THE world of work can be a complex one. You enjoy working but want to learn new skills to further your career but the idea of balancing a full-time job and finding the time to wise-up has always seemed far fetched – up until now that is.

Alternatively, you may have fallen into your job by chance and therefore never really carried the relevant skills for the job, having learned by picking up as you went along – so why not take some time to gain those qualifications?

The chances are if you ask your boss for time off to undertake training they’ll say yes, unless they have a very good business reason as to why you can’t – as employers will soon be legally obliged to consider requests for training.

Currently, one third of employers do not train their staff and eight million employees are not provided with any training at all each year.

Perhaps you may have been pondering over some courses to take but never knew how it would fit into your working life.

These new regulations will now make it easier for more than 20 million workers to approach their employers and communicate their requirements for further development in their careers.

John Denham, Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills, said: “It will allow millions of employees to start a conversation with their employer about how they can become a more productive member of staff and in turn will encourage employers to better tap into some of the major Government supported training programmes available to them.”

Why train?

Research has suggested that there will be fewer jobs for unqualified people in the future, making career progression harder for unskilled workers.

Whether the training is accredited and leads to qualifications, or unaccredited to develop a specific skill, it will help improve your productivity at work and build your company’s performance.

Training for basic skills or professional, it will inevitably boost your chances of climbing up the career ladder.

The only gatekeeper with this is you, so arrange that meeting with your boss and sit tight for the green light. Then put those training wheels back on with the help of some of the suggestions below and discover more about developing your career:

Do a course or get a mentor

By training in specific sectors you could help open up doors for career development.

Courses are available for all careers in just about every type of skill available, not to mention general courses in administration, time management, team work and leadership that will help workers across the board.

Even if it’s not official training, some employers may run mentoring opportunities help you get on at work.

Job swap

Gain insight into other job roles within your company. If you’ve always had you're eye on a career in a different department then why not try your hand at it? Job swaps can last from a few days to a few weeks and are proving more popular in businesses.

Swapping roles allows workers to gain a better understanding of how their company operates and is a great way to learn new skills.

Train to gain

This is a service aimed at all businesses to advise them on how employees can be trained to do their job correctly to improve company growth.

A skills broker from www.traintogain.gov.uk can advise on anything from how to fund training to where the training should come from.

Mention it to your boss. It’s a scheme that helps companies:

  • Identify the skills their business needs.
  • Pinpoint the right training
  • Agree a tailored training package
  • Find available funding
  • Review the progress they are making

Go it alone

In some cases, seeking training opportunities cannot be offered at work and is often not promoted around the workplace. This however, should not stop you from improving your skills.

Investor in People

If you’re applying for a new job or currently working, it’s worth finding out if the company has Investors in People status. This means that the company supports improving their organisation through training and development.

Learndirect through work

This scheme enables you to learn at university-level without leaving your job. The courses are made to suit you but it’s worth talking to your employer to allow the opportunity to work for you as much as possible and at best, you may get financial support from the company.

Apprenticeships

Earning while you learn may sound too good to be true but believe it or not you can gain a qualification and get paid for it. There are more than 180 apprenticeships available across more than 80 industry sectors.

You can gain apprenticeships from industries ranging from accounting to hairdressing. However, they can last up to five years and can be intense as you will have to balance work and studying but the result of a qualification makes it worthwhile.

Afraid to approach your boss?

Talk to your human resources department. They will be able to explain what training opportunities your company have in place, if any and if not can advise how to go about achieving the training.

Usueful websites

www.direct.gov.uk www.traintogain.gov.uk www.learningthroughwork.org www.investorsinpeople.co.uk