Curious About Becoming a Soft Skills Trainer? Seeking Guidance on Requirements and Pathways

Hi all,

I am very much interested in becoming a soft skills trainer. I have 2 years of job experience in teaching and am also pursuing an MSc in Psychology through distance education.

Can anyone tell me what the requirements are to become a soft skills trainer? I have seen in forums that such trainers have certifications in MBTI/NLP, etc.

Could someone please guide me through the process of getting a job as a soft skills trainer and advise me on how I should equip myself?

Thanks,
Vidya

Hi Vidya,

I would like to share my experience as a soft skills trainer. I have been working for 11 years now, with 8 years as a trainer. Now, how did I become a trainer without certification?

1) Virtue of interest and passion for teaching
2) Knowledge on varied subjects
3) Openness to share the topics with everyone
4) Love to mentor people

You can still do a lot, of course, as they were not so widely spoken in the market when I started. You can introspect your strengths and see where your road lies ahead for you – is it in the soft skills field, behavioral skills, or management skills, etc.

You can choose to do a TTT (train the trainer) program to understand the nuances of training, such as preparation of content, presentation, body language, handouts, etc., to start with. After a year of experience, you'll have a wonderful idea about what you really want to do.

1) As I said, passion and interest are a must for being a trainer. Although teaching and training are different, still, I feel that more than being a trainer, the self-thought of being a mentor will add more value and upkeep your passion for a long time.

2) You need to update yourself with a lot of topics from the past, present, riddles, comics, incidents, and at times, you need to know how to mix up virtual with real incidents.

3) Training requires some very important skills that will be taught in a TTT program. Still, you can do a lot of practice back at home.

A) You need to know how to prepare a PowerPoint presentation, a trainer's manual, worksheets, participant manual, activities, and games.

B) You should work on your tone, expression, modulation, speech volume, pitch, and pronunciation.

C) You should be wary of your body language, movement on the floor, and the connection of your eyes with the participants.

D) You need to start on a positive note and end the training on a high-spirited note, thus boosting the confidence level in participants.

E) Very important, you need to know how to answer the questions asked of you and how to decline something you really don't know. You need to be honest and accept things diplomatically.

I would suggest you join as an Executive Trainer and learn the nitty-gritty of training while doing TTT.

Best of luck.

Regards

Thank you, Mr. Jayaraman, for your valuable advice. It was indeed an eye-opener for me.

I have a few questions in mind:

Since you have talked about taking up certain specific courses like the TTT, I would like to know if it largely depends on the institute where I get trained, i.e., in terms of the quality of the institute. Are there reputed institutes in Chennai where I can take up the course?

Hi,

Please let me know which areas you are looking at when you mention soft skills so that a focused reply can be provided.

Regards,
M. DURGAMOHAN

Hi Vidya,

Soft skills training is more of a passion than a mere profile. It comes from the heart. From what I read of your post, it seems to be present there. What remains is to work and learn from the feedback you receive.

Your background in psychology (note I don't mention a degree) should be an important asset. Remember that you are also a part of a process and not immune to imperfection. I'm not saying this as criticism but as the most crucial thing to accept. It is our ability to learn from interactions that leads to understanding and facilitates the learning process in others.

I would recommend T-Group work as it provides a strong experience of understanding processes "live" and working with them. There are several organizations in India that offer this, but I suggest the largest one - ISABS - the Indian Society for Applied Behavioral Science. They have chapters all over India where you can start your learning with their Basic Labs. Their professional development program (following the basic and advanced labs) is a valuable tool for both self-actualization and having a facilitative presence in various situations. It may be extensive and potentially costly over time, but you can continue working on your "journey" alongside your career. Another organization that engages in similar work is Aashta (in Bangalore). I can't recall their website.

Attending a few Tavistock model-based labs would be beneficial. I believe there is a Group Relations conference in July that I plan to attend myself.

MBTI, NLP, Landmark forums... all have their merits. Appreciative Inquiry is also something that could be very useful. If you are willing to travel abroad, consider going to NTL and exploring whatever interests you - they are highly reputable.

I hope these recommendations are helpful for your development in the field of soft skills training.

