Becoming a trainer

Question

I am a 41-year-old sales manager for a small equipment sales firm. I have been selling everything from a teaspoon to a fully-fitted kitchen for about eight years. I moved into sales after I was made redundant from my job as a catering manager.

This position saw me working for a large client in the city with 1,800 covers and managing a staff team of 64. I have also worked as a head chef, managing nine chefs. I love cooking and working with other people, which has led to my desire to train others in the catering industry. I would love to help others better themselves and help them with time management or something like this. How can I become a trainer? Could you let me know where to start?

What the expert says

Hannah Bailey, chief operating officer, Chess Partnership

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Training is an area that many people are interested in going into, but unfortunately it is not the easiest area to enter without having specific training qualifications and experience. First and foremost I would look into trying to gain a qualification such as the GTT (Group Training Techniques), the CTA (Craft Trainer Award) or a one-day Assessor Training Award - the D32 or the D33 award. Recruitment consultants are often asked to find candidates holding these qualifications. Afterwards, you might be able to get a job in the industry straight away, depending on how much experience is required, but you could also look into joining a training company such as VT Plus (formerly Hospitality Plus). Companies like this will enable you to gain experience that will stand you in good stead for a role in the industry.