Professional development opportunities for in-company trainers

The trainer position tends to lack recognition within companies and therefore opportunities for professional development remain insufficient. Current policies do little to support in-company trainers in this area, in particular, for skilled workers providing training on a part-time basis. Moreover, professionalisation of in-company trainers and adequate support to their activities are crucial for the quality of in-company training. In-company trainers are important actors in lifelong learning. To support knowledge sharing, the present study describes and analyses 13 case studies of initiatives promoting the professional development of in-company trainers.

This report presents a selection of initiatives that support the recognition, training and professional development of in-company trainers in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Malta, Norway and UK. The selection of case studies includes examples of:

·        establishing regulation and standardisation measures for trainers;

·        developing registers of training practitioners and other forms of quality assurance certifications;

·        validating and recognising non-formal and informal learning of trainers;

·        encouraging continuous training for in-company trainers;

·        supporting trainers through online resources;

·        creating networks of trainers and communities of practice.

Building on existing experience to promote the validation of non-formal and informal learning at national level is crucial, since in-company trainers mostly acquire knowledge, skills and competences through on-the-job learning. Other proposals for action include networking of in-company trainers at sectoral, regional, national and European level. Communities of practice, training platforms using ICT, standards, accreditation systems and registers of training practitioners are key contributions to the professional status of in-company trainers and the quality of training in companies.