how to get into (corporate) training

[bossyboots]

Hi there

I'm looking for some advice / information on getting into training / corporate training in Ireland. I've been teaching (EFL) for the past 14 years in Ireland and abroad. I've spent the last 8 years overseas working in a state-run college in the Middle East, but want to return to Dublin in the next year or so.

I want to get out of EFL, as it's so poorly-paid in Ireland, but have always enjoyed the course development and delivery side of teaching, so training seemed like a good move. I've emailed a number of training companies in Ireland, including FAS, to find out whether my teaching experience would make me employable, whether business experience is more important, or whether I need a qualification, but I've been disappointed by an almost total lack of response.

Can anyone out there tell me:

a whether training is an intelligent choice, ie is it well-paid / are there many jobs available

b what kind of qualifications, if any, would be most helpful?

c who I could contact for more info?

Just discovered askaboutmoney.com this morning and am really enjoying having a look around.

Thanks in advance for any assistance

 

[efm]

Hi Bossy,

Just a couple of points from my own personal experience (which may or may not directly answer the questions you posed ):

I work in financial services and any training I have received has been given by subject matter experts - the better ones were the ones who not only followed the course materials but were able to back up the material with real world examples and answer any specific questions so I am not sure if your experience would be enough to go straight in

That said, some larger corporates may have internal training departments who might be able to upskill someone with good general teaching and presentation skills. However, I think that some of this has now been outsourced to specialist or niche training companies (in many cases set up by ex employees).

There is a website http://www.teachingjobs.ie/Jobs.aspx that lists teaching type jobs that might be of interest or even a general google search for teaching jobs might throw up a couple of companies you could talk to.

Anyway, my experience may be very specific and not reflective of other people's but good luck in the search.

BTW are you sure you want to return to Ireland at the moment with all the doom and gloom about? - sure everyone else is talking about leaving!

 

[bossyboots]

efm

Thanks a million for the helpful reply - I suspected specialist content knowledge would be needed for some kinds of training, which is absolutely fair enough - as an employee, I wouldn't want to be required to attend training with someone who knew less than I did about my job.

I was wondering whether there's enough demand for soft skills-type training, or even stuff like Myers-Briggs course delivery to make a career out of. As I said, I enjoy developing materials myself, but would be happy to deliver existing courses, at least initially. I'm trying to set up a meeting with FAS to see what the situation is, but was really hoping for some ideas or experiences from the very helpful and intelligent posters @ askaboutmoney!!

As for coming back to Ireland right now, TELL me about it. Watching from a distance, I've been bemused by the how things have changed over the last ten years or so. I've been working in Dubai for the best part of a decade, and have seen responses from friends and family at home change from 'So how are things in Saudi?' (for the first 3 years) to 'Do you think I should invest in a Dubai Marina apartment?' (for the last 5). Sooner or later it's time to come home, though, and even if it means shopping in Aldi instead of BT, I don't want to postpone the move much longer.

 

[Complainer]

- the better ones were the ones who not only followed the course materials but were able to back up the material with real world examples and answer any specific questions so I am not sure if your experience would be enough to go straight in

Hear, hear.