evaluation, etc. so perhaps the Cert course from Leicester may be a better option to start with. Your knowledge of these factors will help in evaluating external providers.
Good luck with your search.
Training Qualifications is CIPD the be all and end all?
I am an IT Trainer with 13 years worth of training experience. I completed a Vocational Training degree (BEd) in July 2003 part-time at University of Wales Cardiff and I have a Cert in Human Resources -Training and Development from Thames Valley Uni that was endorsed by the old IIP organisation. I completed the latter as distance learning in 1994. (It was a long time ago so I may have the initials wrong!)
On contacting the CIPD I was told that none of my qualifications or experience were relivant and I would have to sit CIPD exams to be eligible for membership. This was even though as I understand IIP was amalgamated ubder the CIPD umbrella in the mid 90’s.
Most potential employers are asking for CIPD membership.
I feel that employers should know that membership has to effective be paid for by buying into CIPD qualifications.
Jane Davies