Training and Development For Dummies

Chapter 1

What’s Training and Development?

In This Chapter

Introducing the training and development profession

Assessing your skills and abilities as a training and development professional

Determining the importance of developing others

Exploring the many hats of a 21st century trainer

So you want to be a trainer — a talent development professional. Or perhaps you already are in the field, and you’ve picked up this book to enhance your skills. In either case, this chapter helps you understand the profession and what’s expected of those who develop others.

Having a role in training and development (T&D) is one of the most exciting jobs anyone can have. Although a trainer’s role has changed substantially over the past decade and is currently going through another metamorphosis, many of the positive aspects always remain with the job. First, as a trainer you impact the work of many people — not only the learners with whom you work but also supervisors, senior management, clients, vendors, and perhaps even your company’s board of directors. As a trainer, you have access to many people ...