Instructor Resources
Becoming an NHI Instructor
NHI relies on quality instructors to deliver engaging training and provide transportation professionals with the skills and knowledge to excel at their jobs. Instructors who work with NHI are experts in their fields and mentors in the classroom.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) employees interested in becoming an NHI-certified instructor must be approved for technical competency and subject matter expertise. Complete a nomination form and submit it with a current resume to NHIInstructorLiaison@dot.gov. You’ll also need to obtain approval from your first-line supervisor.
If you are not an FHWA employee, you must be with a contracting firm with a current delivery task order to be considered for an NHI Instructor position. Be sure to ask your employer if your firm is eligible.
Explore NHI’s Course Catalog to see if there is a course offering you’d like to instruct. You can search by program area and keyword to generate the topics of interest to you.
NHI instructors who teach an Instructor-Led Training (ILT) and/or Virtual Instructor-Led Training (VILT) must first request an Instructor ID. Instructor registration enables NHI to collect and track feedback. If you have been assigned to teach a course but do not have an Instructor ID, please contact the NHI Instructor Liaison at 703-235-0537 or email NHIInstructorLiaison@dot.gov.
If you were assigned an NHI Instructor ID and have misplaced or forgotten it, please contact the NHI Instructor Liaison.
NHI established the Instructor Certification Program to develop the quality of its instructors' skills and instructional techniques. Candidates who have been approved to instruct or are currently instructing an NHI course are directed to complete the process to become NHI-Certified Instructors. All instructors approved to deliver NHI courses have one (1) year to complete the program.
The NHI Instructor Certification Overview provides detailed information explaining the certification process.
Instructor Resources
The following resources provide general guidance on delivering practical and impactful training for adults.
Adult Learning Considerations
Before revising, developing, or presenting any training program targeted at adult audiences, consider these behaviors to help incorporate quality adult learning principles into the training.
Learners First
This online handbook is designed to provide instructors, subject matter experts, and instructional designers with tools and techniques to enhance the engagement of their courses.
Circle of Learning
This guidebook has been prepared by the Instructional System Designers and Master Trainers at NHI to provide new and experienced instructors with the most effective methods of educating adult learners.
The following resources offer guidance on delivering effective practical training in the classroom.
Techniques for Accommodating Impairments in the Classroom
This guide offers practical tips and techniques to support learners with visual, hearing, mobility, and medical impairments in the classroom.
Instructors who need an overview of the Blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) should contact their NHI Technical Program Manager to schedule a training. If you’re unsure of your Technical Program Manager, please contact our Customer Service team at 1-877-558-6873 or NHICustomerService@dot.gov for assistance.
The following resources offer guidance on delivering effective training in a virtual environment.
Checklist for Web-Conference – or Virtual Instructor-Led Training – Facilitators
Outlines the preparation steps, in checklist format, that instructors should complete before a training.
Meeting Learners’ Needs | Creating Classroom and Virtual Learning Spaces
Consider these tips when organizing and managing a physical (or virtual) learning space to impact participants’ readiness to learn.
NHI Web-Based Training Style and Standards Guide
The purpose of this document is to provide a high-level overview of the NHI standards for WBT deliverables.
Last updated: Wednesday, September 17, 2025