3-Day Train-the-Trainer Course In San Diego, CA

Public Train-the-Trainer Dates

Private Train-the-Trainer

Online Train-the-Trainer Dates

Frequently Asked Questions

Michelle has 20 years of experience in exploring and researching innovative ways to make learning sticky. She works with Train the Trainer participants to foster their creativity in applying these techniques to their training topics to make those topics engaging and sticky. The techniques employ the latest research in learning, training, and education.

Michelle Allegretti
Master Trainer
Senior Instructional Designer

Donna Steffey, MBA, CPLP, is passionate about helping people discover their brilliance. As an international trainer, coach, and author Donna uses humbleness and humor to create a positive learning environment.

Donna Steffey
Master Trainer

Since 2013, Elana Centor has partnered with TrainSmart in three key areas: training, business development, and writing. As a trainer, Elana often teaches TrainSmart’s flagship workshop: Train-the-Trainer. She also heads our Minneapolis office and as a writer provides support on everything from marketing and website content.

Elana Centor
Master Trainer

 Day 1: Fundamentals of Training

• Introduction to train-the-trainer
  • Overview of training skills and topics covered
• Effective communication for trainers
  • Verbal skills, body language, listening skills
  • Communication styles and personality types
• Understanding adult learning principles
  • Andragogy vs. pedagogy
  • Motivation factors, generational differences
  • Accommodating various learning preferences
• Training evaluation basics
  • Kirkpatrick model, the importance of measurement
  • Selecting appropriate training methods

Day 2: Designing Training Programs

• Conducting training needs assessments
  • Identifying performance gaps, training needs
  • Task analysis techniques
• Developing goals and learning objectives
  • Aligning objectives, assessments, activities
• Creating active learning experiences
  • Benefits of active vs. passive learning
  • Facilitation methods, activity ideas
• Incorporating visual aids and multimedia
  • Effective use of presentation slides, videos
  • Tools for engagement and recall
• Structuring effective training schedules
  • Session flow, timing, transitions
  • Maintaining energy and focus

Day 3: Delivering Exceptional Training

• Presentation and facilitation skills
  • Voice projection, body language
  • Questioning techniques, listener engagement
• Virtual training techniques
  • Platform options, simulating virtual delivery
  • Engaging learners remotely
• Managing challenging training situations
  • Dealing with disruptions, difficult learners
  • Getting participation and interaction
• Techniques for starting and ending strong
  • Grabbing attention, setting expectations
  • Reviewing key points, call to action
• Participants deliver 5-minute micro-teach sessions
  • Apply skills covered throughout the course
  • Receive peer and trainer feedback

Who should attend this Train-the-Trainer Instructor Course?

This train-the-trainer course is suitable for various individuals, including seasoned trainers seeking to enhance their skills, subject matter experts who have taken on training responsibilities, and novice trainers who require a comprehensive understanding of adult learning styles and fundamental practices.

Audience

Past participants include Sales Staff, Trainers, Technical Trainers, Training Managers, Instructional Designers, Human Resource Managers, Supervisors, Team Leaders, Executives, Subject Matter Experts, Project Managers, & Facilitators

Train-the-Trainer Course Fees

$2200 Per Person
$2600 With
IBCT Certification

2025
San Diego, CA Course Dates

Feb – 19 – 21, 2025
April 8 – 10, 2025
June 3 – 5, 2025
July 8 – 10, 2025
September 29 – October 1, 2025
November 12 – 14, 2025

Use the form below to register or to request more information.

What Is Included?

The fee for the public workshop is $2,200.00 when paid by ACH or check.  There is a credit card transaction fee when paying with a major credit card. The registration fees include the following: workshop fees, participant materials, one–to 20-minute virtual feedback, or design sessions for up to six months following the workshop. 

For Train-the-Trainer Certification, IBCT application certification fees are an additional $400.00, which TrainSmart collects along with the international certification required documents and then submits to the IBCT for their review. 

Fees are due 21 days before the workshop. There are no refunds. If a participant is unable to attend their scheduled workshop, they have up to one year to reschedule. They may transfer their credit to another person with written permission.

