The e-learning industry is exploding. It was already growing steadily for years when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, accelerating that growth even further. With more and more people working remotely, it makes sense that organizations need to replace much of their in-person training with e-learning. And since remote work is here to stay, this trend won’t be letting up anytime soon.
Judging by my overflowing inbox, this has a lot of people rethinking their career paths and asking themselves, Should I become an instructional designer?
Changing careers can be scary. So before you take the leap, you probably have a few questions. In this article, I’ll answer the questions I get asked the most about becoming an instructional designer (ID).
IDs take information and make it easy for learners to absorb. This could involve building online courses, designing in-person training, or a mix of both.
So what does that look like, on a practical level? Dig into the details in these helpful articles:
One of the things I love about being an ID is the sheer variety of work. However, this means you need a wide range of skills to really excel in the role. Here’s a peek at some of the things IDs need to be able to do:
And that’s just the beginning! Check out these articles to learn more:
E-learning and technology go hand in hand. Back in the day, IDs could get away with not being tech-savvy because they often designed the content and passed it along to an e-learning developer to build. But today's tools are so easy to use that most of the time IDs handle everything—from design to development. So as you can imagine, it’s important for IDs to be good with technology.
At a minimum, you’ll need to know how to use:
While not always required, it can be helpful to know how to use:
Remember: Technology is constantly changing. The apps we rely on today aren’t necessarily the ones we’ll use tomorrow. For this reason, it’s important to be willing and able to learn how to use new apps as they come along.
Just like for any type of job, the salary range for an instructional designer varies widely depending on where you live and how long you’ve been in the industry. As of 2024, IDs based in the US typically make between $73,000 and $88,000, while in France they usually only make between 30,000€ (~$32,000) and 37,000€ (~$39,000).
To see what the average ID makes in your area, do a quick search on sites like salary.com or Glassdoor.
In theory, absolutely not! There are so many great resources here in the community as well as elsewhere online. It’s entirely possible to learn what you need to know to design effective e-learning courses without doing formal training.
In practice, however, most employers require a bachelor’s degree at a minimum—even if it’s not specifically related to training or education. Some employers won’t hire you unless you have a master’s degree or graduate certificate in instructional design. However, others are satisfied with an impressive portfolio and don’t care about your degrees or lack thereof.
If you’re totally new to training and education, enrolling in a master’s program is a great way to gain the knowledge and skills you’ll need to be an effective ID.
If you have a background in training or education but have never done e-learning, you might not need to complete a full-on master’s program. Instead, you might consider a certificate program to round out your knowledge and skills.
If you don’t have a degree and don’t plan on pursuing one but want to become an instructional designer, focus on building your portfolio and getting to know other e-learning pros. We’ll talk more about how and where to do that later on in this article.
For more insight into whether you should pursue formal education, check out this helpful report from the Learning Guild.
When it comes to selecting an ID degree or certificate program it comes down to what program is the best fit for you. Here are some things to consider as you narrow your options:
For example, if you’re pretty tech-savvy you might want a program that focuses more on instructional design concepts and less on technology. Whereas if you already know how to teach but don’t know as much about designing and developing online learning, you might want a program that’s heavier on tech.
It’s also important to consider how much time and money you’d like to invest in this venture. In sum, before you start looking, be sure you know what you’re looking for.
Want to hear from people who have done a master’s or graduate certificate in instructional design? Check out this discussion.
There’s no easy answer to this question, so instead I’ll point you to this series of articles where you’ll find a wealth of advice: Tips on Succeeding as a Freelance E-Learning Developer.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Your career path as an ID will depend a lot on the type of organization you work for, your skills, and your ambitions.
For example, if you work in a consulting firm, you might start out as an ID and then eventually work your way up to a project manager role. Or maybe you’ll start out as an ID in the training department of a large multinational organization and then decide to venture out on your own. Or maybe you love being an ID, but you’d like to switch industries for a change of subject matter.
When you’re an ID, you can follow many different career paths. It’s up to you to decide what works best for you!
Technology is a huge part of our everyday lives. And it’s only going further in that direction as time goes on. So it only makes sense that the same trend applies to learning.
As technology evolves, the way we create e-learning and the course format will certainly change. But e-learning isn’t going anywhere!
Hopefully, this article answers most of the burning questions on your mind about becoming an instructional designer. But if there are any questions I haven’t answered, please pop them in the comments section below!
And if you’re looking for more information on e-learning careers, check out these super-helpful resources:
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