L&D is often delivered as a series of well-designed but disconnected interventions. Yet employees rarely seek isolated learning experiences – what they want is to understand what learning leads to. Sukh Pabial proposes ways in which L&D can better deliver meaningful career growth.
Sometimes it can feel like L&D is tasked with delivering every kind of development solution needed in an organisation.
From induction programmes to management development, coaching provision and digital learning, the remit is broad and often fragmented. Senior leaders and executives frequently have their own tailored experiences layered on top.
While each of these solutions is usually well designed and delivered against a specific objective, they are often done so in isolation from one another. In the meantime, people at work aren’t looking for isolated interventions. They’re often looking for a solution that leads to something.
Does X or Y person in the team need presentation skills training? Probably. But once they’ve completed the course, what does it enable next? Are they eligible to be part of the next pitch to a client? Are they responsible for providing project updates? Are they going to be delivering talks to senior leaders regularly? What is the next thing they’ve unlocked?
Similarly, if someone completes a piece of digital learning, what skill set are they developing? What does this subsequently enable? Are they then expected to take on certain projects? What is the next stage of career development?
This is where L&D needs to take a step back and understand how to create a logical thread of development for an organisation.
The starting point is personal capability. What are the core skills required for someone to be successful and in what ways can those skills be developed? Some will need in-person learning, others require longer-form training – such as a qualification or certification. Some might need digital learning that provides breadth and depth of knowledge.
The important thing is that it’s the collection that, added together, means the individual reaches a career growth point. Maybe that’s eligibility for the next role, or taking a senior role and expanding responsibilities. Maybe it’s taking a sideways move and doing a different role to expand the personal capability.
That’s where talent management and talent development becomes a core business capability. People want to know how to progress their careers in a business. If people are good at what they do, and want to continue being a great individual contributor, what does that look like? How do they ensure they don’t fall behind in their skills, knowledge and experience? If they want to become more senior in their role, what are the career pathways? What is the required learning and development? What is the approximate timeline? What are the necessary behaviours and ethics?
This is also where L&D must understand the leadership structure and what it requires from a talent and learning perspective. What does progression actually look like at each level? What do they need to become not only a fully competent and capable front-line manager, but also a leader who develops their team, and provides great team inclusion?
If someone is ready to be a middle-manager, what skills are needed that are different to those of a front-line manager? How do they develop them? What are the expectations of this role and where do they learn more?
As a senior executive, what is the skill set of this role? What are they achieving at this level that a front-line manager couldn’t achieve? Are there a specific number of years required to take on a senior role? Are there required projects, or required business outcomes before you achieve that level? What are the senior level behaviours and ethics needed? How long might they need in a role before progressing, and what signals readiness for the next step?
This is where L&D professionals can become not only more strategic, but endeavour to make sure their work is embedded into the fabric of the organisation in such a way that makes sense for people’s development and career progression.
About the author
Sukh Pabial is Senior Learning Strategist at Challenging Frontiers
This article was first published in Learning Magazine Special Edition 2026. Click here to read the full edition.