Best regards.

Hi,

I am planning to start up a spoken English and call center training and placement institute in Mumbai (the area is not yet finalized). Can anyone help me and provide some tips regarding that?

Hello everyone,

I am a French translator/tutor. I have completed my Masters in Sociology from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, and I am seeking opportunities to work as a soft skills trainer in Mumbai. I am also interested in handwriting analysis. However, as a fresher in this field, I am unsure how to begin. After reading this thread, I believe I can find assistance here.

I would like to inquire about job prospects for freshers. Which institutes offer the best train the trainer courses? Do these courses assist with placements?

@Vidyut: In one of your posts, you mentioned NTL. Could you please explain what NTL is?

Thank you,
Khushboo Shah

Hi Khushboo,

This is the NTL site: NTL Institute management training programs enhance listening skills, communication skills, diversity, organization development, and group dynamics. You will be able to get far more information from here than I can tell you in a post. I might be able to help you better with something specific.

With lots of warmth and cheer for your learning.

Vidyut

Karishma Chhabria,

I really don't like the way you are spamming these forums. If this is how you are, what are you going to train, I wonder.

Vidyut

Mr. Jayaraman, your advice is very useful. Thanks.

I'm based in Gurgaon and am interested in becoming a trainer. Can you please advise me on a good place to get the training somewhere here? Thanks.

Hi Jayaraman,

I am Archna from Delhi. I have 2 years of experience in HR. Presently, I am doing a Training and Development course from ISTD-New Delhi, i.e., Indian Society for Training and Development. I also aspire to become a corporate trainer. Can you please guide me on how to proceed, how to make a start, and what skills I need to polish, etc.? You can email me directly at onlyarchna@yahoo.com.

Thanks,
Archna.

Hi Vidya,

I would like to share my experience as a soft skills trainer. I have been working for 11 years, with 8 years as a trainer. Here is how I became a trainer without certification:

1) Having a genuine interest and passion for teaching
2) Knowledge of various subjects
3) Willingness to share topics with others
4) Enjoyment in mentoring people

There are now many courses available that were not widely available when I started. You should evaluate your strengths and determine where your interests lie, whether in soft skills, behavioral skills, management skills, etc.

You could consider taking a Train the Trainer (TTT) program to learn about training nuances such as content preparation, presentation, body language, handouts, etc. After gaining a year of experience, you will have a better idea of your preferences.

Key points to keep in mind:

1) Passion and interest are essential for being a trainer. Being a mentor adds value and sustains your passion.
2) Stay updated on various topics and learn to blend virtual and real incidents.
3) Training requires important skills, some of which will be covered in the TTT program. You can practice at home to improve:
A) Preparing materials like presentations, manuals, worksheets, and activities.
B) Working on your tone, expression, modulation, volume, pitch, and pronunciation.
C) Being conscious of body language, eye contact, and movement.
D) Starting and ending training sessions positively to boost participants' confidence.
E) Knowing how to answer questions and politely decline when unsure.

I recommend starting as an Executive-Trainer to learn the ins and outs of training while undergoing TTT.

Best of luck.

Regards

Hi fellow trainers and aspiring trainers,

I am Gourav Mahajan, a soft skills trainer working at HCL Infosystems. I have also worked at New Horizons. With around 4 years of experience in training, I initially began my career as a technical trainer. However, after conducting a small session on soft skills, I developed a keen interest in this area, and since then, I have been enjoying my work as a soft skills trainer.

Although my experience may be less compared to many seasoned trainers, I emphasize that I am always in a learning mode, driven by curiosity as both a human and a trainer. I must also mention that I do not possess any certification; my experience alone has been instrumental in advancing my career.

Having trained students and professionals from the IT and retail sectors across India, I believe I have performed reasonably well and am eager to enhance my skills by furthering my knowledge in this field.

I want to express my gratitude to Mr. Jayaraman and Vidyut for reinforcing my belief that passion and the desire to learn new concepts are crucial to becoming a successful, and most importantly, a fulfilled trainer.

As a relatively new trainer without certification, I am curious if this absence hinders my professional growth in this field. If so, could you kindly recommend certification programs that would not significantly interrupt my work schedule?

