What’s it like to be a trainer and assessor, such as a TAFE Teacher, instructor, or workplace trainer?

There’s something special about being a teacher, especially one who works with adults. I find most educators are incredibly passionate, and the reason they do what they do is vastly greater and more important than just earning a living.

When people are thinking about doing a Cert IV in Training and Assessment they are often wondering what it’s like to be a trainer.

Instead of taking our word for it, let’s meet some of our graduates who are doing incredible things with their teaching skills and their TAE qualifications.

Elle Purvis – Pilot and Flight Instructor

Elle and her colleagues were already highly experienced instructors when we met them a few years back at the Australian International Aviation College. They are incredibly passionate about what they do and it’s not surprising given what they fly aircraft for a living!

Elle told me that what she loves about being a Flight Instructor is that “lightbulb moment.”

“Communication and motivation can be a challenge. A majority of students I train are from a non-English speaking background and may not have an exisiting passion for aviation. I address this by getting to know what they like to do in their spare time, learning about their background and making things fun. Rather than the same repetitive routine.”

I asked Elle what advice she might give someone who is considering becoming an instructor.

“You need to understand and respect that everyone learns differently. What worked for you, won’t necessarily work for your student. But most of all you need to have a passion for what you’re about to teach! You have a much higher chance of engaging your students if you genuinely like what you’re doing!”

Peter Tranter – Founder of Life and Rescue International

Peter Tranter was the founder of Life and Rescue International, a leading Registered Training Organisation (RTO) which he managed for 25 years. Peter has pioneered, designed and developed a range of training techniques, specialising in life and rescue product, materials, resources, maintenance and servicing programs for industry, defence, government, utilities, mining, oil and gas and resources sector.

Peter is a graduate of our TAE upgrade program and being such a vastly experienced VET sector professional, employer, teacher and industry practitioner he’s got an especially unique perspective.

I asked Peter why he loves being a trainer he told me that “due to providing training in high risk workplaces that involve Life and Rescue skills, my greatest satisfaction has been receiving feedback that the training has actually saved a number of lives. This type of response leads to a great sense of achievement and personal pride. It also serves as encouragement to continue to advance myself in the field that I am in and lift my training skills to higher levels.”

Peter says that a challenge people may face in day to day training is the temptation to go into “auto mode” which leads to “information regurgitation.”

“This in fact also leads to trainers losing focus on their role as a workplace trainer” he continued.

“Workplace trainers are facilitators of information, knowledge and skill processes to achieve an outcome which is to ensure that the people they are training are getting the best they can from the learning experience. A trainer needs to leave their egos at the front door, listen and communicate with their audience and make the learning experience a two-way outcome, i.e. they also learn from their participants due to having acted as facilitators who are genuine in their interactions with the people in their care.”

Peter’s advice to anyone considering becoming a trainer is that they ask themselves if this is a career that they really wish to pursue.

“Being a successful workplace trainer requires real commitment from a person that sees them look at being the best they can by using and expanding their expertise in their field. This real commitment involves ongoing personal development and a genuine desire to succeed and work with other people. The reward to an individual is always going to be limited by their input. The greater the input and commitment the greater the reward and personal satisfaction.”

Wilson Wilo – Counselling Trainer in the PNG Highlands

Wilson is one of those instantly-likeable people you meet who radiates passion and enthusiasm for teaching. I’ve been in the classroom for many of Wilson’s courses and he always delivers engaging and fascinating sessions with confidence and conviction.

Our team first met Wilson in early 2019 where he was part of a group of participants on an Australian Government funded scholarship from Papua New Guinea to undertake the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment with Accellier and Graduate Certificate in Counselling with Griffith University. You can read more about this program here.

Wilson loves teaching and I wanted to capture some of his passion and energy to share with you. Wilson says that for him it’s all about the change of behaviours in individuals and their way of thinking. Wilson loves to be able to “contribute to improving the living standards of the people to be safe and healthy in peaceful and harmonious communities.”

Much of Wilson’s training addresses strategies to prevent children from abuse in Papua New Guinea. He is often training in small villages with minimal resources and with people who are illiterate. He is masterful at helping participants understand new concepts through pictures or imagery and using Pidgin and Mother Tongue for clarification.

Wilson possesses one of the most important skills for a trainer; listening and observing. This comes as no surprise given his counselling background however to see Wilson apply these skills with his learners in his environment is truly special and underscores how necessary these skills are for any good trainer.

He tells me how important it is to take note on particular participants’ style learning and to rotate them in group discussions for improvement, as well as do daily recaps to focus on any areas of confusion.

Wilson stresses the importance of a trainer being able to self-evaluate and use the participants learning and understanding as the key indicator for success.

I asked him what advice he might have for someone considering becoming a trainer.

“Everyone born on planet earth has gifts and talents. It does not mean that a person who speaks fluently with confidence and courage is most likely to be a trainer. From my point of view, I recommend people become trainers when such people have passion, are committed and are eager to serve other people for better improvement in any walk of life. I would say people who have right self-concept, people who value other people, have self-worth, self-esteem and inner drive to push for change should consider becoming a trainer.”

What do you think makes a great trainer?

Did you notice how Elle, Peter and Wilson all referred to the concept of passion? This is a common theme I see among great trainers. That passion seems to drive them to continuously grow as educators themselves, to refine, up-skill, and uncover new ways of helping learners achieve.

Let us know your thoughts and if you have questions about becoming a trainer, get in touch.