Employment of training and development managers is projected to grow 7 percent from 2014 to 2024, about as fast as the average for all occupations. In many occupations, employees are required to take continuing education and skill development courses throughout their careers, creating demand for workers who develop and provide training materials.
Innovations in training methods and learning technology are expected to continue throughout the next decade, particularly for organizations with remote workers. Organizations increasingly use social media, visual simulations, mobile learning, and social networks in their training programs. As social media and collaborative learning become more common, training and development managers will need to modify training programs, allocate budgets, and integrate these features into training programs and curricula.
In addition, as companies seek to reduce costs, training and development managers may be required to structure programs to enlist available experts, take advantage of existing resources, and facilitate positive relationships among staff. Training and development managers may use informal collaborative learning and social media to engage and train employees in the most cost effective way.
Job Prospects
Overall, job prospects should be very good, particularly in industries with a lot of regulation, like finance and insurance. Job openings will stem from the need to replace workers who retire or otherwise leave the occupation.
Training and Development Managers
Percent change in employment, projected 2014-24
Operations specialties managers
7%
Training and development managers
7%
Total, all occupations
7%
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program