Design the Train-the-Trainer Program that Will Amplify Your Training

Putting Together a Train-the-Trainer Program is a free train-the-trainer book from Endurance Learning that will help you cut through the jargon and understand what kind of train-the-trainer session your trainers need to be successful.

Training can be more than something we "have" to do.

When a well-designed training session is lead by a well-trained facilitator, every participant and organization represented experiences the benefits.

We created the Putting Together a Train-the-Trainer Program to you navigate some of the common pitfalls that we’ve seen when designing a train-the-trainer program.

The Train-the-Trainer agendas and activities that you see in this resource are drawn from our experience of what works.

The Building Blocks of a Successfull Train-the-Trainer Program

Training Agendas for Every Type of Trainer

Most train-the-trainer programs force a “one-size-fits-all” approach. This guide acknowledges that different teams have different gaps and provides specific sample train-the-trainer program agendas for each.

The Design-Focused Agenda (2 Days): For teams who need to build training from scratch, covering topics like Adult Learning Basics and Crafting Learning Objectives.
The Delivery-Focused Agenda (2 Days): For trainers who must deliver pre-written materials but need to find ownership and storytelling opportunities within them.
The “Do-It-All” Agenda (3 Days): A comprehensive crash course for the Subject Matter Expert who has to design and deliver.
The Virtual Training Agenda: Specific modifications for virtual design, moving beyond simple “breakout rooms” to true virtual engagement.

Ready-to-Run Activities

Stop guessing how to make your Train-the-Trainer program engaging. This ebook includes detailed instructions for activities you can run immediately, including.

“What Kind of Trainer Are You?” A self-assessment matrix that helps participants identify their strengths in Subject Matter Expertise vs. Adult Learning Principles.
“Engaging vs. Effective:” A group brainstorming training exercise that helps trainers understand why “fun” activities (like a round of Jeopardy) aren’t always effective for skill-building.
“Myths & Misconceptions:” A card-sort activity to debunk common training myths, such as the idea that “participants need to be comfortable to learn”

Solving the "Virtual Conversion" Problem

Moving from in-person to virtual isn’t just about turning on a camera. This guide tackles specific virtual challenges, such as:

The “Dead Air” Fear: How to handle individual reflection time without awkward silence.
The “Slide-Centric” Trap: Strategies to help virtual instructors rely less on their slides and more on facilitation tools.
Virtual Tools by Objective: A breakdown of how to connect learning objectives to specific virtual platform features (polls, whiteboards, chat).

Realistic Expectations

We cut through the jargon. Whether you call it TTT, TOT (Training of Trainers), or TOF (Training of Facilitators), this guide helps you set the right goals by:

Debunking the “Instant Expert” Myth: Clarifying that a program won’t magically transform a Subject Matter Expert (SME) into a master designer overnight.
Escaping “Death by PowerPoint”: Providing the strategies needed to move trainers beyond reading slides and toward engaging delivery.
Building a Solid Foundation: Giving your team the essential adult learning principles they need to be effective immediately.

More about Train-the-Trainer Program from Endurance Learning

Designing and delivering a train-the-trainer program is not something we do on the side. Train-the-trainer programs have been a critical part of our work at Endurance Learning.

Brian and his colleagues can be seen across the US and around the world work with trainers who come to him with all varieties of backgrounds.

Helping professionals, especially SMEs, be better trainers is our passion. The articles below all come from experiences delivering the Endurance Learning Train-the-Trainer program and should give you a sense for how Brian treats this work.

inspiration from a train-the-trainer program

Training Inspiration from a Train-the-Trainer

A train-the-trainer program can and should lead to exciting results because you are developing trainers who have the potential to impact tens, hundreds, or even thousands of participants. Investing in and learning from these participants can be an incredibly valuable part of the process of designing and delivering a train-the-trainer program.

Train Colleagues How to Train

Ajay Pangarkar shares his thoughts on how you can train colleagues and other SMEs be more effective, including some insights on how much “non-training” and “non-presentation skills” content is important.

How To Deliver a Virtual Train-the-Trainer Session

Getting our busy colleagues to take some time to think about how to deliver training in a virtual environment can be tricky. Here is a virtual train the trainer outline that you may find helpful.

Design the Train-the-Trainer Program that Will Amplify Your Training

Training can be more than something we "have" to do.

The Building Blocks of a Successfull Train-the-Trainer Program