Training & Facilitation Certificate

Training delivery and facilitation are means by which talent development professionals help individuals improve performance at work by learning new skills and knowledge. The practitioner serves as a catalyst for learning by understanding the learner’s needs, creating the right environment for learning, building rapport with participants, and using the appropriate delivery options and media to make learning engaging, effective, relevant, and applicable. —TDBoK Guide

Training and facilitation differ in their objectives, roles, and approaches within the learning and development field. Trainers deliver information, share knowledge, and focus on specific content and learning objectives. Facilitators facilitate discussion and call on participants to share knowledge. While trainers direct, tell, inform, and teach, facilitators often listen, question, and coach. So, how do successful L&D practitioners combine the two when delivering learning events?

According to ATD’s TDBoK Guide, “Facilitating usually refers to taking less of a delivery role, being learner-centered, and acting as a catalyst for learning. When a trainer uses facilitative methods, learners assume responsibility for their own learning.” The Training & Facilitation Certificate program is designed to help trainers of all levels hone their facilitation techniques and skillfully deliver learning that empowers participants and meets their needs and preferences.

Upon successful completion of this training and facilitation course, you will be able to:

• Select the appropriate mix of learning modalities to support specific contexts, learners, and learning objectives in both formal and informal learning settings.

• Identify the logistical tasks necessary to create a classroom environment that is conducive to effective in-person learning.

• Create facilitation plans that prepare you for a successful learner-centered event.

• Apply brain science to delivery strategies that address various learner preferences and cognitive needs in the learning environment.

• Select learning methods to support a variety of learning preferences to reach the desired learning outcomes.

• Demonstrate adult learning principles and effective facilitation techniques to assess and ensure a safe, comfortable, and supportive learning environment.

• Utilize a variety of facilitation techniques to create a professional and engaging learning experience.

• Use a variety of techniques to engage participants, communicate effectively, and manage group dynamics and behaviors during an event.

• Summarize techniques that can be used to develop and evaluate a variety of course materials designed with the learner and the learning objectives in mind.

• Apply best practices when selecting informal learning networks and tools to meet the needs of an organization.

• Get an overview of all phases of the training cycle from the planning phase through the evaluation phase.

• Leave with the knowledge and skills to become a participant-focused facilitator in any environment, from facilitating large-scale training sessions to leading productive meetings and presentations.

• Learn from experienced facilitators and trainers, who will demonstrate best practice and core training and facilitation techniques in the classroom.

• Demonstrate your new skills in a facilitation practice session and receive personalized, actionable feedback from your ATD expert facilitator.

• Gain access to ATD-exclusive templates and tools to use in your own practice.

• Earn an industry-recognized facilitation training certificate, continuing education credits, and an ATD digital badge to share with your networks.

New and experienced trainers and facilitators from any industry and those who want to gain a comprehensive skill set for facilitating and delivering instructor-led learning events and group sessions will benefit from this facilitation training program.

In addition to professional trainers and facilitators, training coordinators, training managers, learning consultants, instructional designers, independent consultants, and those who educate and lead others may benefit if facilitation is part of their job. Professionals with subject matter expertise (SMEs) who have been asked to teach others, those who facilitate frontline worker training sessions, customer/technical/software educators, or those in other similar roles will gain valuable grounding in core training and facilitation concepts.

Additional courses to help you build effective facilitation skills

• If you are training and facilitating in a virtual platform, such as WebEx, Zoom, Adobe Connect, or Microsoft Teams, consider one of our other facilitation courses, Virtual Training & Facilitation Certificate.

• ATD also offers Training & Facilitation for Government Professionals Certificate, designed specifically for public sector professionals.

• Interested in using advanced techniques to lead productive meetings, strategy discussions, or other group sessions? Try our Advanced Facilitation Skills Certificate.

The Training & Facilitation Certificate program is structured to support trainers and facilitators at all levels of experience who want to hone their facilitation skills with hands-on practice sessions and constructive feedback.

Earning this certificate will not only increase your credibility in your organization and within the field but give you the confidence to facilitate in-person learning in any setting.

The facilitation skills, strategies, and techniques you learn in the program, along with the real-time feedback from your expert facilitator and peers, will help you to elevate your training delivery and create a meaningful impact in your training sessions.

Yes, organizations can schedule a private facilitation training course delivery, either online or in person. Our team can work with you to pick a date, time, and facilitator of your choosing. We can also customize the training course to help your organization build effective facilitation skills that match your exact needs. Contact us to schedule a time to talk to a member of our team!

Additional information to help you prepare for your facilitation training program:

• Completion requirements: Review the attendance policy before your facilitation course begins to ensure your successful completion.

• Technical requirements: Ensure your tech is ready for the first day of your facilitation training program.

• Enrolled in a program? To check your course status and enrollment details, launch your course, or download your certificate, go to MyATD.

• Terms and privacy: Review our cancellation policy, health protocols for in-person courses, and more.

• Have additional questions about ATD courses? Visit our ATD Education FAQ for answers.

• Types of Learning—Learning Frameworks

• Types of Formal Learning

• Helping Learners Make the Most of the Experience

• Managing Logistics for a Smooth Event

• Creating the Ideal Learning Environment

• Understanding the Audience and Their Needs

• Creating a Facilitation Plan

• Prepare to Deliver Your Training

• Basics of Cognitive Science

• Addressing Variations in Learner Preferences and Cognition

• Understanding How Adults Learn

• Selecting Effective Delivery Options

• Delivering to Meet Learner’s Preferences

• Matching Learning Methods to Desired Outcomes

• Selecting Engaging Delivery Methods

• Presenting as a Professional

• Facilitation Roles and Styles

• Facilitation Techniques

• Creating a Positive Learning Environment Through Effective Facilitation

• Engaging Participants

• Engaging Facilitator Communications

• Creating a Safe and Comfortable Learning Environment

• Managing Conflict and Group Dynamics

• Designing Learner Materials With the Learner in Mind

• A Closer Look at Design

• Designing Course Materials to Assess Learning

• Evaluations: Kirkpatrick’s 4 levels

• Formative vs. Summative Evaluation

• What Is Informal Learning?

• Ways to Curate Informal Learning Content

• Facilitating Learning on the Job Opportunities

• Staying Up-to-Date With Technology and Industry Trends

One of the required course components is an opportunity to conduct a 10-minute facilitation practice in small group sessions during the final day/session of the course and receive feedback from your facilitator and peers.

• You will receive ATD’s Facilitation Plan template and Training Delivery & Facilitation Skills Checklist which will serve as a rubric to guide your planning and enable others to give feedback on your facilitation.

• All training content is provided so you can focus entirely on demonstrating your facilitation skills.

• Structured preparation time is allotted throughout the course—both individually and in the same small groups that will be used during the actual skills practice facilitation.

• During the final day or session of the course, you will be given 20 minutes for your demonstration—5 minutes to prepare, 10 minutes to facilitate, and 5 minutes to receive feedback.