• How To Assess Your Training Delivery Skills
• How To Prepare For Training Delivery
• How Communication Styles Affect Your Training Delivery
• Questioning Skills For Training Professionals
• How To Engage Participants In A Training Session

• How To Become A Corporate Trainer
• How To Handle Difficult & Disruptive Participants
• How To Design Training That Sticks
• Ice Breakers For Training Delivery
• How To Start A Training Session With A Bang

Training Location:

Regus Liberty Station

2305 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 100
San Diego, 92106
P: (858) 240-2559
Email: inquiries@trainsmartinc.com

“The Train-the-Trainer course was fantastic! Some of the most valuable things that I gained are confidence; techniques to facilitate dry, technical data; and PowerPoint tricks.”

V.P. Learning and Development
Global Pharmaceutical Company
Greater Chicago Area

“The instructor was excellent, in fact, one of the best that I had experienced. The course is well-structured, presented in an excellent fashion for both the written and facilitation.”

Sr. Marketing Specialist
Underwriters Laboratories
Greater Chicago Area

“This is the best Train-the-Trainer course that I ever attended! I did not expect that I was going to learn new innovative approaches to training development, delivery, and assessment.”

North America Sales Manager
Underwriters Laboratories
Greater St. Louis Area

What sets your TTT above others? Is it the facilitators? The certification? Your content?

It is all of the above.  We have awesome, engaged, informed, well-educated, and fun master facilitators who continue to grow in the L & D space because they choose to be the best to assist others to grow in their training function.  The small class size.  The agility and flexibility that we give the facilitators to run the workshop include details required while optimizing the requests and needs of the participants. With the number of practices and interactions, there is very little lecture occurring during the three days.  The content is updated and reviewed, regularly and the IBCT requires a re-certification every three years to ensure that the program is keeping pace with the Learning and Development trends and practices.

What is the difference between Virtual Instructor-Led Training and the Face-the-Face Train-the-Trainer?

Same learning objectives and takeaways for the VILT and the Face-to-Face Train-the-Trainer; however, many attending the Virtual Instructor-led Training have stated that they learned so much about how to design, deliver virtual training, and how to use the various tools such as breakout rooms, polling, chatting, and the use of jam boards.

Is your Train-the-Trainer content standard or do you customize it per trainers’ needs? If you customize it, what is your assessment methodology? If you don’t customize it, what is your rationale?

There are core topics that are standard and required for the certification; however, we do tailor/customize each Train the Trainer workshop to enhance the competencies that are most relevant to the participants. For example, if the participants primarily design and facilitate one-on-one and via certain media such as WebEx, more emphasis is placed on the best way to design, deliver, and assess for that style of training delivery. The final assessment is the results of the required activities and the final training project.

We want to keep a global consistency in the delivery of our content by the trainers. How will TrainSMART do this?

TrainSmart can leverage a variety of delivery mediums including pre-work, webinars, projects, feedback, and self-assessment. And, while we have facilitators located all over the world, many do not deliver our TTT, so we would limit delivery to those who are qualified to handle facilitation. Although the participant materials are all in English, we have facilitators who speak multiple languages that facilitate TrainSmart’s Train the Trainer.

Since 2020, TrainSmart virtually facilitated the Train the Trainer workshop that has been attended by several working outside of the United States. Reviews state that the experience has been great to receive a perspective of others outside their own country. The virtual Train the Trainer provides much more flexibility for companies that have a geographically dispersed workforce.

What is the main focus of the content of your Train-the-Trainer program?

The focus of the Train-the-Trainer program is to prepare the participant to understand how adults learn best, understand how to assess the learning needs and write solid objectives that tie to the program design and development. There is a large part of the workshop that focuses on delivering and evaluating the training. Topics include communication skills, presentation skills, various best practices training techniques, preparing for the delivery of training, listening, questioning, handling difficult situations, virtual training, one-on-one, classroom management, and finally evaluation. For private workshops, we will use your content for the various practices throughout the three-day workshop. The amount of emphasis on a given topic and if there is a particular policy and practice at your organization, we will infuse it into our training.

How do you assess the group training needs? Do you customize your course content and delivery based on that? If so, why? And if not, why not?

We initially had a conversation with the person responsible for the sourcing of the TTT. We have a series of questions that we ask, and we do a review of the course content and align this with the objectives that the client is seeking. We create a modified detailed outline and agenda and review it with the person responsible. Quite often the person responsible will introduce us to the participants via email and we will reach out to have a discussion regarding their experience, concerns, and needs. After the discussions, we do customize the course content and delivery.

