Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vocational Training Developer

🎯 Role Definition

As a Vocational Training Developer, you will design, develop and deliver vocational education and training programs that bridge the gap between learner competencies and workforce demands. You will collaborate with industry partners, educational institutions and internal stakeholders to ensure training curricula are relevant, up‑to‑date and aligned with employment outcomes. You will also oversee assessment, evaluation and continuous improvement of learning solutions to ensure high quality and measurable impact.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Vocational Trainer or Instructor
Curriculum Developer / Instructional Designer
Workforce Development Specialist

Advancement To:

Senior Vocational Training Developer / Program Lead
Training Manager / Director of Vocational Education
Head of Workforce Development / Skills Strategy Director

Lateral Moves:

Instructional Design Specialist (eLearning)
Workforce Engagement Manager
Industry Partnership Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct comprehensive training‑needs analyses in partnership with industry stakeholders, employers and educational institutions to identify current and future vocational skill gaps.
Design and develop vocational training curricula, modules, workshops and job‑relevant learning materials that reflect industry requirements and adult‑learning best practices.
Create engaging, interactive, and competency‑based learning experiences including classroom workshops, online modules, blended learning and hands‑on labs targeted at adult learners and workforce entrants.
Collaborate with subject matter experts, employers and certifying bodies to ensure training content aligns with occupational standards, certification requirements and regulatory frameworks.
Develop assessment and evaluation tools—written exams, practical tasks, workplace simulations—to validate learner competency, measure program effectiveness and support continuous improvement.
Implement pilot programmes and prototype modules, gather learner feedback, track outcomes and refine training interventions accordingly to maximise learner engagement and success.
Manage the scheduling, logistics, resources, facilities and technology required to deliver vocational training programmes—including instructor allocation, equipment setup, learning management systems and classroom support.
Deliver training sessions and workshops as required—facilitating group discussions, practical work, demonstrations, peer mentoring, and coaching to support learner achievement and retention.
Monitor learner progress, attendance, competency completion and retention metrics; provide constructive feedback, mentor participants and intervene when progress is off‑track.
Build and maintain strong relationships with employers and industry partners to secure work‑placements, apprenticeships, job‑shadowing opportunities and to keep curricula responsive to employer needs.
Map learner pathways from training to employment, assist with career advice, job‑readiness coaching, employer engagement and support transitions into the workforce.
Ensure training programmes comply with health, safety, regulatory, diversity and inclusion requirements—integrating safety standards, equal‑opportunity practices and accessible learning approaches.
Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of emerging vocational trends, technologies, labour market shifts, industry practices and integrate these insights into programme design and delivery.
Develop and maintain learning‑management system (LMS) content, learner dashboards, training records, programme reports, certification tracking and data‑driven insights on programme performance.
Review and update existing training programmes, job aids, instructor guides, and learning materials to remove outdated content, incorporate feedback and ensure relevance to current industry standards.
Lead or contribute to quality‑assurance and accreditation processes for vocational programmes, prepare documentation, participate in audits and ensure continuous compliance with accrediting bodies.
Provide training for instructors, facilitators and mentors—including train‑the‑trainer sessions, coaching in adult learning techniques and ensuring consistent delivery quality across programmes.
Manage budget, procurement of training materials and equipment, negotiate with vendors, monitor costs and ensure training delivery stays within financial parameters while maximising impact.
Advocate for and promote vocational training programmes internally and externally—conduct outreach, present at stakeholder meetings, support employer recruitment of learners and represent the training organisation at industry events.
Build a culture of continuous improvement by collecting feedback from learners, instructors and employers; analyse outcome data, generate improvement recommendations and implement actions to enhance training effectiveness.

Secondary Functions

Assist with ad‑hoc projects such as instructor development workshops, new programme pilots or special initiatives aligned with organisational learning strategy.
Contribute to the organisation’s training and workforce development roadmap by researching innovative learning technologies, advising on training platforms, content reuse and scalability.
Collaborate with business units, HR, and external partners to translate workforce needs into training deliverables and actionable learning plans.
Participate in project planning, stakeholder meetings, sprint planning or agile learning development cycles to manage training releases and updates.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficiency in conducting training needs analyses and gap assessments within vocational or technical domains.
Strong instructional design expertise, including curriculum development, adult learning theory, competency‑based design and blended learning strategies.
Experience creating learning materials for multiple formats: instructor‑led training (ILT), e‑learning modules, webinars, job aids and hands‑on labs.
Familiarity with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and authoring tools (e.g., Articulate Storyline, Adobe Captivate) for content creation and deployment.
Competence in delivering training across in‑person, virtual and hybrid environments, including facilitation and workshop management.
Ability to build assessment tools, evaluation frameworks and learner‑tracking dashboards to measure effectiveness and outcomes.
Knowledge of vocational sector trends, industry standards, certification pathways, labour market data and employer skills requirements.
Experience managing logistics, scheduling, resource allocation and training delivery operations including budgeting and vendor coordination.
Strong data‑analysis skills to interpret learner outcome metrics, engagement data and training ROI and deliver actionable improvement plans.
Skilled in establishing partnerships with employers, industry bodies, apprenticeships and work‑placement coordination to ensure learner transition into employment.

Soft Skills

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to engage adult learners, instructors, employers and stakeholders with clarity and influence.
Strong project management and organisational ability to oversee multiple training programmes, deadlines and stakeholder deliverables.
Analytical mindset paired with creative problem‑solving to adapt training design and delivery to diverse learner needs and changing industry demands.
Leadership and mentoring capability to coach instructors, guide learners and foster collaborative learning environments.
Adaptability and resilience in a dynamic training environment, responsive to evolving technologies, pedagogies and learner expectations.
Customer‑ and outcome‑focused orientation: committed to learner success, job‑readiness and measurable employment outcomes.
Cultural sensitivity and inclusive approach to training delivery, recognising diverse learner backgrounds and ensuring equitable access and support.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Education, Vocational Training, Instructional Design, Workforce Development or a related field.
Preferred Education:
Master’s degree or certification in adult learning, instructional design, vocational education or workforce development.
Relevant Fields of Study:

Education & Training
Instructional Design & Curriculum Development
Workforce Development & Career Services
Human Resources / Adult Learning

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
3‑5 years of experience in vocational training development, instructional design or workforce development roles.
Preferred:
5+ years of experience in designing and delivering vocational training programmes, managing employer partnerships, coordinating placements and driving measurable employment outcomes.