Design of training programs, development of teaching methods or even integration of innovative tools... The educational engineer plays a key role in ensuring the effectiveness and relevance of training. In other words, to offer quality training programs, adapted to the needs of the market and learners. In a context of ever more rapid regulatory and technological developments, it occupies a central position so that the educational strategy rhymes with innovation. What are the missions, the skills required, the salary, the advantages and disadvantages of this essential profession for the future of training? All the answers in this job sheet.
Technological advances, regulatory developments, labor market needs, increased competition... Training organizations need to innovate and promote the training systems created. For this, they can count on educational engineers, true catalysts for change. Indeed, without being the main actor in training, the educational engineer plays a essential role of facilitator and accelerator of learning. Its multidimensional expertise promotes the adoption of new educational approaches. The objective? Adapt to new needs and practices of learners, such as distance learning and modularization.
“The educational engineer stimulates and facilitates learning by driving positive changes throughout the training process. »
This profession, little known to the general public, is gradually gaining importance beyond the education and training sector, that is to say within companies themselves. In fact, the digital transformation makes professions evolve more and more quickly. This requires regular updating of the knowledge and skills of a large number of employees.
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the profession. With the closure of educational establishments and training centers, it was often necessary to adapt tools and teaching to the distance format. The profession is sometimes summarized as e-learning or the virtual classroom. In reality, the scope of action of the educational engineer is much broader.
Teaching expert, it initiates and supports the transformation of practices in teaching or training, with or without digital technology. Overview.
Educational engineering: in brief
In terms of continuing education, it is not only a question of transmitting but of facilitate lifelong learning and skills acquisition. A structured approach, educational engineering aims to design, arrange or transform a learning system in order tooptimize training effectiveness.
To do this, the educational engineer takes into account 3 parameters :
1/ The objectives of the training
2/ The profile of the participants or learners
3/ Constraints, in particular resources
What are the main missions of the educational engineer?
1/ Educational design
He designs training programs or educational paths to respond to:
- the skills development or knowledge acquisition needs of learners;
- to the training objectives of companies.
To do this, he collaborates with trainers or teachers, creators of multimedia content, publishers of software or digital educational solutions, etc.
Instructional design is carried out on all types of media. It is therefore welcome to master educational platforms (LMS) and online learning content creation tools.
“A vocation: creating adapted learning experiences. »
This main instructional design mission often goes hand in hand with:
- monitoring to identify business needs in terms of continuing education and, more broadly, the needs of learners;
- the design of training catalogs, educational products, tests or even activity, skills or job benchmarks;
- monitoring the administrative and financial compliance of training actions;
- updating educational, regulatory, professional and technical information.
Educational and multimedia engineering
Multimedia educational engineering exploits the potential of new technologies in teaching and training to optimize the transfer of knowledge and the appropriation of knowledge by learners.
Some educational engineers are specialized in digital learning : they produce or commission multimedia training content, mainly for training courses distance learning. Very often e-learning, including tailor-made.
- Create educational materials, tools and platforms
- Integrate lessons
- Support teaching teams during the implementation of resource production projects or educational devices
- Provide them with educational and multimedia support in the production of a resource, the coordination and management of a project, the choice of tools, the implementation of training
The challenge ? Helping structures to rethink educational approaches and teachers or trainers to engage learners with today's tools.
2/ The development of adapted educational means
Part of the work of the educational engineer may consist of producing supports to enable teachers and trainers to develop, modernize and diversify their teaching and teaching practices.
It is then necessary to work hand in hand with teachers or trainers. This therefore requiresestablish a relationship of trust even before any intervention on the course or training program. Make proposals, discuss, provide feedback with great tact.
“At ORSYS, educational engineers act on a daily basis to provide quality training, which adapts to changes in professions and which integrates the latest educational developments. »
The educational engineer can also manage, coordinate and lead educational teams and trainers.
Educational engineering at ORSYS
“Above all, a profession focused on knowledge. »
The educational engineer is the point of convergence of demands and needs.
“The design and improvement of training programs are at the heart of the profession. »
4 central missions:
- Monitoring: what are the new skills needs?
- Co-development of training programs with partner trainers: target audience, educational objectives, practical content
- Selection of trainer-partners: verification of technical and teaching skills
- Management of training projects
3/ Project management
An educational engineer can work under the responsibility of a project manager. But, in most cases he is the project manager. He must develop specifications and define the product according to the customer's expectations. He must also carry out monitoring and ensure the smooth running of the project. Thus, it guarantees compliance with deadlines and quality.
Management of training projects
From the analysis of the need…
- Analyze the needs of learners to understand the level of skills sought at the end of training and identify training constraints
- Design tailor-made training courses: like an architect, an educational engineer defines the plans before embarking on the creation of the different components of a course
- Create or have quality educational resources created
- Develop evaluation systems to improve the training experience… for the coordination of the actors involved in the project
… to the coordination of the actors involved in the project
What training and experience to access the profession of educational engineer?
