Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Learning And Development Consultants
Chelsea, a Lead Learning & Development Consultant, emphasizes the value of internships for undergraduates exploring this field, stating that "doing as many internships as you can just to get exposure to the different industries" is key. To succeed in corporate training, a strong background in the target industry is crucial for building credibility, as "the more experience you have...the better."
Internships, Industry Experience, Corporate Training, Impact, Career Exploration
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Chelsea Tate
Lead Learning & Development Consultant
Roc Search
University of California, Santa Barbara
NA
International Relations & Affairs, Political Science, American Studies
Recruitment, HR & Related Professional Services, Technology
Education
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Complete internships to gain industry exposure and determine career fit.
2. Align training interests with your experience and desired industry.
3. Build credibility by having relevant experience in the field you want to train others in.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
I think while students are in college, they should do as many internships as they can to get exposure to different industries. That was really important for me.
I have a lot of implicit bias towards internships because that was the way I supported navigating if my chosen career path was right for me. When I was a political science major, I worked for a congressman to see if I liked the ins and outs of that industry and the people in it.
The good parts were that I found people similar to me, people I could really vibe with. I just didn't like the lawyer part. So, looking at potentially getting into a learning and development field, I would first take a look at what kind of impact you want to have. What kinds of things do you actually want to be training?
For me specifically, I train recruitment and sales because I have a really extensive sales background. If someone's looking to get specifically into a corporate training role, what kind of corporation do you want to work for? Then work backward from there.
What we found is that the more experience you have within whatever industry you're looking to get into for the training field, that's going to support your credibility. I would have had a lot harder time getting buy-in from recruiters with five plus years of experience if I didn't already come with the background of success that I had in the recruitment space.
So, just get into it, try different things, expose yourself to different internships, and focus on whether this is something you can see yourself in. That's really what I found helped navigate what career I wanted to go into.