International aid/development worker : Training

Vocational training tends to be delivered through volunteering, internships and short courses. Introductory courses on relief work by RedR  run from one to three days, and Merlin  offers a seven-day non-residential course which has been designed to meet the learning needs of professionals involved with the humanitarian assistance sector. The e>volve course available from World Service Enquiry (WSE)  is delivered via email and is suitable for those in the early stages of seeking a job in the aid or development sector.

Details of other short courses are listed on the Development Studies Association (DSA)  website.

The Department for International Development (DFID)  provides its staff with a comprehensive induction process designed to help them do their job effectively as quickly as possible and to identify their individual learning needs. As each person’s career develops, they are able to choose from a wide range of training options including traditional training courses, conferences and seminars, e-learning, coaching, mentoring and job shadowing.

Not-for-profit organisations are not usually able to offer as much formal in-house training as other organisations, as there tends to be less funding available for staff training. Unlike corporate firms, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have no set way of doing things, and smaller and grass-roots organisations may offer little opportunity for training. Larger NGOs may offer in-house training courses, and they may also encourage staff to attend external training offered by bodies such as Intrac (International NGO Training and Research Centre) .

Engineers and vocational degree holders are usually members of their relevant professional bodies and may work towards professional accreditation or chartered status. They may participate in relevant professional training.