Why Are You Training? Why Not?

PressCheck Consulting Training & Trainers Survey

Data can be a double-edged sword in the training industry. Some of those metrics matter. Others are little more than a “preoccupation with inconsequential increments,” a phrase attributed to Jeff Cooper.

We track draw-to-first shot times, split times (the time between shots), target transitions, and reloads. Some analyze hit rates in real-world events without context; others are indifferent.

One area that had not been explored until recently was the “why” on the business side of the training community. Why are you or aren’t you – training or traveling, choosing an instructor, choosing a certain length of class, and more?

These are the questions many of us discuss with peers, in person or by phone, while traveling between classes.

Previously, these questions stayed in private conversations or were asked of a student only after class.

This changed when Presscheck Consulting’s Kristen Pressburg addressed the issue for her husband’s business. And she decided to share her findings with other instructors. I’ll note there is a fair amount of information specific to those of us who are regularly training law enforcement officers.

WHY

Here’s her “why” –

“In 2025, there were many conversations among industry professionals about the current and future states of the training industry. Presscheck was experiencing a record high year in 2025 (and already surpassing that in 2026), while many of our friends and colleagues were lamenting smaller class sizes and more frequent course cancellations. A disconnect that I suspected had to do with the marketing and business strategies I had put in place almost a year prior, when I took on top-to-bottom management of the company.

“But, all Chuck and I had was anecdotal ‘evidence’ from talking with our respective friends and colleagues in this space and I didn’t want to strategize or make decisions about 2026 (and beyond) based on speculation and opinion. I needed to KNOW what was going on and why. So, drawing on my over 25 years of robust business management experience, I said, “Why don’t we just ask the customers?” And, with that, the 2025 Year End Training Survey came to life!”

While I hadn’t talked with Presscheck about those issues, I experienced them and was talking with peers. When Kristen reached out and asked if I would share links to the study, I agreed. Several of us donated classes or gear to those who participated in the survey.

PURPOSE

Continuing, Kristen told me, “The purpose of the survey was twofold:

1. “Gain reliable insights about the training habits, preferences, and drivers of the student base to inform future internal decision-making for Presscheck Training & Consulting, LLC (Presscheck).
2. “Share collected data with the broader community of trainers who have a personal and collective interest in the current and future states of the “training industry.”

Several of us shared the study on our social media pages and newsletters, leading to 1,022 people responding to the survey conducted at the end of 2025 about their training activities during the year. Following this, Pressburg took some time to analyze the results, converting them into visual representations and writing, which were eventually distributed.

WHAT

“While much of the survey was unremarkable, there were also some interesting data points. First off, 47% of respondents reported training LESS in 2025 than in prior years, confirming our anecdotal information. HOWEVER, the reason was not what was suspected. All the conversations that prompted the survey in the first place revolved around a common assumption: people were training less due to financial constraints. A reasonable and fair assumption, but the survey painted a different picture.

“The top two PRIMARY reasons for training less were ‘life events’ and ‘work conflicts’- and these were substantially greater than ANY other reason. Interpreting data is a tricky thing though. Are people having more work conflicts because they are financially squeezed and can’t justify taking the time off? Maybe. We can’t disregard that Law Enforcement respondents indicated work conflicts as their primary reason for training less at nearly 2x the frequency as civilians.”

The results were then shared with supporting instructors and survey participants.

WHO

From the start, communications clarified that the survey targeted students of nationally recognized, traveling trainers and specified rule-out criteria for eligibility.

Briefly, the following demographic information was gathered:

–        Far more men than women attend this type of training;

–        58% of the respondents were 30-49 years old;

–        Nearly 3/4s were married;

–        Almost half of the respondents had kids who lived at home with them;

–        Texas, Virginia, California, Ohio, Washington, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Utah, and Pennsylvania were the top ten states for respondents;

Fifty-nine percent of respondents were civilians, while 41% were current or former law enforcement or military.

GOING FORWARD

“There is so much data and a need for follow-ups, which will come thanks to the 90% of respondents willing to participate in future surveys. I intend to resurvey this group at the end of 2026 about their experiences during the 2026 training year, continuing the cycle in future years to track trends and reasons over time.”

If you participated in the initial survey, expect further questions. The insights gained may benefit the training community—helping instructors address administrative concerns and encouraging students to register earlier.

FINAL THOUGHT

This survey’s data collection was overdue. If you teach, even outside the traveling trainer community, there’s useful information here.