Employers

There are approximately 306,400 training and development specialists employed in the United States. Computer trainers work for a wide range of employers, from large, international companies, to nonprofits, to community colleges. Many work for hardware and software manufacturers or training departments in the bigger companies. Others are employed by training companies that disseminate training information and tools. Still other computer trainers work independently as consultants. The rest are employed by schools, adult continuing education programs, and government agencies. Some software companies and consultants operate training sites on the Internet. Since almost every type of company will need computer training at one point or another, these companies are located throughout the country and, indeed, throughout the world.

Starting Out

Job candidates for computer trainer positions might obtain their jobs from on-campus recruitment, classified want ads, posting their resumes on the Internet, or word of mouth. Many large cities hold technology job fairs that host hundreds of companies, all of which are interested in hiring.

Computer trainers can move upward into positions such as training specialists, senior training specialists, and training managers, depending on the size of the company. They may leave staff positions to start their own consulting businesses. They may also write books and articles about computer training.

Read publications such as TD magazine (https://www.td.org/td-magazine) to learn more about the industry and hone your teaching skills.

Join professional associations such as the Association for Talent Development (ATD) and the International Society for Performance Improvement to access training and networking resources, industry publications, certification, and employment opportunities.

Visit http://jobs.td.org for job listings.

Become certified by ATD, CompTIA, and the International Society for Performance Improvement in order to show employers that you've met the highest standards established by your industry.