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Training and Development Professional

Training and development professionals conduct workshops, seminars, retreats, conference sessions and individual coaching sessions for young people and adults. They may also develop, design and evaluate training programs, curricula and materials.

Also Known As

Educator, Facilitator, Instructor, Presenter, Professional Development Presenter, Professional Speaker, Teacher, Trainer, Workshop Leader

NOC Codes

In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.

The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.

Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.

2006 NOC

  • 1121: Specialists in Human Resources

2006 NOC-S

  • B021: Specialists in Human Resources

2011 NOC

  • 1121: Human resources professionals

2016 NOC

  • 1121: Human resources professionals

2021 NOC

  • 11200: Human resources professionals

2023 OaSIS

  • 11200.00: Human resources professionals
Duties
Updated May 25, 2021

Training and development professionals are hired on a contract basis, to present on specific topics.

They usually negotiate contracts with clients that include fees and expenses. Depending on the contract, they may:

  • Assess client’s current state and needs using meetings, surveys, interviews, focus groups, questionnaires and existing information
  • Help the client identify and specify desired training outcomes
  • Consult with clients about the best way to implement new training programs
  • Design new training programs or adapt existing ones
  • Deliver training presented in a classroom, or through webinars or online discussion groups
  • Design communication plans to promote training programs
  • Develop related course materials such as handouts and visual aids
  • Reserve and set up audiovisual materials and equipment
  • Coordinate group exercises and training instruments
  • Make copies of materials for participants
  • Report on training outcomes using standard evaluation tools
  • Calculate (or help clients to calculate) program ROI (return on investment or cost vs benefits)
  • Teach short seminars or full term courses for post-secondary schools (usually offered through continuing education)
  • Conduct workshops for small businesses
  • Make presentations at professional association meetings, conferences, retreats or symposiums
  • Present short professional development sessions to staff members
  • Provide in-house training for government employees
  • Answer audience questions, clarify concepts and mediate if there is participant confusion or disagreement

Training and development professionals use many techniques such as group discussions, role playing, simulations, team exercises, videos and lectures. Their goal is to help participants:

  • Develop or adopt new skills and practices
  • Foster interest, understanding and acceptance
  • Enhance self-esteem and personal development
  • Build healthy working relationships
  • Improve team work

Training and development professionals must keep up to date in their field by reading current journals, magazines and books.

Working Conditions
Updated May 25, 2021
  • Strength Required Lift up to 5 kg

Training and development professionals work in settings such as hotel conference rooms, corporate boardrooms, college classrooms, retreat centres, government training rooms, community centres, hospital training facilities, computer labs and home offices. Travel is often required. They may also present online video seminars over great distances, rather than in person. They may work regular business hours or offer evening and weekend training sessions. Preparation and design work may be done in the evening or while travelling. Because they are self-employed, when not presenting they are often working on gaining exposure and interest, in order to contract future work opportunities.

Interests & Abilities

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Specialists in Human Resources

2006 NOC: 1121

Interest Codes

Interest Codes for This NOC Group
INNOVATIVE

Interest in researching employee benefit programs and health and safety practices to recommend policy changes and modifications, and in planning staffing, total compensation, training and career development, employee assistance, employment equity and affirmative action programs

METHODICAL

Interest in co-ordinating information to administer staffing, total compensation, training and career development, employee assistance, employment equity and affirmative action programs; in co-ordinating employee performance and and appraisal programs, in managing programs and maintaining human resources information and related records systems; and in hiring and overseeing training of staff

SOCIAL

Interest in negotiating collective agreements on behalf of employers or workers; in mediating labour disputes and grievances, providing advice on employee and labour relations, and in advising managers and employees on the interpretation of personnel policies, compensation and benefit programs and collective agreements

Your Interest Codes

To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Reading Interest Codes
A Quick Guide

The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation. 

It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.

Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.

A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.

A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.

Learn About Interests

Abilities

Typical ability expectations for this NOC group
Your abilities

To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.

Mental Abilities

General Learning Ability

Verbal Ability

Numerical Ability

Visual Abilities

Spatial Perception

Form Perception

Clerical Perception

Physical Abilities

Motor Coordination

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Understanding Abilities

A Quick Guide

You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.

The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.

The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.

Learn About Abilities

Traits & Skills
Updated May 25, 2021

Training and development professionals need:

  • Flexibiliy, respect and patience in dealing with others
  • Organizational and time management skills
  • Effective public speaking skills
  • The ability to present information in a way that is clear, interesting, practical and appropriate for client learning styles
  • A willingness to take risks and be creative
  • The abiity to market and promote themselves and their areas of expertise to potential clients

They should enjoy:

  • Independence and variety in their work
  • Helping others with their personal and professional growth
  • Being innovative
  • Being recognized as experts in their fields
  • Managing their own businesses

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Top 10 Skills Employers Are Looking For

Human resources professionals

2016 NOC: 1121

This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 104 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Dec 29, 2023 and Apr 26, 2024.

