Prediction: L&D Specialist Jobs to Increase

Put this in the optimism category and something to be hopeful for. In an article published earlier this week on the AOL jobs site, Debra Auerbach references a report put forth by Economic Modeling Specialists Intl., with the five industries that are expected to grow the fastest between 2013 and 2016, along with examples of the projected fastest-growing occupations within those industries. You can check out the full list here, but of particular note for Training Station readers is that in the education services industry, “Training and Development Specialists” are listed at #2, with an expected growth of 11 percent in the number of jobs available from 2013 to 2016. One obviously hopes this is true, as with the rapid pace of technological changes, and the evolution of how people work and learn at work, as well as the new skills needed to perform and compete in the 21st century – L&D is more important than ever before.  While adapting to perhaps a new role of facilitator to knowledge than the purely “instructor” role of the past, the L&D field remains and will continue to remain critical to business growth and performance.