Software Trainer | IT Careers
Career Path, Salary, Qualifications, Responsibilities
A software trainer trains and motivates individuals and groups to adopt a new computer application or programme on the behalf of a company that has created the software or for one that is introducing it for use by its staff.
An effective software trainer has expert-level knowledge of applications and excellent presentation skills.
Some notes on the tasks, qualifications, typical employers and salary, career path, and job outlook for software trainers are given below.
Responsibilities: What does a Software Trainer do?
Software trainers usually have an excellent understanding of a wide range of software programs and applications that are generic, company-specific, or job-specific.
Great trainers are captivating speakers with a flair for explaining technical concepts lucidly and keeping their audience of end-users of software or software customers engaged.
The success of a software application may depend on whether the trainer is able to convince his or her audience about the advantages of using the software.
Like trainers in any field, the first task of a software trainer is to assess the training requirement of the trainees and prepare helpful course and teaching material in tune with the organisation’s specifications.
Apart from addressing the trainees, a trainer maintains one-to-one contact with each trainee to measure progress and provide personal feedback.
The trainer also conducts tests and evaluates the responses to know how well the trainee has imbibed the lessons.
Besides direct interactions in class, trainers may also use distance- and virtual-learning tools such as video conferencing and Webinars.
As part of the job, software trainers may also be required to assist in installing software and hardware upgrades. To do so, trainers need to be up to speed with the latest software and related developments in the field.
Travel may often be on their schedule. They may also have to perform administrative tasks such as making travel arrangements for themselves and for participants from another city. They may also have to help in fixing training venues.
Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree in information technology or an allied field and certification or experience in conducting training in specific applications are the basic requirements for the job. Additional qualifications in management or business studies may prove advantageous.
Organisational and administrative skills and adaptability to changing training situations would obviously take a candidate’s chances well forward.
Presentation skills of a high order would have to be demonstrated during the recruitment process.
A people person with only basic qualifications might impress the recruiter more than candidates with postgraduate degrees or other higher qualifications.
Typical employers & average salary
Software trainers are in demand in private and public organisations, software companies, educational institutions, and software training institutions. They usually work regular office hours and only occasionally in the evenings or on weekends.
A trainer who is only starting out in the profession may earn an annual salary or fee of Rs. 1.24 lakh, and one with experience and well-developed training skills may take home Rs. 8 lakh or more. A software trainer in the US earns between $33,000 and $81,000.
Career path in Software Training
Many trainers do the job not just for salary and perks but also for the professional satisfaction that a teaching engagement provides.
In some organisations, software trainers are considered for the positions of programmer, software engineer/developer, senior software engineer/developer, project manager, senior project manager, and IT consultant.
Some trainers prefer to provide their services as independent technical consultants while continuing to conduct training programmes for various companies.
Job outlook
With the introduction of more and more applications, software trainers, especially those with experience and specialists in specific software training, are very much in demand for training new users.
Job opportunities are reportedly growing, and the growth rate is expected to continue at least until 2022.
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