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Adult education, sometimes referred to as��, is the act of teaching people basic skills and knowledge who are past the age of primary and secondary schooling. Adult learning can look like covering the basics of literacy and language, teaching non-native speakers how to speak English, or leading organizational training and development for employees.

Becoming an instructor who helps people earn a high school diploma or high school equivalent certificate, such as the General Education Development, or GED, diploma, is another option. Additionally, as mentioned above, there are also roles in the business side that help employees learn new skills or receive required corporate training.

Because adult education is different from primary and secondary education, this typically means there are alternative approaches to teaching and learning. Therefore, specific curricula and training are required to teach adult learners. This opens up new educational roles for those interested in both curriculum design, training management and adult education.

Businesses usually require employees to go through corporate training to learn new technology or stay up to date on trends in their industry. This is where adult education comes in. These professionals aid in employee development by creating curriculum based on their training needs. They are not only critical to providing lifelong learning opportunities to help employees stay relevant, but companies benefit as well by the cost savings associated with retaining and upskilling employees.

To succeed in developing adult learners, these employees must have an understanding of the knowledge and skills required to engage working adults. Possessing these skills can help motivate adults to reach their potential and help businesses thrive.

The��Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Training��(MAEd/AET) is a non-licensure, business-minded degree with a foundation of educational theory and practice. The MAEd/AET prepares individuals to train and educate adults and build educational programs that engage adult learners using a variety of delivery formats.

“The MAEd/AET program prepares candidates especially well for a career in a business setting by preparing candidates to understand the process of organizational change and how to communicate effectively to stakeholders, as well as evaluate the educational and training needs of an organization.” – Ashley Bartley, Associate dean, College of Education

Training managers typically����that specialists, like instructors and supervisors, can use when instructing an organization’s staff in��knowledge- and skills-enhancement programs.

Job duties can include overseeing training and development staff, aligning with an organization’s goals,��developing and implementing training programs,��and evaluating the effectiveness of programs.

These programs depend on the organization where you work, but they can involve topics such as office productivity, teamwork workshops or safety procedures. The idea is to train staff on how to better an organization’s workforce.

To become a training manager, individuals generally need to have a combination of education and work experience. Many roles require a��. However, some roles only require a bachelor’s degree.

Many employers expect work experience when looking for applicants to fill their management roles. The����(BLS) reports that some training managers begin as a��training and development specialist��to gain that necessary experience. Roles in teaching, human resources or management are all ideal first steps toward becoming a training manager.

The role doesn’t typically require industry certification, but some associations offer classes that can help improve knowledge in the training management arena. Examples of such associations are:

In terms of��soft skills��that are helpful for employability,��communication��and the ability to��collaborate,��think��critically,��make��decisions��and��lead��are all good to develop.

Are you an adult learner who is interested in going to school to help other adults achieve their educational goals? Does the sound of a flexible college schedule and a fixed tuition appeal to you? SM������ offers a non-licensure��Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Training��degree and other programs in general education, which can be completed in as little as 16 months. The UOPX Master of Arts in Education/Adult Education and Training covers topics such as:

• Evaluating effective professional practice
• Applying professional ethics to leadership practices
• Evaluating community factors to address the needs of diverse populations
• Evaluating research and synthesizing information from multiple sources
• Identifying types of lifelong learning programs
• Explaining the role of marketing within the field
• Describing the characteristics of formal and informal adult education and training settings
• Analyzing the purposes of adult education and training
• Developing the knowledge and skills required for effectively engaging adult learners in distance learning experiences��

This education program also teaches valuable skills like understanding culturally diverse populations,��incorporating technology��into adult education and training programs, helping adults learn in��self-directed and self-motivated��ways, and how to serve adult students, colleagues, industries and communities as an expert educator and trainer.

Learn more about all the ways��SM��������can help you pursue your academic goals. Here, you’ll learn from faculty who bring their average of 26 years of experience in the field they teach. You’ll have access to around-the-clock resources and support and access to our Career Services for Life®��after you graduate. And we can help you save both time and money on your degree through fixed tuition, scholarship opportunities and potential credit for work and life experience.��