60 Ways to learn and develop

About how to develop your skills, knowledge and experience.

As you and your manager develop your Personal Development Plan, you will need to consider which activities suit your needs and which help deliver the business needs of your service.

Try to think of meeting learning and development needs in different ways - not only in formal off-the job courses and workshops - there can be more effective ways to learn new skills and knowledge.

On-the-job learning

Appraisals

The appraisal discussion can itself be a source of learning, besides providing the opportunity to formulate a Personal Development Plan, linked to achievements expected at work.

Coaching

This is where another member of staff acts as “coach” encouraging the development of new skills or knowledge and providing constructive feedback.

Delegation

An individual undertakes a task that their manager would normally undertake e.g. attending a meeting, taking the minutes perhaps, and reporting back.

Job enlargement

This involves undertaking an extra activity in addition to current duties. The additional activity generally involves a higher level of responsibility.

Mentoring

Either be a mentor to someone else or find yourself a mentor. A mentor provides a source of feedback and general guidance to another member of staff, acting as a trusted adviser.

Observation

This is learning from watching others in action.

Reality training

This is an appropriate form of training for members of staff who generally work away from the front line. Usually involves working in the front line e.g. with service users.

Reviewing your successes

This is helpful in analysing and planning for future success. This can be undertaken individually or, ideally, with another person.

Shadowing

This is where you attach yourself to another member of staff or team for a set period of time in order to learn from them.

Sit-by-Pat

A traditional way of learning a new skill or task whereby you sit with a person who currently does the task, and learn through doing it. Keep a log of what you learn to appreciate just how valuable this method of learning is.

Trial and error and re-trial

This is an effective way to learn is by being given the chance to try a new skill or activity in a controlled situation, learning from any mistakes.

Work experience

This is where you gain experience by working in another department or organisation.  it may include job rotation, job sharing, job transfer, secondment or a temporary promotion. 

For more information select from the expanders below:

Assistant to

This is where an individual is seconded to work for a senior manager for a set period of time.

Job rotation

This can be a formal or informal arrangement where two or more individuals rotate jobs for a set period of time. Within teams it can be useful to enhance versatility.

Job share

The duties of one post are shared between two or more individuals.

Job transfer

This is a permanent move into a vacant position at the same level provides further opportunities for broadening skills and knowledge.

Secondment

This is taking on a particular task or a different job for a period of time, usually in a different department, unit or organisation.

Temporary job move or promotion

A temporary job move where you cover for an absence, for example.  It provides opportunities to develop new skills and acquire knowledge in a different area.

Temporary promotion is where an individual is acting up or deputising for a set period of time.

Work experience in another organisation

This is where an individual gets  experience either through job swap or secondment.

Group/ team activities

We gain an enormous amount of knowledge and skills from other people. Group activities are the core components of many training courses-although learning from others can take a variety of different forms.

These can include action learning sets, brainstorming, working groups and workshops, discussion or problem-solving groups, simulation exercises, social clubs, user groups, quality circles, task forces, and management games.

For more information select from the expanders below:

Action learning sets

This is where groups of 5 or 6 people work to a group contract for personal and group development. Many certificate-based courses provide the opportunity to form such groups.

Brainstorming

This activity stimulates ideas. Members of the team propose ideas that are not evaluated or judged by others in the group, but simply collected and recorded.  

Management games

Activities can be externally run or can be a specific team exercise concerned with management issues.

Problem solving groups

A number of people are drawn together with the purpose of finding a solution.

Quality circle

This is a multi-level group of volunteers who meet to discuss how to improve the quality of services and/or products.

Simulation exercises

There are now a variety of simulation exercises from which much can be learned about ‘real life’ situations.

Social clubs

People who join such clubs will develop useful contacts, often in departments other than their own, to learn about what’s going on in other parts of an organisation.  

Task forces

Groups of people, often from different departments, are brought together on a full or part time basis for a fixed period of time to carry out a defined project.

Team building exercises

This involves exercises to develop the team as a whole. Often a person from outside the department is used as a facilitator.

Working groups or workshops

Working groups involve groups of people brought together to explore and resolve work related issues.  Workshops are where groups of people explore issues together, often drawing on real life experiences.  

Self-development activities

It is not only the manager’s responsibility to provide learning and development for individuals. Self-development activities can improve job satisfaction and long-term career prospects.

Adult education classes

There is always a large choice of classes available. Local libraries usually have information of courses in their areas.

Buddy systems

A formal or informal system where colleagues support each other in work and career-related matters.  

Co-coaching

Meet regularly with another person to help each other learn from work-related activities, problems and issues.

Distance learning packages

These usually relate to specific skills. Most nationally known colleges now produce such packages.

Open learning (OL)

Learning available from the Open University and a variety of other forums. OL is similar to Distance Learning, but each student usually has a personal tutor. OL is usually undertaken in an individual’s own time.

Personal testing programmes

These are self-analysis tools often found in management textbooks and on computer-based programmes.

Podcasts and other audio recordings

These are often used for personal development e.g. mindfulness.

Reading

This can include journal articles, White Papers etc. as well as books.

Research

Undertake research on a topic of interest which may or may not be specifically related to the person’s job.

Skills packages

These are usually a collection of materials to aid individual learning e.g. books, CD-Roms, audio recordings etc.

Special projects

Take on direct responsibility for an assignment to help develop an individual’s skills or knowledge.

Study leave

This is approved leave (with or without pay) to undertake an approved course of learning e.g. attend University Summer School.  

Technology enhanced learning

These are packages which help develop an individual’s skills and knowledge. They allow learning to take place at the learner’s pace and a location that suits.

Time out

Take approved Leave (without pay) may be given to undertake self-development activities e.g. attend Territorial Army activities.  

Courses

Face-to-face courses are popular and ia very effective method of learning, providing there is a clear link between what’s learned and how it is to be applied to real life.

These include conferences, training, refresher courses, networking, taster sessions, study courses, seminars, residential courses, and visual resources.

For more information select from the expanders below:

Conferences

Many professional bodies and organisations hold tconferences as an annual event e.g. CILIP.

Formal training programme

This is a planned programme of training for apprentices, management trainees etc. 

Modular courses

These usually take place on several occasions, over time, so that learning can be put into action in the workplace and then reviewed.

Networking

This is a way by which people have opportunity to meet together informally as a means of enhancing learning.

Part-time courses

These are day or evening courses which usually lead to a qualification.

Professional skills training

This is a planned programme of training, usually run by colleges e.g. Prince 2.

Refresher courses

These are reminders or updates on specific topics.

Residential courses

This is where delegates work and live with a group away from the workplace for a number of days. Usually, work takes place in the evenings also, so learning takes place in the shortest time possible.

Seminars

These are held on a particular topic and provide opportunities for delegates to hear experts speak and be involved in discussions.

Short courses

Courses from one to two days in length, usually covering specific topics.

Study courses

For example, Open University courses, which do not necessarily lead to formal qualifications. They can be group or individual learning based.

Taster or awareness courses

These provide an overview of a topic which may be studied in detail later.

Visiting

Visit other departments and/or different sites/ organisations and feed back.

Visual resources

These include, for example, TED talks, DVDs etc. which can be used as an aid to either team or individual development. They can be particularly effective if followed by discussion of the issues.

Page last reviewed: 25 January 2023