This blog relates to the unit TAEDEL411 Facilitate vocational training unit from the course TAE40122 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.
Can we really teach just anybody to be a trainer? Can we teach just anybody to be a concert pianist? We can all agree that it takes a special talent and passion to be a concert pianist. The same applies to being a trainer.
What makes for a superlative trainer? Of course they must know their subject – that goes without saying. But knowing your subject and being able to impart the knowledge and skills to others are two different things.
A trainer needs instinct, talent and passion. They need confidence in their own ability while empathising with the learner’s lack of confidence. It’s important for us to remember where we came from and how hard it was for us in the beginning. We need to “leave ourselves outside the door” and focus on our learners. When you focus on your learner and what they are thinking, you don’t have time to be self-conscious.
We may start with a session plan, but we also need to think on our feet and know when to throw the session plan out the door and, instead, give the learners what they need when they need it.
We have a number of DEL units in the TAE and no doubt they will provide additional knowledge and skills but if the trainer is not born to train, all the teaching in the world will not make them into a trainer.
Written by Sandy Welton
Post your thoughts on what makes a great trainer.
A great teacher is someone who is patient and can actively listen. I feel a great trainer is organised and can bring out the best in their students.
having open communication and show empathy for students that may be experiencing difficulties.
being both proffessional and approachable to the students needs.
A great teacher understands what their student needs and adapts their style so suit these needs. They are knowledgeable and patient, however also know when to be direct and have those more difficult conversations.
The trainers I have admired most have been engaging, knowledgeable and patient who can recognize and adapt to their trainees needs with ease. They have also strived to improve themselves through learning new methods and techniques as time progresses.
Great trainers show empathy and compassion towards their learners. They have the ability to “read the room” and adapt to different learning styles.
Great trainers see the tougher conversations as an opportunity for growth, both for the learner and for themselves. They are role models who show passion in their work and are able to support and inspire the people around them to strive for their best. They work cohesively within a team to achieve shared goals, always with the best intentions for all learners in mind.
Great trainers create engaging and rewarding learning environments.
The abilities that define great trainers include the ability to read the room and adjust their training style to suit the trainees. Not everyone learns the same way, and the mark of a great trainer is that they can identify those needs and bring everyone to a successful conclusion at the same time. They can also engage the trainees and hold their interest by adopting different delivery methods, rather than the same old thing over and over. This is particularly important during a course lasting several weeks where the training environment can become stale.
A great trainer is someone who has the knowledge and skills (which also implies that they have a wealth of industry experience) in their field of expertise.
However, a great trainer/teacher is also an excellent communicator. One who speaks to the student and actively listens to their input and questions too. The content needs to be delivered in a context that is meaningful and valued by the student.
Their interpersonal skills need to be exemplary so that they are able to form a great connection with each student and tap into the type of learner that they are to support each individual to succeed.
A great trainer holds knowledge in the area they are teaching. They are good communicators, adaptable to different learning styles and are results orientated. They continuously strive to further develop their professional skills and seek feedback.
You need to demonstrate a level of mastery and confidence if you are to be taken seriously. At the same time, a good trainer must be humble enough to admit that they do not know something, have made a mistake, or that there may be another equally satisfactory approach. A good trainer never tries to “bluff” because if they are caught out, it destroys their credibility and, therefore, effectiveness.
Roy Pollock
To teach or train you need to know your content, and you need also to have a respect from your peers: to know your “stuff” and how to apply it in your field. Of course there is also the teaching skills, communiation skills that are essential to teach/train. But further than that, I think that respect as a teacher/trainer can be lost in a heartbeat and when that happens, you stop becomming a good teacher/trainer and I think the above quote sums up the balance we must keep to alway be great.
When I think of people who I have admired as great trainers/teachers, they have always been people who had much knowledge about the topic, who could hold any type of discussion and field any questions on the topic, but also felt confident and comfortable with hearing other people’s thoughts and opinions. They openly acknowledged that they did not have the answers to everything and indicated that learning is a lifelong process. But above all, these trainers/teachers were dynamic – they could connect with people, make the topics/concepts relatable, base the new learning on the experiences that the learner already has (even if this is a diverse group) and help the learner apply new knowledge to their context or a new context.
I definitely think some people have innate qualities which make them more developed trainers than others. Some people naturally have more engaging communication styles or more presence. Some people find it easier to be engaging. Whoever the person though, one thing is important, that all trainers continue to develop and learn.
Great trainers are great communicators, they are able to communicate with a wide range of people from varying backgrounds and able to convey complex processes with ease. Great trainers also need to have sound interpersonal skills in order for them to be able to communicate effectively with others.
