Becoming a Trainer is without doubt the best decision that I have made to further my career in the earthmoving industry. Don’t get me wrong, I do genuinely enjoy operating equipment. But as anyone that has been in game for a period can attest to, it is hard on your body.
With that said, I knew I wanted to stay involved with the industry. I researched other pathways across earthmoving and felt that training was the fit for me.
So, for this edition I thought I would share some insight on which qualifications you require and some of the attributes that will help you being a trainer and assessor.
QUALIFICATIONS
The current Trainer and Assessor qualification is – TAE40116 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. There are currently 10 units that make up the TAE40116 qualification that you will need to successfully complete to gain your certificate. This will enable you to deliver accredited and non-accredited training and assessing. To learn more head on over to www.training.gov.au.
If you wish to deliver accredited training and assessing (issuing of RII qualifications) there are few more requirements that you will have meet to undertake that line of work. More information on that can be found here www.asqa.gov.au
ATTRIBUTES
Righto, this is the bit that they don’t tell you in the “becoming a trainer and assessor” brochure that will help you along the way.
If it was just about taking an individual to a machine and telling them to pull this lever like this, slew that way, dump the dirt and return it would be the easiest job in the world.
Fact is, you need to be flexible and be able to think on your feet because even your best laid plans can go south, quick. Being a solid negotiator will aid your plight for when you trying to gain access to a candidate or machine. Having a calm, empathetic nature will help to pass on your knowledge. You will be required to be part psychologist / part therapist. At times you will need to be firm, sometimes with your candidate but more so when people ask you to be ‘dodgy’ in your training and assessing process. Keep the event light but not loose, share a laugh with your candidate, humans by nature can get tightly wound when being trained or assessed. Humor can help people relax. Don’t pretend to know everything, you don’t.
Training is all about training outcomes. So, think about creating an environment that people will feel comfortable in and one that will promote engagement. From there, your job will be easy.
Imparting knowledge is cool. Consider becoming a trainer.