Corporate Roles for Former Educators
Within the world of Learning & Development, there are MANY positions that make for a natural progression from classroom teaching.
Before you start writing a resume or applying for jobs, you should look into these different roles. Think about what work you would enjoy the most, and cater your job transition towards that specific position.
Consider whether you love working one on one with learners, running classes and workshops, developing eye-catching slide decks, writing detailed unit plans, managing large education initiatives, etc.
Here is a list of potential roles for former educators:
Curriculum Developer/Manager- Maintains training offerings and manages learning content for an organization. Documents course materials on an online platform.
Customer Success Specialist- Works with customers to teach them how to use a product. Builds relationships with clients to support and resolve their inquiries.
eLearning Developer- Develops digital learning experiences by using eLearning tools. Builds online courses from a storyboard.
Instructional Designer/Learning Experience Designer- Designs and develops learning experiences for the corporate world. Analyzes business needs and crafts appropriate learning solutions.
L&D Manager- Leads a team of corporate learning professionals. Oversees the training strategy and vision for the organization at a higher level. Manages people ‘in the trenches’, so to speak.
LMS Administrator- Maintains digital learning environments like learning management systems or online classrooms (like Canvas, Moodle, or Blackbaud). Provides support for LMS maintenance. Manages accounts and content on a digital learning platform.
Product Manager- Owns the life-cycle of a learning product from mock-ups to prototypes to final products. Partners with designers and customers to refine solutions.
Project Manager- Leads teams on learning initiatives to ensure successful completion. Coordinates all aspects of training projects such as team members, budgets, deadlines, deliverables, etc.
Trainer/Facilitator- Delivers training live, virtually, or manages asynchronous learning in a digital classroom. Moves an audience through a learning experience.
Technical Writer- Researches and writes training content. Documents corporate knowledge by partnering with experts in the field. Transforms complex material into clear and concise manuals or guides.
Am I missing any? Of course, this list is constantly evolving. Tomorrow’s L&D jobs might not exist yet; maybe in a couple of years there will be Virtual Reality Training Developers! But this list is a comprehensive starting point.
