HR/Learning and Development

[Brootul]

Hello,

Would anyone currently working in Learning and Development be willing to give me a brief overview of what their job entails?

I'm considering specialising in this area but would be interested to hear some first hand experiences if anyone is willing to share?!

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Not my specialism, I'm generalist HR, but have worked closely with them.

From what I've seen, you've got to love admin and data analysis.

When I was HR admin, our L&D admin had much more repetitive work. Book training, set up rooms, book catering, liaise with training suppliers, argue over invoices, liaise with trainees, print off training packs, collect feedback. It was much more straightforward admin/event organisation than HR, if you see what I mean.

At higher levels, they do a lot of data analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of training, and work with other departments to agree and develop training programmes appropriate to each department. Also involved in graduate schemes, apprenticeships, induction events, internal development schemes.

They are not often involved in delivering training themselves.

That's my experience. To me, it looks boring, but I'm sure people love it, but more admin/analysis/project management type work than HR side, so it's not for me.

As a generalist, I've always got involved with designing and delivering training more than them, if that's what interests you? Eg, where I am now our L&D team have agreed with directors a new programme of management training for new line managers. But it's back to us generalists to design the actual content and deliver it.

Thanks for your detailed response, that's really helpful! Data analysis doesn't excite me in the slightest and I hadn't anticipated it being so admin heavy.

Interesting take from Hollyhocks - very different from mine which just goes to show the potential variety. I’m more senior now (Director level) but when in more L&D Advisor type roles I did training design and delivery mostly - working with the business on what they needed to achieve company objectives, then sourcing training (either by developing it ourselves or outsourcing), delivering it, evaluating it, etc. We had admin people and analysts so I didn’t do that side at all p - eg my admin support did all the leg work re room booking, and organising of logistics, she also did monthly analysis for me to include in management reports. I also managed programmes like Modern Apprentices and various management training programmes, contracted with web designers for online training, etc. Loved it, it’s great!

The L&D team I've worked with did huge amounts of data analysis, running quarterly surveys, implement the learning platform. They did create and deliver training but it was probably only 20% of their day job the rest was admin and reporting. I love that side of things but hate the idea of running courses that people don't really appreciate

I'm in L & D but as an instructional designer. Love my job as it's a small company so very diverse.

I work in one of the best L&D custom content vendors in the UK ( not pitching but we are honestly in a group of vendors recognised as leading).

So my main client base is CLOs, L&D managers and directors.

From a slightly outside position they seem mostly like happy, interested and interesting people. CLOs will acknowledge that their challenges are sometimes around proving the business impact of what they do. L&D directors often talk about their broader intiatives around behaviors- whether that's learning for leadership, DEI or transformation type topics. For L&D Managers and more frontline roles we hear about more tactical issues often - completion, compliance learning and managing cohorts / LMS functionality / VILT & ILT attendance, basic course creation type of things.

Some Organisations are much more mature than others in how they view learning, and those ones tend to allow for a more creative- human-led approach rather than basic metrics.

I know this is a simplified view and from an outside in perspective but hope it adds something helpful

I've worked in training providers - classroom delivery, e-learning providers (I was in the very early stages and it was an exciting industry and great to see how it's progressed and evolved). I've also worked for large consultancy firms on different business transformations in the learning, change, comms space.

What I loved as an external person was constantly having to learn new things - new industries, new processes, new ways of working, new systems and software.
Being a course designer needs great attention to detail, the ability to break things down into detailed parts of the process. You need to be able to write well....whether that's content, instructions to designers, scripts etc

You have to work with all sorts of different people in the business, tease out their expertise and capture it.

I was able to travel quite well and worked on several projects where I either delivered training internationally or had to go to meet clients in different countries.

I loved it.

I stopped when I had kids and became a home based ID contractor. Whilst some of the work was the same - I hated being home based. So I've moved out the industry to another role....not in L&D, but fits with my family.

@Mumdiva99 sounds like you and I were in similiar fields - so you mind me asking which industry you are in now?

Currently in a school just up the way from where I live. (I've been a school governor for a number of years....so using some of that knowledge). I'm earning a quarter of a L&D professional.....working as hard as ever. But......I do get the holidays when I can be with my kids. I'm still in my honeymoon phase where I am learning lots. And it's a great team - which is what I wanted. I am not sure what my future direction will be.....(this has been great for getting back to full time out the house working...but my pension could do with a bigger boost. Lol.) I would love to bring together some of my skills.....

I'm currently studying the L&D level 5 diploma. There's been no data analysis and I'm nearly finished the course. I'm a bit worried to be honest as I was hoping to have learned a bit more about data analysis, evaluation, surveys etc. I'm not sure if that comes with the level 7 course or with experience, but I can't afford to do the next level, and I can't do the job without that knowledge or experience. TBH I haven't enjoyed the course much.

It might be worth exploring online courses for data analysis and course evaluation - some options will be free but there might be microcredentials you could do on places like FutureLearn. (Microcredentials have a cost but they're cheaper than CIPD L5/ L7.)

There are also virtual internships/case experience on data analysis on Forage, although I'm not sure how access works if you're not registered as a student.

For example

www.theforage.com/virtual-internships/prototype/hzmoNKtzvAzXsEqx8/Data-Analytics-Virtual-Experience?forceFastTrackV2=true

General link in case that one breaks

www.theforage.com/course-catalog