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How to hire a vocational trainer

Vocational trainer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring vocational trainers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a vocational trainer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new vocational trainer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a vocational trainer, step by step

To hire a vocational trainer, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a vocational trainer:

Here's a step-by-step vocational trainer hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a vocational trainer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new vocational trainer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a vocational trainer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect vocational trainer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    The following list breaks down different types of vocational trainers and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Vocational TrainerDescriptionHourly rate
    Vocational TrainerCareer and technical education teachers instruct students in various technical and vocational subjects, such as auto repair, healthcare, and culinary arts. They teach academic and technical content to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to enter an occupation.$14-19
    Adjunct InstructorAn adjunct instructor is a faculty member responsible for teaching an area of expertise within a specific contract period. The duties of an adjunct instructor are almost identical as a regular instructor, only that the work benefits are limited... Show more$15-39
    Flight InstructorA Flight Instructor is responsible for teaching students how to fly aircrafts. They prepare lesson plans and evaluate and monitor students performance.$15-38
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Developmental Disabilities
    • CPR
    • Training Materials
    • Applied Behavior Analysis
    • Direct Supervision
    • Jigs
    • Direct Care
    • Mental Illness
    • Physical Disabilities
    • Independent Living
    • Competitive Employment
    • Community Employment
    • Data Collection
    • Direct Support
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Coordinate and implements rehabilitation services, case documentation, employment services, and administration and interpretation of vocational and psychological testing.
    • Complete client intakes and develop client individual service plans (ISP).
    • Assist with conducting treatment team meetings with company psychiatrist to develop or update ISP's for the adult clients.
    • Coordinate IEP team planning, curriculum development, implementation and assessment for students with special educational disabilities.
    • Facilitate vocational/avocational groups and coordinate volunteer program for rehabilitation unit.
    • Facilitate vocational/avocational groups and coordinate volunteer program for rehabilitation unit.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your vocational trainer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A vocational trainer can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, vocational trainers' average salary in south carolina is 50% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level vocational trainers 25% less than senior-level vocational trainers.
    • Certifications. A vocational trainer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a vocational trainer's salary.

    Average vocational trainer salary

    $35,473yearly

    $17.05 hourly rate

    Entry-level vocational trainer salary
    $30,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 31, 2026
  4. Writing a vocational trainer job description

    A good vocational trainer job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a vocational trainer job description:

    Vocational trainer job description example

    Department: New Jersey Program & Services
    Reports To (Title): Director of Rehab Cost Center: 58054
    Position Type: Entry-Level (3 yrs experience or less)

    Supervising Staff: Yes

    General Purpose: In a few brief sentences summarize the primary duties and responsibilities.

    Provide real life work skills to students enrolled in Pre-Employment Transition Services that will help them connect school experiences to real life work activities; provide workplace tours to learn about work skills and employer expectations; complete a task analysis at the internship site; provide coaching at work-based learning experience sites/internships to qualified Pre-ETS participants; job shadow onsite; provide feedback and assessment of student performance; develop innovative techniques to teach work skills, train students, and improve work performance; to assist students with gaining the career readiness and work skills necessary to determine future vocational goals.

    Essential Functions: Describe the duties that define the core responsibilities of the job. ·

    Assist the Career Education Instructor and the Internship Developer with the placement of students into appropriate internship opportunities. ·

    Provide intensive on-the-job training at internship sites, utilizing a person-centered approach, to students participating in Pre-Employment Transition Services.

    Coordinate with NJTIP@Rutgers to train students on public transportation to get to/from work-based learning sites.

    Provide ongoing coaching to help increase work skills, develop appropriate vocational goals and problem solve issues that may arise at the internship site.

    Complete and keep track of task analysis for the purpose of training students.

    Complete all required documentation, progress notes and monthly Pre-ETS student reports in a timely manner. All progress notes need to be completed weekly.

    Perform case management services as needed, to include linking the student with other service providers or community resources such as: recreation, education, transportation or leisure, in order to further enhance the student’s integration into the community.

    Train other staff at internship site; including co-workers and supervisors on how to best work with the interns. ·

    Educate students about how working may impact other benefits that they may currently be receiving. Connect students to Benefit Counseling Services as needed.

    Contact DVRS & other referral agencies and provide updates on students as needed.

    Complete and submit weekly and monthly reports.

    Enter student information into Foothold Awards system.

    Communicate with referral sources DVR, CBVI and private funders as per the funder communication follow-up procedure.

    Attend all rehab and staff meetings as required.

    Become familiar with CARF regulations.

    Assure that services provided and documentation maintained is CARF compliant.

    If the Job Coach is fluent in another language, may be asked to translate on behalf of rehab - consumers as needed.

    (Other duties and assignments as may be assigned at the sole discretion of the employer)
    Qualifications: Describe the minimum educational and experience requirements/preferences.

    AA Degree in human services field from an accredited college.

    Must have a valid NJ driver’s license and pass license check.

    Must be willing to use private transportation to travel to internship sites throughout Northern NJ.

    Skills Required: Describe the minimum skills required or preferred

    Intermediate Word, Excel and Outlook preferred

    Excellent verbal and written communication skills required ·

    Must be able to prioritize and multi-task ·

    Navigate and negotiate through difficult situations

    Ability to communicate with all levels of employees

    Navigate and negotiate through difficult situations

    Ability to communicate with all levels of employees Scope of Responsibility & Positions

    Supervised: Where applicable describes level of authority, decision making discretion, consequences of actions, supervisory and fiscal responsibility.

    • Provide metrics where possible.
    • Level of supervision received.
    • This position does not supervise others but must work effectively as a partner with the job developers and other rehab staff. Special Working Conditions: Describe unusual working conditions or environmental factors.
    • Job coach works in the community in addition to at the main office.
    • Conditions at employer locations may vary. Coaching may need to occur overnight, in factories or warehouses with extreme heat or cold conditions; may need to climb ladders to reach employee job site. Worksites may be loud, dusty or cluttered.
  5. Post your job

    To find vocational trainers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any vocational trainers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level vocational trainers with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your vocational trainer job on Zippia to find and attract quality vocational trainer candidates.
    • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit vocational trainers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new vocational trainer

    Once you have selected a candidate for the vocational trainer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new vocational trainer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a vocational trainer?

Before you start to hire vocational trainers, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire vocational trainers pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $35,473 per year for a vocational trainer, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for vocational trainers in the US typically range between $14 and $19 an hour.

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