HR, training and other vocational associate guidance professionals

How to become a vocational and industrial trainer

Official title: Other vocational and industrial trainers

Also called: Trainer, Staff trainer, Skills trainer, Business trainer, Regional trainer, Trainer-assessor, Technical trainer, Industrial trainer, Vocational assessor, Customer service trainer, Vocational learning adviser, Nvq manager

Other vocational and industrial trainers provide instruction in manual, manipulative and other vocational skills and advise on, plan and organise vocational instruction within industrial, commercial and other establishments.

Main tasks

Assesses training requirements and prepares lectures, demonstrations and study aids
Supervises trainee development, assists trainees with difficulties and prepares regular progress reports on each trainee for management
Arranges work experience and instructional visits for trainees
Plans curriculum and rota of staff duties and updates or amends them in light of developments
Advises on training programmes and discusses progress or problems with staff and trainees
Devises general and specialised training courses in response to particular needs

How to become one

No formal educational qualifications are required for entry, although most entrants have qualified in some other area of work and possess a qualification in delivering teaching or training. Professional qualifications are available from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Qualifications in Education and Training are available at levels 3, 4 and 5.

Ways in

Apprenticeship (England): Coaching professional (level 5). England. Typically 14 months. Skills England standard ST0809.
Apprenticeship (England): Learning and development consultant business partner (level 5). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0563.
Apprenticeship (England): Learning and development practitioner (level 3). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0562.
Apprenticeship (England): Learning and skills teacher (level 5). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0149.
University: Arts & Humanities degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK
University: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK

Pay · Outlook

Median full-time pay: £36,357 a year The middle half earn £29,544 to £45,884.
About 183,800 people work in this job now, and about 192,300 are projected by 2035. (+4.6%)

Questions people ask

How do I become a vocational and industrial trainer?

How much does a vocational and industrial trainer earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £36,357 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £29,544 to £45,884.

Is a vocational and industrial trainer a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2035, from about 183,800 to about 192,300 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a vocational and industrial trainer?

Not always. 50% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Arts & Humanities degrees; Business & Commerce degrees; Coaching professional (level 5).

Sources

Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.