How to Become a Learning and Development Manager

Learning and development managers are determined individuals who take the lead to ensure that the staff members are always progressing. 

If you have a passion for education and love learning new things yourself, you might excel in this career path. In the following guide, we will take a look at what L&D managers do, the qualifications and skills you need, and how to get started.

First things first, let’s talk about what a learning and development manager does. In short, this professional develops strategies to support the professional development of workers. 

That means managing L&D budgets, looking into e-learning opportunities, finding appropriate training programs, and ensuring that they are in place. The day-to-day tasks of a learning and development manager include the following:

The role of an L&D manager is vast and varied. You will find yourself looking at all areas of the business and figuring out where training is needed. That means that you will have to liaise with a variety of different departments and teams to get the job done. The fast-paced position is always changing, and you need to keep your finger on the pulse here. 

Of course, it’s worth noting that your job will vary greatly depending on the sector in which you work. When you’re looking into the available vacancies, it’s worth delving into the company and sector. The more research you do, the better you will understand the role.

If you’re looking into becoming an L&D manager, you may be wondering what qualifications you will need. While there is no specific certification you need here, it’s important to get the training that you need to do the job. Many learning and development managers have a bachelor’s degree in business management or a similar field. 

When you decide to go down this career path, you may also want to look into gaining a master’s degree. Aside from that, there are plenty of training programs you can consider. 

You may want to gain a learning and development certification or undertake a human resources course. These types of qualifications will give you the foundation that you need to excel in this role. You will gain an insight into how the business world works, the training opportunities that are out there for companies, and how your role plays a part in that. 

Now that you know what qualifications you need to become a learning and development manager, let’s talk about the unique skill-set it takes. Understanding the competencies that you need is the first step in this process. Here are some of the skills you should have:

When you first get started in the world of learning and development, you will need to hit the ground running, and you will find some of the above skills in an L&D manager job description. Since your sole aim will be employee development, you will have to use your inner creativity to find the right development programs. That means using savvy development strategies, creating development plans, and overseeing it all to boot. 

How many years of experience does it take to become an L&D manager? While there is no static number, you will need some work experience before you can get started. The truth is that there are many routes to this fulfilling career path. Learning as much as you can about various training providers and learning strategies is the first step. 

You may work in the human resources department, in project management, or as a middle manager. When you get to this level, you can look into training as an L&D manager. If you have an interest in becoming a training and development manager, speak to the HR department. Letting them know that you want to train in this area may open the door. You can then undertake the online courses we have outlined here and get moving.

If you become a learning and development manager, you may wonder what the next steps are. Managing to land this role is a huge step. When you have worked in the role for a matter of years, you may be able to take another step on the career ladder to become a senior manager. Since the L&D manager is already a part of the management system, you can bet that there will be many more opportunities that come your way. For example, you may choose to go down the human resources management route and expand your skills.