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Alternative

School for Product

Call for Trainers

Turn your product experience into a high-impact, hands-on workshop 

for peers who build real products.

Become a Trainer

WHAT AND WHO

Alternative School for Product is a Product Makers program that builds skills through

hands-on workshops delivered by product makers like you, for product makers.

We believe that learning is strongest with professionals who have faced the messy realities of product work — and can turn those lessons into hands-on practice for others.

You'll make a great trainer if

you are an active Product professional with substantial hands-on experience in building and scaling products and

You want to design a new workshop

and battle-test it in front of an eager to learn practitioner audience.

OR

You already have a workshop

you want to run

for other product makers.

Become a Trainer

Apply before 19 April

What You'll Do as a Workshop Trainer

Think of Alternative School for Product as a "product workshop incubator"

Here's what you'll do as a program trainer and how we help:

1

Propose (and design) a practical workshop (2–6 hours)

We provide a clear workshop description template, concept feedback, positioning guidelines, and examples of strong past workshops.
2

Improve your workshop in peer review with assigned reviewers

We match you with experienced reviewers who challenge clarity, rigor, and hands-on depth — and help you sharpen the learning design.
3

Prepare workshop flow and materials

We offer feedback checkpoints, flow validation, and support in aligning exercises with real-world application.
4

Deliver your workshop

We handle promotion to the Product Makers community and beyond, logistics and session coordination so you can focus on facilitation and learning quality.
5

Collect and reflect on participant feedback

We gather structured participant feedback, synthesize insights, and support you in iterating and evolving your workshop.

As a Product Makers trainer, you're in good company.

11 years of building Romania's strongest Product community

Product Makers Romania has grown to become the largest community of professionals developing and growing digital products: engineers, designers, marketers and product managers. What started over a decade ago, as a small group of passionate professionals has evolved into an active ecosystem of 2,000+ members who share knowledge, experiences, and opportunities.


Our community serves as a bridge between experienced product leaders and those just starting their journey in any Product related field.


Through 100+ meetups and events, we've created countless opportunities for learning, networking, and professional growth.

Here's what previous trainers experienced

Alternative School for Product has been piloted in 2025, with 6 workshops delivered by 8 trainers.

Here's what they experienced and why they're coming back in 2026.

There are three reasons I recommend being a trainer in the Alternative School of Product to any seasoned Product Maker.

First - meaning: you help others grow through guided practice that’s hard to find elsewhere.

Second, the clarity you gain by preparing

and delivering the workshop — refining something you can reuse with your team or clients.

And third, what you learn from participants. Delivering the workshop brings unexpected insights, even on topics you already know.


Enjoy training!

Trainer Level up your Product Mindset

For me, being a trainer in the Alternative School of Product was much easier than I expected. I had a co-trainer, and we split the preparation naturally, so it didn’t take much time. And the openness, attention, and trust from participants were well above my expectations.

Tudor Juravlea

Service & Digital Product Designer

Trainer Use Continuous Discovery to Drive Evidence-Led Decisions


What stood out in the first edition was how engaged people were — far more than we expected. It did take real effort to prepare, but it absolutely paid off.

For us, being a trainer creates value in a few ways. Teaching forces you to truly understand a topic, not just “know” it. It also gives you the push to finally build that workshop you’ve been putting off. And, over time, it builds your credibility — people start to associate you with that expertise.


If a friend asked whether it’s worth it, I’d say yes — as long as you’re willing to invest the time to do it right.

Liviu Lica

Fractional Product Manager

  1. Trainer Product Metrics: Why we need them and How to set them


I’ve found that the biggest barrier isn’t technical or theoretical — it’s shifting how people think, from deliverables to outcomes. The “aha” moment, when participants start validating problems, is surprisingly satisfying. Being a trainer is also a test of rigor: presenting forces me to refine, simplify, and clarify my own thinking and ways of working.

To a friend asking "Why should I join as a trainer?", I’d say: “Do it to push yourself further.” You practice skills that turn you into a strategist — someone who can guide, explain, and explore. It’s the shift from a specialist to a specialist with a well-argued point of view.

