Computer Trainers

The field of computer training encompasses several different areas. Software vendor trainers work for developer companies. Consultants work for themselves as independent contractors, often specializing in programming languages, or computer skills or platforms. Some trainers work in the corporate training departments of companies that develop products other than computers and software. Others are teachers and professors.

A software trainer employed by a software development firm, for example, teaches clients how to use a particular software product. They teach at the firm's training center or travel to the client and hold classes on site. The software trainer might teach from a training manual and demonstrate the procedures on his or her computer that displays the information on a large screen for the entire class, or use other training methods. The trainer gives assignments to test the classes' knowledge of the material, and answers their questions as the class progresses. They work with the class during the allotted training time until they became proficient with the software. Some trainers may be available after class to answer additional questions, or they may be asked to provide follow-up instruction at a later date.

Consultant trainers are certified to teach several different products, applications, environments, and databases, usually with companies such as Microsoft, IBM, or Apple. Most have been in the computer industry for many years, previously working as software programmers, architects, project managers, or developers.

Whatever their affiliation, most computer trainers use several ways to disseminate learning technologies, including electronic performance support systems, the Internet, intranets, multimedia presentations, social media, mobile technologies, and video conferencing.