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Developing new skills at work

If you’re looking to gain new skills relevant to your job, your employer is a good first point of call.

You may be able to get free basic skills training, additional skills to improve your performance at work, or even a qualification that could help open up doors to higher education. Some employers run ‘mentoring’ schemes to help you get on at work.

Find out from a senior member of staff or union learning rep whether your employer runs any training schemes. If they don’t, ask if they would consider setting one up.

• Find out more about the support available from your union Opens new window

What’s in it for your employer

Many employers are happy to support their workers’ learning:

• having a skilled workforce can help boost productivity
• there are training schemes which can be designed to suit the needs of employers and their workers
• your employer may get help with the costs

The section below on ‘Training opportunities’ has details of some of the schemes you and your employer can take part in. Ask your employer or union learning rep if they run one at the moment - and, if not, whether they’d consider supporting you if you arrange work-related learning for yourself.

Training opportunities

Train to Gain

This service is aimed at helping adults and young people in England to get the best possible training in the workplace. It offers businesses:

• free and impartial advice on their training needs
• help in finding the right training - at a time and place which suits them and their employees
• in some cases, help sourcing funding
• help reviewing progress in developing the skills of their workforce

• More information on Train to Gain Opens new window

learndirect Learning through Work Scheme

Learning Through Work lets you study a university-level course without taking time off work. You can work towards an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification, or just do one or two modules of a course - depending on what suits you.

The scheme is run by learndirect and a number of partner universities and colleges. If you take part, your tutor will work with you to make sure what you learn is relevant to your job.

You’ll plan what areas to cover together, and where possible you’ll get credit for projects you work on as part of your job. You may also be able to get credit for work you’ve already done.

It may be worth talking to your employer to see if they can support you while you’re on the scheme - financially or otherwise. And if they want to get more involved, employers can use the scheme to set up a programme that meets their specific needs.

• More about the learndirect Learning through Work Scheme Opens new window

Apprenticeships

An Apprenticeship gives you the chance to work towards a qualification while you’re earning.

Many employers choose to provide training through an Apprenticeship programme - they are designed by businesses within a particular sector, with that sector’s training needs in mind.

• Find out more about Apprenticeships
• Information for employers on Apprenticeships Opens new window

Investors in People

If your employer has Investors in People status, it means that they are committed to improving the organisation’s performance by developing its staff. As part of this they assess learning needs within the organisation, and make plans to meet them.

Benefits to you as an employee might include:

• access to good quality training
• improved job satisfaction
• more career opportunities

• More about the Investors in People Standard Opens new window

If your employer can’t help

If you can’t get training through your employer, there’s nothing to stop you arranging it yourself. See ‘Learning for work’ for some ideas on how to fit learning into your working life, and details of where to get free advice.

• Learning for work