If you’re looking to develop your career, online training can be a time-efficient and affordable way to build your knowledge, strengthen your CV and prepare for greater responsibility.
Whether you’re aiming for your first promotion, changing career direction or simply want to add new skills to your existing experience, completing relevant courses can demonstrate that you’re committed to professional development.
Build knowledge alongside experience
Experience is important in almost every career, but training can help you develop the knowledge needed to take on new responsibilities.
For example, an employee moving into a supervisory or management role may benefit from health and safety training such as IOSH Managing Safely.
Someone working in the food industry may need appropriate food hygiene or HACCP training as their responsibilities increase. The right course won’t replace practical experience, but it can complement it.
Strengthen your CV
Relevant training can give potential employers a clearer picture of your knowledge and professional development.
Adding recognised courses and certificates to your CV may help demonstrate that you’ve actively developed skills beyond the minimum requirements of your current role.
The most useful training will depend on your career goals. There’s little benefit in collecting certificates simply for the sake of it. Instead, consider which skills or areas of knowledge are relevant to the roles you want to pursue.
Learn around your existing commitments
One of the biggest advantages of online training is flexibility. Traditional training can sometimes require you to take time away from work or travel to a particular location.
Online courses can often be completed around existing work and personal commitments, making them an accessible option for people who are already working full time.
This can be particularly useful if you’re trying to develop your career without taking a break from employment.
Prepare for greater responsibility
Career progression often means taking on responsibilities that you haven’t previously had. Additional training can help you prepare for that transition.
Someone moving into management, for example, may need to develop their understanding of workplace safety, employee wellbeing or risk management.
Completing relevant training before or alongside a promotion can help you build knowledge for your new responsibilities rather than learning everything once you’ve stepped into the role.
Support a career change
Online courses can also be useful if you’re considering moving into a different type of role. You may already have transferable experience but need to demonstrate knowledge of a particular subject.
Relevant training can help you explore a new area and identify whether it is something you’d like to pursue further.
Keep developing your skills
Career development isn’t necessarily about getting a promotion every year. Keeping your knowledge current can help you remain confident and adaptable as your role changes.
Refresher courses can reinforce existing knowledge, while new training can introduce you to subjects outside your current responsibilities.
Choose training with your career goals in mind
Online training can be a valuable part of career development, but the course you choose matters. Start by thinking about where you want your career to go, and you can then choose training that supports those goals.
Used this way, online learning can build relevant knowledge that can support your next step at work.