Is your program content fit into a global setting? How do you make sure it takes into account cultural differences? Do you recommend addressing the entire global group in a single class? 

Yes, the TrainSmart Train the Trainer workshop is fit for a global setting. In all cases, we do an intake of each participant to make sure we understand their goals/objectives/takeaways for their training participation. We confirm this with our primary content for that region to ensure that we tailor the content appropriately for the localized audience. Quite often, we will utilize a facilitator who is from that culture, and we will also adjust the activities to ensure that they are appropriate for the culture, audience, and learning objectives. We run TTT with a diverse cultural group and we have been successful; however, when the like groups can be trained together, there is often a greater and deeper value for each of the participants.

Do you have a global reach? How would you reach people in Europe, Asia, Latin America, North America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa?

Yes, we have global reach and resources that we can utilize that are in these regions if time zone and language are key factors. The facilitators are fully vetted and have been facilitating training for more than ten years – often twenty or more.

Do you have any tools to assess people’s readiness to be a trainer before and after your class?

Yes, we have attendees do a self-assessment on day one. Then we revisit their answers on day three and acknowledge where they feel more confident and where they need to continue development.

How do you make sure people from different backgrounds will come out of the training with a standard of teaching quality?

During the final exercise, attendees must demonstrate a basic level of mastery of the topics presented.

What is the ideal duration of your Train the Trainer program? What is your recommended duration for our specific circumstances?

The ideal is a total of five days when there is more emphasis and inclusion of instructional design methods and best practices. When possible, we will provide a break in between, so that the participants go back to their offices to produce their training development and return for days four and five to present their design plan and to deliver a segment of that training as their final training project. Most of our clients opt for three or four consecutive days.

Do you offer one and two-day Train the Trainer sessions?

Yes. We customize the training and focus on the key skills necessary. More often the one- or two-day programs focus on virtually facilitated tips and techniques; structured on-the-job training techniques; creating engaging activities and crafting evaluation questions.

Do you certify Trainers? How recognized is your certification globally?

Yes, we do certify trainers. Successfully completing the TrainSmart Internationally Certified Train-the-Trainer workshop which was certified by the International Board of Certified Trainers, completes the first step. Following the successful completion of this workshop, the participant applies for Trainer Certification to the International Board of Certified Trainers. TrainSmart assists the participants with the application process, as well as submits the application and associated certification application fee. The approval process generally takes 4-6 weeks to receive the acknowledgment of the certification which comes directly from the International Board of Certified Trainers.

What differentiates your Train-the-Trainer program from other Train-the-Trainer companies and programs?

TrainSmart’s Internationally Certified Train the Trainer workshop is certified by The International Board of Certified Trainers and is not Self-Certified. You will find that most of the TTT programs are certified by the company that designed and developed the workshops which do not give it credibility or hold it to a particular standard, like TrainSmart’s TTT. Further, TrainSmart tailors/customizes all of its programs to meet the needs/goals/objectives of the audience, as we know that this will provide the greatest value and knowledge transfer for the participants.

In your company’s view, what makes a person a great trainer? 

A great trainer is one who listens to the need, provides feedback for the expected outcomes, along with activities that align with the client, engages the audience, while attending to each participant’s concerns, goals, and experience, and all the while makes the learning fun by the design of several interactions and check-ins with the participant. The trainer uses the Tell3 method: Tell them what you are going to (teach) tell them, Tell/teach them, tell them what you told. Taught them. Review. The trainer is nurturing and provides the tools, best practices, and recommendations for being a successful trainer.

We want to guarantee each trainer coming out of your TTT workshop will be able to deliver the training that meets the requirement of one-right (continuity, consistency, longevity) globally with good quality, as compared to the current professional trainers

TrainSmart cannot guarantee the level of instructor performance post-training. We can guarantee that each instructor is provided the same instruction and completes all of the assignments, but too many factors impact what happens on the job – the quality of course materials, subject matter, local leadership, and even the attitude of the students in a class. Our design makes it easy to be flexible for those attending to achieve positive results. One thing we do know is that better results come through preparation and practice, neither of which TrainSmart can control post-training. We offer one-on-one virtual coaching to assist in closing the gap to ensure a quality trainer.