Additionally, I have heard about the CPBA program and am interested in learning more about it. Are there any institutes in India that offer this certification?

Apologies for the lengthy post, but I wanted to address all my concerns in one go, as I rarely have the opportunity to spend time on the internet. :-P

Amit Jha, Consultant

Hi All,

I appreciate your response and advice regarding Training & Development aspirations and ambitions, which a person yearns to pursue as a profession. What I believe is that you need to understand your own psychology and behavioral aspects concerning individuals and the team (group dynamics) in order to achieve your goal. This understanding will assist you in attaining your purpose, whether it is short-term or a lifelong mission.

I have been working in HR for the past 5 years and have come to realize that performance is fueled by the underlying purpose. Skills are merely tools that can be taught and learned. However, it is crucial to assist participants in comprehending and recognizing their ultimate purpose. Many of us work solely to earn a living, whether it is for survival or to maintain a decent lifestyle. It is essential to help and guide them in analyzing and determining their goals, finding a strong purpose, and committing to it wholeheartedly.

I wish all future Trainers, or rather facilitators, the very best!

Hi,
Is it possible to earn Rs 15 - 20 k per month by being a soft skills / Voice and Accent trainer?

Hi,

I have completed my Master's in English Literature and have 3 years of experience in BPOs. Please help me with the names of institutes that train and employ people as voice and accent and soft skills trainers in Delhi.

Regards,
Nwa

Hello everybody,

My name is Asma Begum, and I work as a center manager at Visakhapatnam's Aptech Centre. I am a passionate individual who can attract students through my way of speaking. I aspire to become a certified soft skills trainer. Can anybody help me out with this?

Thank you,
Asma

Hi Vidya!

This world of learning and development is huge, and within soft skills as well, you have a lot of narrow aspects. Typically, trainers who do well are specialists in a particular narrow field. Your experience would help you choose the narrow field. You could also speak with people to help you decide further.

The decisions that you would need to make before deciding on a career in Training are as follows:

1. Which area of specialization would you intend to work in?
2. What level of audience would you want to train?
3. Do you have the skills/knowledge required for the same?
4. Would you need any certifications to equip you to handle such programs?

Once you have asked yourself these questions and got answers for most of them, you would be on your way to becoming a trainer of great repute. Do let me know if there is anything else I may assist you with.

Regards, Rohan

Dear All,

I have the passion and all other qualities to become a soft skills trainer, but still would like to go through some certification which will help me get some freelance or part-time assignments. I have 10 years of experience in sales in the FMCG industry, and I am good at sales training.

Could you please suggest some courses in Mumbai? You can contact me at pavanharshad@yahoo.com.

Pavan

I am interested in becoming a soft skills trainer. I have 9 years of teaching experience in the field of computer science and engineering and now wish to transition into a soft skills trainer role. Is it possible, and what steps do I need to take to achieve this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Hi Vidya,

For certified courses, you can contact the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) or various skill councils under it, like RASCI, depending on your interest. You can earn well by becoming a certified trainer through programs like the STAR scheme or the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

Regards,
Neeraj

Hi all, I am Sowmya, a BE graduate. I have five months of work experience as a customer care executive and am currently not working. I have a passion for training. I graduated in 2012, and it took me a couple of years to analyze what I really want to be. Now that I have realized, I am very much interested in being a soft skills trainer. My story does not end here. At present, I am not in a position to afford a soft skills training institute but am simultaneously looking for opportunities that can train me in my field of interest with pay. I kindly ask for your valuable suggestions that can help me reach a higher level.

Thanks, Sowmya N

I want to shape my career as a soft skills trainer. My hobbies include educating people and advising students to move in the right direction. Can anyone provide suggestions on how to start and what certifications and education are required to become a soft skills trainer? It would be highly appreciated if an experienced person could share their personal contact number so that I can connect with experienced individuals. Currently, I hold the position of assistant manager at Supetrust Homes Pvt Ltd.

Thanks and regards,
Manoj Kumar
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Hi all,

I would like to know from my friends, is there any government-recognized college, institution, or university that offers Soft Skill Trainer Certification? If so, please let me know.