Hey guys as the title suggests, I am hoping to make a career change in L&D, and I would love to learn how to develop e-learning. I know there are various authoring tools, but I am not sure where to begin. Unfortunately, I cannot work with this team at my current employment either.
I would pay for a bootcamp or training courses. All recommendations and ideas are appreciated, and thank you.
I began my career as a Learning Designer with a graduate position, and I’m based in the UK. The main skills you need are understanding learners, adapting your methods for different groups, and creating effective learning experiences rather than just repeating information. It’s a good idea to look for an entry-level learning designer role where they understand you’ll need some training. Learning tools like Articulate Storyline and Rise are very popular, so getting familiar with them is useful. Reach out to reputable learning design companies with a message about your experience, skills, and interests. Also, read articles on learning design, like those from eLearning Brothers, to build a strong foundation.
I didn’t consider this career path until I saw the graduate position, and I’ve grown to love it. I highly recommend it, especially in the UK where the industry is rapidly growing.
eLearning is a flexible field, and anyone can become a course designer if they can create effective training strategies. For example, some innovative thinkers use Google Suite to build lessons with Slides and create quizzes with Forms. This approach is useful if you want to provide training without needing a Learning Management System (LMS).
From my experience, the key to being an Instructional Designer (ID) is to identify areas for improvement and then come up with original solutions to address those areas. The main principles are understanding what the learner needs to know, what they already know, and how to bridge that gap.
If you can create outlines and set clear milestones for learners to achieve, you’re on the right track to becoming a Learning and Development (L&D) professional.
I have a Master’s in Instructional Design, and the most valuable lessons came from hands-on experience, finding good mentors, and always seeking ways to improve and grow.
The junior market is flooded, especially for frontend devs. Whilst a framework is required, definitely make sure you have a good foundation in JS/TS.
Another option would be to look into apprenticeships if you qualify (no age restriction, just GCSEs, no degree or work experience in Software Development and ordinarily resident in the UK for 3 consecutive years preceding your start date). Then you get paid to learn. I went via Makers after a period of learning on my own. Really simplifies things. Coming up in my 3 yr anniversary now.