A good diversity trainer will focus on the areas where the individual company may need the most help. For instance, if a company has only recently begun hiring certain minorities, or has recently engaged an increased number of women, then these are the areas that probably need to be addressed the most urgently. However, the trainer usually provides the employees with a basic overview of all the issues that may arise and cause conflict in relation to workforce diversity.
Oftentimes, a company will engage the services of a diversity trainer to help manage a crisis. For example, an employee may have filed a harassment complaint of some kind against a co-worker, or a worker may be pursuing an affirmative action lawsuit against the company. Occasionally, diversity training is a requirement to meet the settlement terms of a lawsuit that has already been ruled upon. These situations present the diversity trainer with the most difficult and challenging situations they are likely to encounter.
There are many different theories about what the right or what the wrong way is to educate the modern employee on these kinds of sensitive issues. It is a constant requirement, however, that a good diversity trainer is an engaging and entertaining speaker. He or she has to have the ability to bring understanding and compassion to issues that can be extremely volatile, such as gay partnership rights, racial discrimination, and religious discrimination. There are a large number of firms that retain the services of a number of diversity trainers. Most people who choose this profession do this on a freelance basis in the beginning, and they rely on positive feedback from clients to help build a good reputation.
There are a number of colleges that offer degrees in various branches of study that are related to the diversity in the world in general. Pursuing this type of education will provide the aspiring trainer with a solid foundation of knowledge to call upon. In addition, a number of institutions have arisen over the last few years which offer a specific certification in diversity training. This may be of some advantage in the eyes of many potential clients, since people in general do prefer to see certifications and proof of solid training. This is especially the case in a fairly new industry like that of diversity training.
Since most trainers work on a freelance basis, the monetary compensation may be very little to begin with. There really is no average-earnings figure for professionals in this field. The amount of money an individual can earn will depend on the perceived quality of the training methods and the produced positive results of the education that was provided.
Although some people, and especially also certain sections of the media, have criticized the concept of diversity training and have questioned its effectiveness, more and more companies are choosing to invest in it. So this is a field with significant prospects for professional and financial growth.
