Starting a job is an achievement, but learning doesn’t stop once you’re employed.
As you become more confident in your role, you’ll naturally develop new skills, learn from the people around you and get better at the things you do every day.
Developing your skills can help you feel more confident at work, take on new responsibilities and open up opportunities for the future. This might mean improving something you already do, learning a completely new skill, completing training or gaining a qualification. You don’t need to have your whole career planned out. Small steps can make a big difference. Think about where you’d like to improve, what you'd like to learn next and what could help you move forward.
And remember, development isn't only about getting promoted. Becoming more confident, learning a new system, dealing with situations more independently or helping someone else are all signs that your skills are growing and you're progressing at work.
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Think about the skills that would help you in your current job or the type of work you might want to do in the future.
These might include:
Job-specific skills such as using equipment, software or particular systems
Communication skills such as speaking confidently with customers or colleagues
Organisation and time management
Teamwork and leadership
Digital skills
Problem-solving and decision-making
Qualifications or certificates needed to progress in your industry
You don’t need to improve everything at once. Choose one or two skills that would make the biggest difference to you.
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You don’t always need to go on a course. You could:
Learn from others: Ask an experienced colleague to show you how they do something or give you some tips.
Ask for more responsibility: Once you feel confident with your usual tasks, ask if there are other things you could learn or help with.
Use training at work: Find out whether your employer offers training, workshops, online learning or qualifications.
Practise: Sometimes the best way to improve is simply to do something more often. Give yourself time to learn from mistakes.
Learn outside work: Online courses, videos and local training can help you develop skills at your own pace.
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Your manager may not know that you want to develop unless you tell them.
You could say:
“I’d like to keep developing in my role. Are there any skills you think would be useful for me to work on?”
Or, if there is something specific you want to learn:
“I’d like to get better at ________. Is there any training or experience I could get to help me develop that skill?”
Regular one-to-ones, supervision meetings or performance reviews can be good opportunities to have this conversation.
Top Tips for Developing Your Skills
Start with one skill: Don’t try to improve everything at once. Pick one skill that would help you most in your current role or with your future plans.
Ask for feedback: Ask your manager or a trusted colleague what you’re doing well and where you could develop further.
Say yes to opportunities: Volunteering for a new task, project or responsibility can be a great way to learn while you work.
Learn from the people around you: Watch how experienced colleagues approach tasks and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Make use of training: Find out what training, qualifications, online learning or development opportunities your employer offers.
Keep track of what you learn: Make a note when you learn a new system, complete training or take on a new responsibility. These examples can be useful when updating your CV or applying for future roles.
Give yourself time: You don't have to be brilliant at something straight away. Developing a skill takes practice, and making mistakes is part of learning.
Activity
My Skills Development Plan: Choose one skill you would like to develop.
The skill I want to develop:
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Why would this be useful to me?
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How could I develop it?
For example: training, practising, shadowing someone, asking for feedback or taking on a new task.
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Who could help me?
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One thing I will do in the next month:
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Top Tip: Don't wait until you're looking for another job before thinking about your skills. Small improvements while you're working can build up over time and create new opportunities.