The need for training and educational services at the business level is driven by advancements in technology that allow for more complex business processes. Furthermore, a changing and diverse workforce comprised of many different generations, cultural backgrounds and skill levels adds complexity to the task of delivering needed educational solutions.

A growing trend among medium- to large-sized companies is the development of in-house departments specifically designed to handle the needs of human resources development (HRD). Depending on the size and needs of the company, HRD departments can take many different forms. This article explains the areas associated with human resources development, sample job descriptions and academic programs related to the field of Workplace Learning.

What is Human Resources Development?

Human Resources Development or Workplace Learning is a branch of the Human Resources department that deals with developing and managing the talent of an organizations’ human capital. In the technology era, the need for training and education has become so expansive that this sector has, in many cases, evolved into its own department.

Training Needs Assessments: In collaboration with departmental managers, the HRD department evaluates employee performance to identify deficiencies and develops proposals to address key issues.

Instructional Design: Once a need for training has been identified through a needs assessment, the HRD department will put together curriculum and materials for the proposed training solution. Instructional design responsibilities often include curriculum development, technical writing, graphic design and collaborative work with subject matter experts, and content development.

Facilitating Learning: Training solutions are implemented through the use of instructors. Business training utilizes a variety of platforms. Some of the most common include traditional classroom-based courses, webinars, conference calls, skill labs and self study modules.

Measuring and Evaluating: The HRD department is also responsible for evaluating performance post-training in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the training solution. One of the primary concerns related to corporate training is the return-on-investment.

Coaching: The leading tool for human performance improvement is regular communication through coaching. At one time or another, all learning professionals will wear that hat of a coach.

Career Planning and Talent Management: Another key role of the HRD department is to identify talent within the company and develop a plan for retaining and developing that talent. Most companies rely heavily on internal promotions to fill positions, finding the right fit for each position is a responsibility of the talent manager.

Managing Organizational Knowledge: When employees look for answers, they most often turn to the training department. By nature, the training department has the most credibility when it comes to answering procedural and technical questions. It is because of this that knowledge-management has become a key role of HRD departments. A popular trend in information management is an organizational wiki that is hosted on an intranet. The wiki allows users to access information in quick and efficient manner while keeping content organized.

What Careers are Available in Human Resources Development?

Most medium- to large-sized companies operate using a generalized department. This means that each position within the department is responsible for a broad category of job duties. At different times, the same individual may be responsible for instructional design, facilitation of training and measuring and evaluating. The generalized department is one of the most cost effective methods for handling a training department. These departments will have titles like Training Specialist or sometimes just Trainer. Larger companies who experience enough need for each task will opt for the specialized department where individuals are identified to carry out each task. These departments will have titles like Instructional Designer, Facilitator, or Coach.

Professional Development

Individuals interested in pursuing a career in Workplace Learning have a variety of options. The industry, professional experience and desired level of employment greatly impact employment prerequisites. Below is a sampling of opportunities to get your research started.

Professional Organizations:

1. American Society for Training and Development (ASTD): Offers various membership options; social networking; informational publications on training and development and the field of workplace learning; certificate programs; conferences and workshops; and the only certification program in the field of Workplace Learning.

2. Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM): Another professional organization that is more generalized to Human Resources; offers educational programs; various HR certification programs; regular informational publications; social networking and volunteer opportunities.

3. Academy of Human Resources Development: Offers membership; professional development opportunities; journals, magazines and other informational publications. Dedicated to the field of Human Resources Development.

Academic Programs:

1. Bachelor Degree Programs: Various universities across the United States offer baccalaureate programs both on campus and online. Suggested majors for Human Resources Development include: Human Resource Development; Adult Education; Workforce Education and Development; Communications; Instructional Design and Career and Technical Education.

2. Masters Degree Programs: Again, there is an enormous variety of options for graduate studies, including both Masters Degrees and Graduate Certificates. Suggested majors include: Project Management, Technology, Graphic Design, Instructional Design, Education, Cognitive Psychology, Organizational Communication, E-learning; Human Resources; Professional and Technical Writing and Training and Development.