Training and Development Specialist Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Pima County runs a Training and Development Officer role that delivers professional development to more than 7,000 county employees, which gives a sense of the scale of learning-and-development work in Tucson. Beyond government, Tucson Electric Power trains system operators, GEICO and Afni run large call-center training operations, Hughes Federal Credit Union staffs training specialists, and mining employers like Copper World in Sahuarita build MSHA safety training. The University of Arizona hires workforce-development trainers too. This is a field built on instructional design and facilitation, not just standing up and talking.
Current Training and Development Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Top Tucson Employers Hiring Training and Development Specialists
These Tucson-area employers run enough internal training to keep specialists on staff:
- Pima County - Training and Development Officer roles delivering professional development to a 7,000-plus workforce.
- Tucson Electric Power / UNS Energy - operator and system-control training plus safety and compliance instruction.
- GEICO - new-hire and ongoing training for its large Tucson service operation.
- Afni - call-center new-hire training and onboarding delivery.
- Hughes Federal Credit Union - training and education specialist roles for member-facing staff.
- University of Arizona - workforce-development trainers, including in family and community medicine.
Training and Development Specialist Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level: about $48,000 - $56,000 per year
- Experienced: about $60,000 - $75,000 per year
- Senior / lead specialist: about $80,000 - $95,000+ per year
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience; local market data centers the typical Tucson training and development specialist around the mid-$60,000s. Earning the CPTD designation or building e-learning development skills tends to push pay toward the top of the range, and public employers add the ASRS pension.
How to Become a Training and Development Specialist in Tucson
Most roles want a bachelor's degree in HR, education, or a related field, and there is no Arizona license. The credentials with the clearest signal value come from the Association for Talent Development (ATD): the APTD (Associate Professional in Talent Development) for early-to-mid career specialists and the CPTD (Certified Professional in Talent Development) for senior ones. A SHRM-CP helps for HR-aligned learning roles, and a Kirkpatrick evaluation credential fits measurement-heavy work. Increasingly, employers expect hands-on instructional design and e-learning authoring skill with tools like Articulate Storyline and Rise. Pima Community College and the University of Arizona provide the academic foundation.
What the Job Involves
A training and development specialist assesses learning needs, designs instructor-led and e-learning content, facilitates sessions, administers the learning management system, and evaluates whether the training actually changes behavior. In Tucson that work ranges widely: compliance and onboarding at a call center like GEICO or Afni, member-service training at a credit union, operator training at Tucson Electric Power, or MSHA safety training at a mine. LMS platforms you may use include Cornerstone, Workday Learning, and SAP SuccessFactors.
Skills Employers Look For
- Instructional design and adult-learning principles
- Facilitation and presentation for in-person and virtual groups
- E-learning authoring tools such as Articulate Storyline, Rise, or Captivate
- LMS administration (Cornerstone, Workday Learning, SAP SuccessFactors)
- Evaluation and measurement of training effectiveness
- Bilingual Spanish-English, valuable for frontline training in Tucson
Career Path & Advancement
A common Tucson path runs from Training and Development Specialist to Senior Specialist, then Training Manager or L&D Manager, and on to Director of Training within several years for those who build curriculum ownership and facilitation depth. Earning the APTD and then the CPTD accelerates the climb, and some specialists develop deep e-learning expertise and move into instructional design or LMS-implementation consulting.
Related Careers in Tucson
Training and development specialists work alongside these related Tucson roles:
Frequently Asked Questions
What certification helps a training and development specialist in Tucson?
The most recognized are the APTD and CPTD from the Association for Talent Development (ATD): the APTD for early-to-mid career and the CPTD for senior specialists. Neither is required to get hired in Tucson, but they signal formal expertise. A SHRM-CP or a Kirkpatrick evaluation credential can also help depending on the role.
How much does a training and development specialist make in Tucson?
Estimates run from around $48,000 at entry to the mid-$70,000s with experience, and into the $80,000s and beyond for senior and lead roles. Local market data centers the typical Tucson specialist in the mid-$60,000s. Building e-learning development skills or earning the CPTD tends to move you toward the top of the range.
What skills and software do Tucson L&D specialists need?
Instructional design and facilitation are the two most consistently required skills. On the software side, e-learning authoring tools like Articulate Storyline and Rise are increasingly standard, along with LMS administration in platforms such as Cornerstone, Workday Learning, or SAP SuccessFactors. Virtual-facilitation comfort in Zoom or Microsoft Teams is expected almost everywhere.
Which Tucson employers hire training and development specialists?
Large employers with ongoing internal training: Pima County, which trains a 7,000-plus workforce, Tucson Electric Power for operator and safety training, and call-center operations like GEICO and Afni. Hughes Federal Credit Union and the University of Arizona hire training specialists too, and Sahuarita-area mining employers build MSHA safety training programs.
Can training and development specialists work remotely in Tucson?
Partly. Content design, e-learning development, and LMS work translate well to remote schedules, so hybrid arrangements are common. In-person facilitation, hands-on operator training, and mine safety instruction keep part of the job on-site, so how remote the role is depends heavily on the employer and the type of training.
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