How does accreditation affect your credibility as a trainer?

Unfortunately, accreditation from a low quality training program does nothing more than create a false image of “expertise.” Individuals seeking to charge high $$ based on accreditation rather than their ability to deliver quality training know this.

Yes accreditation is useful and validates the trainer and the program. However accreditation is just one factor to consider when evaluating a training program; factors like content quality, instructor expertise, format, and relevance to your goals are also important considerations. In addition the context differs between one organisation to another, hence what worked well in one organisation may not work well in another. Hence a one size fits all approach will not work.

While accreditation does add value and gives a trainer a new perspective I do not feel it is required for conducting training's unless you are doing a specific training program. I am a certified / accredited Seven Habits of Highly Effective trainer and it is required if you want to conduct a program on Seven Habits however for conducting a program on Time Management I do and would not want to be accredited. I can read books and deliver the session on the basis of my experience. So to be a soft skills trainer you do not need accreditation however to be a specialized trainer on a particular topic accreditation helps and sometimes may be required as well.

Accreditation is the ultimate symbol of excellence for trainers, akin to the revered Michelin star bestowed upon exceptional restaurants around the world. Just as the Michelin guide meticulously evaluates culinary establishments for factors like food superiority, service excellence, and captivating ambiance, accrediting bodies rigorously assess trainers based on their qualifications, teaching methodologies, and the overall caliber of their programs. And like a Michelin-starred restaurant, an accreditation garners trust instilling unwavering confidence in a trainer's expertise and assuring prospective clients or employers of their ability to deliver impactful training sessions. #leadership #hr #workplace #humanresources

In my industry, Metallurgy/Refractories, accreditation is complex, but generally secondary to the trainer's experience and the individual's standing wrt his/her peers. Some form of affiliation to a Metallurgical or Refractories/Ceramics organisation is advisable, in terms of credibitlity. If the training program is to be Nationally recognised, perhaps counting towards a Certificate/Diploma, then a relationship with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), or even acquiring such registration as an individual, is required.

Quite often large corporations use criteria to filter facilitators and coaches basis global accreditations. This is important as most of these accreditations have a rigor attached to it. Your accreditation helps signify knowledge, and in some cases application of the knowledge. This helps create credibility right off the bat. This however needs to be supplemented by a wonderful experience that your participants/coachees need to feel.

This is give some level of accomplishment and validation from certified to accredited Encouraging the trainer to bring up their game and provide more interactive , impactful, practical training techniques

I completely agree with the fact that for a training and for anyone in the learning and development sector , accreditation is super critical as it adds value and credibility as a trainer. As trainers we have to ensure that all trainings that we impart and deliver are up to date and relevant and backed with all the recent features and improvements in that particular topic and thus we have to ensure we are continuously getting ourselves certified and there by provide the most accurate and relevant training to learners. Learners come to trainers placing all thier trust and we cannot afford to impart inaccurate or outdated information. The accreditation process also enables trainers to build learning communities for themselves and network well

They are your direct silent and strong spokesperson. The extant of reputation such accrediting organisation or bodies happen to be, that much higher would your value and reputation become.

It’s as simple as two teams are ready to play a game, just that one thought it is football & the other, basketball. So apart from bringing in credibility, standards & clarity on deliverables, accreditation helps in continuous learning for the trainer.

To overcome these challenges i generally seek recommendation on my LinkedIn profile. This helps a lot specially if renowned trainers or participants give a public opinion about your training skills

I find another challenge that accreditations pose is that they tend to create biases, such as conformity bias whereby an accredited trainer feels obligated to always follow the set standards, models,frameworks, norms, or expectations set by the accrediting body or industry rather than exploring fresh and innovative ways of doing things. This can be quite the drawback, especially in today's fast-paced ever-changing world where agility is a key ingredient needed to adapt to the changing situations and needs. The pressure to adhere to the accrediting body's methods and models may compromise or stifle the process of adapting fast enough to new and better ways of doing things.

In my view, one of the biggest challenges while taking up accreditation is to be able to chose what are the best and right kind of accreditations that are available. In the sense of a lack of a governance body or a guidance organization which can assess trainers , and advise and suggest what certification would need to be taken up in the particular context or audience . This will create a risk for trainers to make incorrect or non relevant choice for certifications which may be globally or internationally recognised. Another challenge I see is that these accreditations are time consuming and expensive for solo trainers to keep investing upon. Also at times this may set up a sense of limiting the continuous learning mindset for trainers.

Spending time to earn it is seen to be a major challenge apart from the deep costs attached to it. But, such challenges are to be more considered as your investment for the desired contribution you expect from the profession.

Choosing the right accreditation will need to done after investing significant amounts of time and research in ensuring a needs analysis of what we are looking to gain by way of this certification, how it can add to the current skills , what's the purpose for choosing it and what outcomes this certification is required to address . Also to consider what are our expectations as a trainer we hope to achieve from this certifying body or accreditation body.

I think instructors need accreditation more than the trainers the instructors deal with training teaching developing same time where as trainers deal with specific routine training activities.

Though difficult and sensitive, impulsive and even more, choosing the right one is perfectly your analysis of its fitment, need, value proposition, reputation levels, costs, and time that you want to take it for the time you would put them to use.

I completely agree with the points shared in this insight on leveraging on accreditation. As trainers it's important that we are leveraging on accreditation in an effective manner in the sense that it compliments and adds value to our credibility . Also make sure we are communicating in all relevant platforms that you have gained a particular certification. Further to getting this, its important to ensure that as trainers we are taking testimonials from clients and learners which will compliment our accreditation. And finally ensure that we are learning from experiences of others in our training community

The Accreditation process also involves a certain amount of learning, and hence cannot be an end, but a means. In the process you also work with groups and have an opportunity to network with and meet new people. Of course, 1 accreditation may be a start, but a few of them in a particular areas e.g training/coaching can build credibility!

While accreditation can provide external validation, it's not the sole determinant of a trainer's credibility or ability. Many effective trainers rely on years of hands-on experience, deep subject matter expertise, and positive word-of-mouth endorsements. Many professionals have achieved exemplary results and built a solid reputation without formal accreditations. While tools and techniques can be learned, real-world success stories, demonstrable skills, and genuine impact on participants can hold equal, if not more, weight than official certifications. I've coached and trained audiences worldwide, and I've become an effective and successful trainer through my experiences as an attorney, professor, and facilitator.

I agree whole-heartedly with Dr. Walsh's comments here. One thing to point out is that although a formal accreditation may not be obtained, industry licenses and certifications can act in a similar manner. If I am licensed in a certain trade, I can leverage this with my experience to show my commitment and credibility. I used this recently with a new group I was providing a short training for. I needed to earn their trust and attention, showing I was licensed and trained in certain skills was the foothold I needed to grab their attention and open their ears and mind enough to hear my words and start to engage with me as an expert who was there to help them.