Review these skills to learn:

  • Whether or not this occupation matches your skill set
  • What training you may need to get these skills
  • What skills to highlight in your resumé, cover letter, and interview.
Tasks: Plan, develop, implement and evaluate human resources policies and programs
Tasks: Co-ordinate employee performance and appraisal programs
Tasks: Hire, train and supervise staff
Tasks: Advise managers and employees on the interpretation of human resources policies, benefit programs and collective agreements
Tasks: Research and prepare occupational classifications, job descriptions and salary scales
Experience: 1 year to less than 2 years
Tasks: Administer benefit employment equity and other human resources programs
Tasks: Research employee benefits and health and safety practices and recommend changes
Tasks: Negotiate collective agreements on behalf of employers or workers
Construction Specialization: Organized
Educational Requirements
Updated May 25, 2021
  • Minimum Education Varies

A bachelor's degree or professional designation plus experience in adult education is rapidly becoming the minimum requirement for training and development professionals. They must:

  • Understand the needs and characteristics of adult learners
  • Be skilled at interpersonal communications, leading group discussions and resolving group conflicts
  • Know how to use instructional aids and equipment (flipcharts, multimedia projectors, video players, presentation hardware and software)
  • Have strong computer skills for preparing training materials and delivering training
  • Have working knowledge of e-learning methods and tools
  • Know basic marketing methods for locating clients

Training and development professionals also must have expertise that is in demand. For example, they may be experts in lean processes, data security, brand development, diversity and inclusion training, management development, fostering quality service, managing change or other areas of personal development.

Although many training and development professionals do not have a university education, it can be difficult for those without post-secondary education to break into the field. Many of their competitors have a master's degree, have worked for several years in their fields, and have spent time facilitating groups.

A bachelor's degree in human resources, adult education or a business-related field would provide a good background for those entering this field. Universities and colleges throughout Alberta offer many suitable degree programs.

In general, admission requirements for bachelor's programs include an average of 60 to 80% in English Language Arts 30-1 and 4 other approved Grade 12 subjects.

For information about specific programs and requirements, please check post-secondary calendars or websites.


Related Education

The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Sundance College - Edmonton
University of British Columbia
University of Victoria

To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.

Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.

Certification Requirements
Updated May 25, 2021
  • Certification Not Regulated

Certification is not required, as there is currently no legislation regulating this occupation. However, The Institute for Performance and Learning offers 2 streams of voluntary certification:

For more information on certification requirements, visit the Institute's website.

Employment & Advancement
Updated May 25, 2021

Training and development professionals are self-employed and therefore work in a variety of settings including:

  • Large organizations
  • Government departments
  • Post-secondary schools

Their contracts may vary from single half-day sessions to long-term contracts (6 months to a year). The list of situations in which training and development professionals work is virtually endless.

With increasing business competition, developing a productive labour force has become a major concern for most organizations. The need to train employees in areas such as organizational change, strategic planning, creative problem solving and conflict resolution has created growth in the training field.

Industry Concentration

This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.

In the 1121: Human resources professionals occupational group, 76.1% of people work in:

Employment Outlook

Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

  • Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
  • Location in Alberta
  • Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
  • Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
  • Size of the occupation
  • Trends and events that affect overall employment, especially in the industry or industries from the previous list

In Alberta, the 1121: Human resources professionals occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.8% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 212 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.

Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.

Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook

Related Alberta Job Postings
Wage & Salary
Updated May 25, 2021

Incomes in this field vary considerably from one person to another and from one year to another. Fees tend to increase based on a presenter’s reputation, as well as level of interest in a topic. Training and development professionals usually charge a set fee per day or per contract (contracts may include content development as well as teaching). Often, preparation time is included in negotiated fees because it is not paid directly.

In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.

Human resources professionals

2016 NOC: 1121
Average Wage
$43.66
Per Hour
Average Salary
$86,410.00
Per Year
Average Hours
38.1
Per Week
Average Months on Payroll
12
Survey Methodology Survey Analysis

Source
2021 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey

NOC 1121 Wage Profile

Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.

All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.

To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.

Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.

A: High Reliability
Data Reliability Code Definition

High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.


Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
  • Low
  • High
  • Average
  • Median
Starting
Overall
Top

Hourly Wage

For full-time and part-time employees
Wages* Low (5th percentile) High (95th percentile) Average Median
Starting $21.63 $60.36 $36.60 $34.83
Overall $25.64 $66.13 $43.66 $43.60
Top $27.85 $77.39 $51.63 $50.69

Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.

* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.

Pay brackets for hourly wages

  • Starting pay: average pay offered for entry-level positions
  • Overall pay: average pay across all employees in this occupation
  • Top pay: average pay offered to top-paid employees

Industry Information

ALL INDUSTRIES
Oil & Gas Extraction
Construction
Manufacturing
Retail Trade
Transportation and Warehousing
Information, Culture, Recreation
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Leasing
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services
Educational Services
Health Care & Social Assistance
Accommodation & Food Services
Other Services (Repair, Personal Services and Related)
Public Administration

Skills Shortage

Employers that Recruited in the Last 2 Years
25%
25%)
Recruiting Employers that Experienced Hiring Difficulties
5%
5%
Employers with Unfilled Vacancies of over 4 Months
2%
2%
Vacancy Rate
1%
Related Post-Secondary Field of Study
  • Business, Management and Administrative Studies
  • Communications
  • Education and Library Studies
  • Social Sciences, Law and Religious Studies
  • Social, Community and Protective Services
Other Sources of Information
Updated May 25, 2021

Canadian Association of Professional Speakers (CAPS) website: www.canadianspeakers.org

CAPS Edmonton Chapter website: capsedmonton.ca

CAPS Calgary Chapter website: www.capscalgary.ca

The Institute for Performance and Learning website: performanceandlearning.ca

Speakers Bureau of Alberta website: www.speakersalberta.com

Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.

Updated Mar 31, 2021. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.

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