To become an educational engineer, it is better to have a level diploma bac +3 to bac +5. Some bac +3 level courses: pro training or education engineering license, web or multimedia bachelor. To strengthen his profile, it is recommended that he progress to bac +5 level. For example: master's degree in training engineering, in technology for education and training, in educational sciences or in digital humanities.
Please note: a background as a trainer is appreciated by recruiters.
The profession is also accessible to people with experience in education and wishing to retrain. Experience to be complemented by professional training, particularly on educational engineering techniques.
What skills are required for the educational engineer?
The educational engineer is versatile. He is indeed capable of creating content of different types: animations, sound montages, videos, etc. His curiosity and adaptability also allow him to continually update his skills. Endowed with great teaching qualities (listening, patience, etc.), he is also creative, even inventive, to produce original content. Strong project management skills provide rigor.
TECHNICAL SKILLS (hard skills)
- Knowledge of certification systems (RNCP, specific directory, titles, CQP, etc.) and quality approaches (Qualiopi, Datadock, ISO 9001, etc.)
- Knowledge of educational concepts: Bloom's taxonomy, the 4 learning preferences, experiential learning, collaborative learning (theory of social participation)...
- Master or at least have a great interest in EdTech solutions: LMS (learning management system), educational applications, adaptive learning, etc.
- Ecodesign notions
- Mastery of creative tools: Canva, Genially, Camtasia, Kumullus...
- Mastery ofcommunication and collaboration tools : Trello, Miro…
- Notions of graphics or at least graphic sense
- Mastery of project management techniques
BEHAVIOURAL AND RELATIONAL SKILLS (soft skills)
- Very good listening and analytical skills
- Relational ease, diplomacy, pedagogy, patience
- Team spirit
- Curiosity, thirst for learning
- Creativity
- Reactivity
3 questions to… Clarisse Gilbert, educational engineer responsible for innovation at ORSYS
What excites you about your daily job?
Above all, discussions on teaching practices with trainers. Their feedback on the activities is essential to capitalize on what was effective and offer educational diversity. I also enjoy working on new projects during calls for tenders or specific requests from clients. It's very motivating to create a skills development path and find the right approaches so that the training is useful.
What future for the profession of educational engineer?
The educational engineer (IP) has a bright future ahead of him if he knows how to combine mixed approaches to meet the expectations of participants and companies. It is indeed a profession in full evolution. Today, the trend is towards bi-modal: face-to-face + digital learning or hybrid animation. Face-to-face time is decreasing, especially for managers. They are looking for “flash” training that they can complement with other training modules. We also need to adapt to new generations with short modules. The future is to apply this know-how to different educational media. My advice to future IPs: this job is for you if you like exchange and innovation!
Exactly, what is innovation in training?
It’s doing things differently provided it makes sense. You have to keep it simple and surprise. But, the most important thing is to stay focused on effectiveness for learners:
– Improve their engagement during training
– Facilitate transposition into their daily professional life
– Maintain their achievements over the long term
What is the salary for an educational engineer?
The salary of a beginner ranges from €1,600 to €2,300 net monthly. For more experienced profiles, remuneration can be around €45,000 to €50,000 gross per year. On average, an educational engineer wins €2,700 gross monthly. Remuneration varies depending on the structure employing it and the region.
What kind of working environment?
The instructional engineer can work in a wide variety of organizations.
First, we think of higher education establishments and training organizations, for which this is the core business. But educational engineers can also work within companies, from start-ups to the largest international groups. In this case, the sectors of activity are very varied. And large companies sometimes have their own school or training center. Working within an agency, a consulting firm or a design office is another option. But, in recent years, more and more companies (especially in the tertiary sector) are internalizing this type of position.
The educational engineer can also work as an independent contractor for large companies, training organizations, public sector, etc.
Please note:
L'job title varies from one sector to another or according to the size of the company: educational manager, educational engineering manager, educational engineering manager, educational designer, educational coordinator, e-learning designer, educational engineering manager, manager training…
What are the prospects for development of the educational engineer?
In the private sector, the educational engineer can progress to a position of training quality manager. He can also turn to the human resources function through a position of training manager or skills development manager. Another avenue for development: becoming a trainer.
In the public sector, however, the possibilities for advancement are more restricted.
What are the attractions and constraints of this job?
- A meaningful profession because it is at the heart of the educational process
- A mix between digital and pedagogy: no routine
- The possibility of continuous learning: knowledge and skills always up to date
- A profession still little known to the general public, and therefore little valued
- Technical and regulatory complexity
- Budgetary pressures and profitability constraints
