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View full libraryA training and development plan for identifying an employee's learning needs, agreeing development objectives and recording the training, support and practical actions needed to build their skills, knowledge and capability.
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This template brings together the key information, sections and considerations you need to create a clear, comprehensive and professional HR document.
| Employee name | |
| Job title | |
| Department / team | |
| Manager | |
| Plan date | |
| Review date |
Summarise the employee's current skills, knowledge and experience and identify the main areas where development is required.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
| Development need | Objective | Development activity | Responsibility | Target date | Outcome / review |
Record any support, resources, equipment, study time, coaching or other arrangements needed to complete the development activities.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
| Date of review | |
| Progress made | |
| Development completed | |
| Further action required | |
| Next review date |
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
This plan records the development priorities and actions agreed between the employee and manager. It should be reviewed and updated as development progresses or circumstances change.
| Employee name | ____________________________________________ |
| Employee signature | ____________________________________________ |
| Date | ____________________________________________ |
| Manager name | ____________________________________________ |
| Manager signature | ____________________________________________ |
| Date | ____________________________________________ |
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This training and development plan provides a structured record of an employee's learning and development priorities. It helps managers and employees identify the skills or knowledge to be developed, agree practical actions and track progress over time.
The plan can be used to identify gaps between the employee's current skills, knowledge and experience and the requirements of their role or future responsibilities. Development needs may arise from performance discussions, appraisals, changes to the role, new systems or equipment, career aspirations or organisational priorities.
Each development priority can be turned into a clear objective, making it easier to understand what the employee is expected to learn or achieve. Objectives should be realistic and relevant to the employee's role, with an appropriate timescale for completion.
The plan can record the most appropriate way of developing each area, which may include formal training, coaching, mentoring, job shadowing, e-learning, practical experience or supervised work. It can also identify the support, resources and time needed to complete the activity.
Development should be reviewed rather than treated as a one-off activity. The plan provides a simple record of progress, completed actions, learning outcomes and any further support or development required, helping ensure agreed development activity leads to practical improvements in capability and performance.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Training and development plan, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
A performance appraisal form for recording a structured review of an employee's performance, achievements, objectives, development needs and priorities, providing a clear record of the discussion and actions agreed for the next review period.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Training and development plan should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
The plan will normally be completed jointly by the employee and their manager. The manager can identify role-related requirements and provide appropriate support, while the employee should have an active role in identifying development needs and agreeing how they can be addressed.
A useful plan should identify the development need, the objective to be achieved, the activity that will support it, who is responsible, the expected timescale and how progress or completion will be assessed. This makes the plan practical rather than simply becoming a list of courses.
No. Depending on the development need, effective learning may come from coaching, mentoring, job shadowing, supervised experience, e-learning, practical assignments or taking on additional responsibilities. The most appropriate method will depend on what the employee needs to develop.
There is no single review frequency that suits every employee. Progress can be discussed during regular one-to-ones, performance reviews or other agreed meetings, with additional reviews where a development activity has a specific completion date or requires closer support.
AI can generate a generic development plan, but HRDocBox provides structured, UK-focused HR documentation designed around common employer processes. This plan helps managers and employees move from identifying a development need to agreeing practical actions, responsibilities and review arrangements, creating a useful record without unnecessary administration.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Training and development plan template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing learning and development HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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