Getting a more focussed L & D role

Alexandra Hemns

Isis Innovation

HR Generalist

Getting a more focussed L & D role

By Alexandra Hemns

Hi everyone

I am looking for some career advice please.

I have been in HR for about 9 years and am currently in a generalist advisory capacity within a small organisation and work part-time.

Aside from the day to day stuff, I run a few workshops on appraisal training, legislation updates and how to tackle various ER issues for line managers. I am also going to be working with my boss on overhauling the L&D plan this year as well as creating new competencies and creating sucession plan. In my spare time, I also work with another separate company to deliver some training there also and have completed my train the trainer course.

Longer term I am keen to pursue more of an L&D pathway and would love to go higher in this area.

I have looked at the CIPD Advanced Award Level in Learning and Talent Development to get all the theory grounding behind me but will struggle to pay for this and wouldn't get any help from my employer. I have also looked at a course through Reed titled Managing the L & D function.

Can anyone give me some advice for career progression and which other courses would be deemed as su8itable to go into an L & D role?

Any advice is most gratefully received

2 Responses

hj_townsend says:

May 28, 2012 at 4:54 pm
Just go for it!

It sounds like you have all the qualifications you need to go for a new role in L&D. I moved into L&D within Tesco within even less experience than you, and am still within L&D nearly 12 years later.

You may like to consider doing the following to help you move more into L&D:
- look for an HR generalist role with a heavy bias towards the L&D side of the role
- start up your own blog and write on matters concerning L&D – e.g. learning effectiveness
- build a networking plan to help you find your next job in L&D and action it
Good luck!
aallan says:

May 29, 2012 at 9:45 am

Advice on getting into L & D roles

Thanks for the advice you have given, I think you are right that perhaps finding an HR role with a strong bias towards L & D might be the way to go initially.

I suppose at this stage what I’m wondering is because I already have my MCIPD, when looking at L & D roles there doesn’t seem to be any expectation to have a specific L & D qualification, the experience seems to be more highly regarded.

Not sure if my perception is correct here?

If this is the case, then would I be better looking at more concentrated courses on MBTI for example, 360 or coaching skills rather than level 7 CIPD award?

Also, given my experience and ongoing experience on L & D focussed projects in my existing role, would I have to start again in an Assistant role or could I transfer across to an advisory or even L & D managerial role??

Again, any advice from anyone here is gratefully received!