How do you measure your course’s effectiveness in preparing people to be trainers?

The attendee successfully completes their final training project which is based on key skills demonstrated during this process. There are several individual practice activities that strengthen their skills; and confidence and are reviewed by the TrainSmart facilitator and their peers. TrainSmart believes he or she is positioned to be a successful trainer. The TTT is but a first step in this process. Attendees must practice, develop materials, accept criticism, and change behaviors many times in order to be successful trainers. And, they must have the support and encouragement of their leadership.

What languages are you able to cover? Can you deliver in English as the standard? Would you recommend regional classes in local languages even with English-speaking trainers?

TrainSmart has facilitators who speak multiple languages and are located all over the world. Yes, we use English as a standard and this is what we find our global customers require of their employees; however, when the participants are organizationally lower, we find having a facilitator that can digress to the native language makes a significant difference. For example, lab techs versus engineers, and this is primarily in parts of Asia and Japan.

Do you have specific criteria to select people to guarantee the right people are in the class? Or is it the customer’s responsibility to provide the criteria and guarantee the right people in the class?

Most often the client selects the people; however, in many cases, we produce a report to our client with observations and recommendations based on the Train the Trainer experience. We have found that successful trainers understand behaviors and can easily adapt to meet student expectations. From a behavioral perspective, most successful trainers relate well with people and remain patient under pressure. From a DiSC® perspective, i and S behaviors typically make better facilitators.

What is your ideal group size for a TTT class? What would be ideal in our specific circumstances and why?

The ideal group size for instructor-led is 10 participants per facilitator. The rationale is the amount of practice time that we want to provide each participant. They deliver a one-minute, three-minute, five-minute, and 10-15 minutes for their final training project. More than 10 participants in a workshop lessens the amount of time that each participant has for practice and facilitated feedback.

Do you offer government discounts?

Yes, we offer a 10% discount for government agencies.  We offer a larger discount for onsite private workshops.

What is your ideal training setting (classroom, webinar, etc…), and why? What would be ideal in our specific circumstances and why?

The idea is still the classroom, as we are to easily observe the modeling done by the facilitator as well as each participant learns from the other participant’s practice sessions.  This is more difficult in a webinar setup; however, there are ways to accomplish the content and review such as utilizing virtual instructor-led and in-between webinars, the participants are required to complete project work and post recorded video for facilitated feedback.  In the case of the virtual training module, this can be delivered and practiced virtually.

What are the benefits of IBCT Certification?

As part of earning the certification, you are entitled to use a “three-letter” designation as part of your signature line. Having a post-nominal is one of the best ways to share with colleagues and potential clients that you have completed the most stringent requirements in professional training.

San Diego, CA
Feb 19 – 21, 2025
April 8 – 10, 2025
June 3 – 5, 2025
July 8 – 10, 2025
September 29 – October 1, 2025
November 12 – 14, 2025

San Diego Train-the-Trainer

Orlando, FL
January 28 – 30 2025
April 8 – 10 2025
July 15 – 17, 2025
October 21 – 23 2025

Orlando Train-the-Trainer

Minneapolis, MN
May 13 – 15, 2025
August 19 – 21, 2025
October 14 – 16, 2025

Minneapolis Train-the-Trainer

Austin, TX
February 25 – 27, 2025
April 29 – May 1, 2025
October 27 – 29, 2025

Austin Train-the-Trainer

Atlanta, GA
February 25 – 27, 2025
May 6 – 8, 2025
August 5 – 7, 2025
October 14 – 16, 2025

Atlanta Train-the-Trainer

Nashville, TN
March 18 – 20, 2025
June 3 – 5, 2025
October 7 – 9, 2025
December 2 – 4, 2025

Nashville Train-the-Trainer

Richmond, VA
February 18 – 20 2025
July 21 – 23, 2025
September 16 – 18, 2025

Richmond Train-the-Trainer

Chicago, IL
March 25 – 27, 2025
June 16 – 18, 2025
September 23 – 25, 2025
November 18 – 20, 2025

Chicago Train-the-Trainer

Los Angeles, CA
February 3 – 5, 2025
May 20 – 22, 2025
September 10 – 12, 2025
November 5 – 7, 2025

Los Angeles Train-the-Trainer