The idea that “trainers are born, not made” suggests that certain individuals possess an innate talent for training and teaching others. It implies that being an effective trainer is a natural ability that cannot be learned or acquired through training or education.
While some individuals may have a natural inclination towards teaching, the truth is that effective training is a skill that can be developed and improved through training, practice, and experience. Effective trainers possess a combination of knowledge, communication skills, empathy, and the ability to engage and motivate learners.
To be a successful trainer, it’s important to have a passion for teaching and learning, a willingness to adapt to different learning styles, and the ability to communicate complex ideas in a clear and concise manner. While natural talent may provide a good foundation for training, it’s the development of these skills that makes a trainer truly effective. With the right training and support, anyone can become a successful trainer.
What resonates with me is being passionate about your subject – so passionate that you do actually forget to be self-conscious even if you are naturally shy. Where imparting knowledge comes from the heart. I also like the mention of being able to tear up the session plan when necessary. I think it’s really important to remember that not everything always goes to plan and that it’s okay. Some of the best lessons are learnt when things don’t go the way we envisioned them.
One of the most important things I believe it takes to be a good trainer is those who are attuned to their “students”, will listen to what they are saying (and not saying) and adjust their training accordingly.
I believe a good trainer is someone who understands the topic they are teaching, believes in its purpose, and has the patience to be able to sit through a students tough moments to guide them through with empathy and understanding. Through my career, I have had many teachers, influential people, and mentors and one thing they all had in common was a way to connect with the students or people around them to impart knowledge effectively in various ways. It’s been brilliant to watch them building the future of the industry. With discussions in that environment, it was interesting to see how they reflected on the steps that got them to where they were at the time. Some were always driven to improve the workplace, some didn’t want to initially teach but enjoyed the satisfaction of seeing someone they taught do really well later down the track and it changed their view towards the learning and developing environment. While I don’t think that good trainers are born, some are shaped throughout their life and experience to be more naturally tuned to being a trainer.
I think a good trainer is someone who has passion about the topic they are delivering and they want to help others have the same passion or experience.. A great trainer is someone who is understanding and can relate to the learners and their experiences. I have always had an interest in training and assessing since my first tertiary education experience and seeing and experiencing first hand how helpful or not so helpful my facilitators or trainers were. A great trainer has patience and the ability to adapt to the learners needs. The trainer needs to understand that all students bring to the course a history and lifetime of learning and be able to access some of that history and guide the student through what is needed.
I believe a great trainer is someone who has the ability to inspire students to do their best. They should be able to give interesting examples based on their own experience to back up the theory that they are teaching and be able to make the content interesting enough that the student wants to learn more. A great trainer needs to be patient for students who may not grasp the concepts straight away and be adaptable to students’ different learning needs.
They say knowledge is power, some say applied knowledge is more powerful?
Passionate trainers and educators get satisfaction and a ‘buzz’ from empowering learners with the knowledge they need to pursue their goals! I imagine training or educating a trainer must be twice as good 🙂
Wow I think back on those handful of teachers as I progressed through my school years and university, I see them so clearly and have the same emotional response to the memory I did then. These handful of people probably had no idea at the time that they were so important and really were watershed moments along my path. So, what set this group apart from other teachers? As a student they fed my curiosity, they were passionate about their subject and invested in imparting their expertise to me. I always felt a deep caring commitment from them, these were empathic people, they were thinkers, carers, no question was off the table, no question too mundane or stupid, all answered with tolerance, and you were not afraid to speak up.
Looking back these teachers set a different tone in their classroom, they led by example, it was a safe space where you were not belittled but could explore the subject and life in general in an open, secure environment. That 40-minute class period was one you looked forward to and it made your day when you had it scheduled on your timetable.
Is that innate? My guess is yes, that group possibly took that humanity with them through life. I know I would not be undertaking this course and other life choices but for the way they touched my life all those years ago. I hope I have absorbed what made this group so special and that I may one day be that teacher/trainer for another insecure, directionless, struggling student.
These are great memories Fiona, Teachers who made a difference!
A great trainer is flexible in that they would realise that not learners learn in the same way. By being flexible a great trainer is able to adapt their plans to help accommodate the needs of the learner.
A great trainer is one that is adaptable to meet the needs of their students. A class will have people from various backgrounds, skill levels and with different life experiences. A trainer must be able to work effectively keeping this in mind to create a supportive learning environment. Even following a session plan or to meet key learning outcomes a great trainer will be able to make the content engaging and relevant by how they deliver the class. They should also be approachable, so students are willing to ask questions and be more involved in their own learning experience