What is a Learning & Development job? Things to know about the work of an L&D staff

The learning and development staff plays a critical role in ensuring a smooth running of corporate training and development activities. In this article, we will take a look at who L&D staff are, what their responsibilities are, as well as their skills and competencies.

What is a learning and development job?

Basically, learning and development (L&D) is essentially a job that focuses on providing as well as managing job-related training to employees and/or individuals. L&D professionals are usually responsible for developing the capabilities and practical skills of a workforce – with roles ranging from the design and management of learning programs to the practical training itself. This is an amazing career for individuals who consider themselves to be great communicators, and especially those interested in a career where they help others develop their skills at work.

Things to know about the work of an L&D staff

Job functions

The job of an L&D specialist is mainly operational. This includes:

  • Designing, conducting, and organizing training programs that are aimed at improving employee performance and also guarantee organizational productivity. The roles vary from company to company, but the emphasis still remains on the implantation and design of training programs, including the facilitation and delivery of those programs.
  • An L&D specialist also comes up with content that’s used in various types of training, which includes participant materials, videos, interactive eLearning, and practical exercises.  
  • Helping with the development and communicating of a substantive professional development curriculum.
  • They track and reports the results of the training outcomes
  • Assist/support the assessment process of training needs for the new and existing employees.

What are the key skills and competencies of an L&D staff?

Excellent research skills – research is one of the most important skills for L&D professionals. And by research, we mean online research where you look for the latest trends and incorporating them into their training strategies.

Analysis and strategy skills – the work of an L&D strategy is based on an analysis of training needs that eventually leads to a strategy. The analysis in this case includes short and long-term company goals as well as defining the specific training needs that will enable the company to realize these goals. The strategy created from this analysis serves as a guide to the L&D role, and everything else, including learning materials, personal L&D plans, as well as changes to the organization’s goals, will be based on it. So, any specialist must be able to do the analysis.

Solid communication skills – for any L&D professional, strong communication skills are super crucial, as most of their jobs involve talking to people they are training. Being able to explain concepts, listen to the employers and understand their concerns, and then offer reliable solutions is something that these professionals must be adept at as well.

Exceptional organizational skills – L&D staff need to have outstanding organizational skills given that they will need to allocate time, money, as well as resources in the best way possible. Also, as most of these professionals work on several projects at a go, they must be able to manage their time well, so as to ensure that they meet the deadlines, more so avoid backlogs.

Conclusion

L&D career is the most crucial in modern times given how crucial training and development actually is for business prosperity. It is the most sought-after job, especially in Singapore, and not showing any signs of slowing down any time soon.