It is no great surprise that training and development have a direct (and profound) impact on employee engagement. We all want to improve, to grow and to contribute. We want to know how to advance in our field and what that next step is. Despite this, the reality is, many universities struggle to provide structured support that meets the needs of their employees.

Across the higher education sector, 62% of employees feel they receive the training and development required for their roles. However, there is a notable gap between professional services staff and academics — 65% of professional services employees report having the development opportunities they need, compared to just 58% of academic staff.

Career progression is another area of concern. Only 46% of higher education employees believe their career development aspirations are being met. So what can we do to turn this situation around and help employees feel more supported in their career development?

Addressing issues relating to training and development requires practical steps that improve transparency, access to training and alignment between roles and progression opportunities. We work with over 75 universities in the UK and abroad, carrying out higher education staff surveys to understand their employee experience, while giving practical steps towards improving it. A number of our clients have contributed measures they have put in place in order to improve and strengthen training and development within their HEIs.

How universities are addressing training and development

Let’s look at the seven most effective, meaningful measures universities are exploring today.

1. Identifying skills gaps through structured conversations

Regular one-on-one meetings provide universities with a direct way to assess employees’ skill gaps and career aspirations. These conversations focus on workload, role clarity and professional growth, helping employees pinpoint areas for development.

By combining individual discussions with structured skills assessments, universities can align training and development initiatives with real needs. It’s been shown that professional development plays a key role in retention, particularly for early-career academics. When employees see a clear link between training and career growth, they see more of a future at your institution and engagement increases.

2. Creating clear career development plans

Some universities are now implementing structured career development plans to help employees map out their progression. These plans include clear goals, actionable steps and defined pathways to advancement.

Employees who have a clear internal progression route are more engaged and less likely to leave their organisation. Without formal career planning, universities risk losing talent to institutions that offer better-defined opportunities.

3. Aligning job roles with professional growth

A well-structured job specification should provide employees with clarity on their role and how it connects to their career progression. However, many HE employees struggle to see how their current role supports their future aspirations — or even how they will advance within their institution, or in what time frames.

Universities are addressing this by aligning job descriptions with training and development plans. Some institutions are now revising job specifications to include required competencies for future roles. This approach helps employees understand which skills they need to develop to advance within their institution.

4. Providing tailored training opportunities

One-size-fits-all training rarely delivers the best outcomes. Universities are now offering tailored training and development programmes designed for specific groups of employees.

For example, academics often benefit from training focused on securing research funding or leadership development, while professional services employees may require support in areas such as project management or digital skills. When employees see a direct link between training and their job performance, they are more likely to engage with development opportunities and apply newly acquired skills day-to-day.

5. Improving transparency in promotion and career advancement

Many employees feel uncertain about what is required to advance within their institution. To address this, universities are making promotion criteria more transparent and linking training and development opportunities to career progression.

Some institutions are introducing clearer competency frameworks and structured mentoring schemes to help employees understand the steps needed for advancement. By removing ambiguity, universities are helping employees make informed decisions about their career development.

6. Allocating dedicated time for training and development

We never seem to have enough of it, and in fact, a lack of time is one of the biggest barriers to professional growth. To resolve this, universities are now setting aside dedicated time, such as a fixed afternoon each week, for employees to engage in training and development.

Providing protected time for development signals an institutional commitment to employee growth, and we know that employees who regularly participate in professional development are more productive and report higher levels of engagement.

7. Reviewing development plans on an ongoing basis

Training and development should not be treated as a one-off activity. Universities are embedding regular check-ins to review progress, refine development plans and adjust training programmes based on changing needs.

Traditional annual performance reviews often fail to capture real-time development needs. Institutions are now shifting towards more frequent career conversations, allowing employees to track progress and update their goals throughout the year. This approach makes training and development more relevant and responsive to individual and institutional needs.

The role of employee listening in training and development

Effective training and development rely on universities understanding the needs of their employees. Institutions that actively listen (through structured conversations and employee surveys) are better placed to offer meaningful opportunities for growth.

When employees feel their aspirations are valued, engagement and retention improve. Investing in development is not just about meeting immediate skills gaps but about creating an environment where employees feel supported in their long-term careers.

To strengthen training and development, universities need clear insights into how employees perceive current opportunities and where improvements are needed. Employee surveys provide valuable data, allowing institutions to refine their programmes and address concerns before they impact retention.

If you want to understand how employees at your institution feel about training and development, get in touch to learn more about a higher education staff survey.

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