Iustin Insuratelu

Product Manager

Trainer From OKR to Impact: Building Your First Outcome-Driven Roadmap

This was such a great experience. Preparing for the session allowed me to realise what I deeply know and what I could polish. You know that saying - "If you want to learn something, teach it to other people"... The most rewarding part was to see the participants being so engaged during the workshop. When I met one of them a few month later, they told me how useful the session was and how they are using it in their current role. So, mission accomplished!

Ady Rugina

Product Consultant &

Fractional Product Leader

Trainer Use Continuous Discovery to Drive Evidence-Led Decisions

Mark your Calendars

30 Mar - 19 Apr

Call for Trainers

Aspiring trainers can apply with a concept

  6 - 19 April

Workshop Concept Feedback

Ongoing feedback and support for applying trainers to refine audience and learning outcomes

13 - 19 April

Workshop Selection

Final concept review and workshop selection and scheduling

20 Apr - 30 Apr

Workshop Landing Page

We work together to build an online presence for workshop enrollments

4 - 24 May

Call for Trainees

We promote your workshop to Product Makers community members and beyond, while you get your workshop ready for delivery

18 May - 21 Jun

Workshops

Trainers deliver workshops

22 - 28 June

Closing

Final wrap-up meet with trainers and setting up the impact assessment

Want to become a Trainer?

The call for trainers runs 30 March - 19 April and the Alternative School for Product team will reach out soon after apply to get clarity on your workshop concept.

Apply earlier so we have more time for define the experience and positioning it for the right audience.

APPLY
before 19th of April

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a paid opportunity?

This is a pro-bono, community-driven initiative. The value exchange is visibility, peer-level feedback, and professional positioning.

Do I need to already have a finished workshop?

No. You can apply with either an existing workshop or a strong concept you want to develop and battle-test.

What criteria will you use to assess the workshop concept?

Relevant Product Experience: The trainer has real, hands-on experience in the topic and has applied the tools and frameworks in real product environments.

Workshop Design & Learning Impact: The workshop is well-structured, interactive, and designed to create real skill development — not just theory or inspiration. Very important - the right participants can use some of what they learn within the next 30 days.

Strategic Relevance: The topic meaningfully strengthens the Product Makers skill landscape and addresses real capability gaps.

Future-Readiness (with a special AI focus): The workshop reflects how product craft is evolving and integrates relevant modern tools and trends where appropriate.

How hands-on does the workshop need to be?

Very. We prioritize practical exercises, real cases, and immediate applicability over slide-heavy sessions.

We consider sessions targeting 12 - 15 participants to be optimal for interactive, practical learning.

How many times will I run the workshop?

Typically one session during the program.

If enough of your ideal participants enroll in a short time, we can open a waiting list and schedule a second session - if you're intereted.

What level of participants should I design for?

Junior-Mid Product Makers who are currently working in product roles (Product, Design/UX, Delivery, Engineering) and can apply the learning immediately.

We’ll also work together to define your ideal participant for you, and then communicate it clearly for each workshop, to maximize impact, as well as ensure great trainer experience for you.

How much time should I expect to invest?

Time for design, peer feedback iterations, preparation, and delivery.

We recommend planning for several focused working sessions before delivery.

Will I receive feedback on my design or delivery?

Yes. You’ll receive structured peer and participant feedback to help you refine both content and delivery, from the other trainers, as well as the Alternative School for Product team.

Will I receive feedback on my design or delivery?

You retain ownership of your content. We may reference the workshop as part of the program portfolio.

What if my workshop is not selected?

You may receive feedback and are welcome to refine and reapply in future editions.

Can I co-facilitate with another trainer?

Yes. Co-designed and co-delivered workshops are welcome, especially when they bring complementary perspectives.

Become a Trainer

APPLY
before 19th of April

Becoming an Alternative School for Product trainer is a great way to test your true understanding of key topics, build your brand and discover new opportunities - all part of a community.

Join us!

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