How to persuade your manager to send you on a training course

You are responsible for your own skills development.

Of course, your manager also shares some of the responsibility for your skills development. But in a busy working day, managers look at their employees and see that they are skilled and have the competencies they need for their work, and do not necessarily see a need for development.

That is why you need to bring up the subject of further training and skills development yourself.

But how do you persuade your manager to send you on a course, to a networking group, to a conference or to some other form of continuing education that would be both exciting and develop your skills and strengthen your professional expertise?

It is a matter of preparing yourself well before you approach your manager, so that it is easy for them to say yes.

Get help preparing for the conversation with your manager here.

1 Remember that continuing education provides value for both you and your manager

It can be difficult to pitch the idea of continuing education to your manager.

Perhaps you yourself are holding yourself back, wondering whether you have the time and energy to learn new things. And can you even justify spending time on further training?

You may also be afraid of being turned down by your manager because you fear that they will not want to invest in you or will want you to develop in a different direction.

Don't give up on the idea of further training! If you don't develop professionally, it can end up affecting both your job satisfaction and job security. And a course or new skills can save the company both time and money in the long run.

4 good reasons why you should pursue further training now

2 Emphasise what the company, your manager and you will gain from your further training

When presenting your desire for further training to your manager, it is important to focus on what the company and your manager will gain from investing time and money in you.

Make a list of the skills you will acquire on the course and how you can use them in your work afterwards.

This will make it easier for your manager to see the return on investment that further training represents, especially if it can be used in the longer term.

Remember to be honest with your manager about your need for training or challenges. Your manager knows that if you are not happy as an employee, it may be more difficult to retain you.

3 Have facts about the training ready

Be prepared with information about the specific training offer:

• How much does it cost?
• When does it take place?
• Where is it located?
• How long does it take?

If your manager says no, it may be a no to further training at that time. Ask questions about what it would take to make it possible.

4 Make a plan for what will happen to your tasks while you are away

Provide your manager with answers to the questions that will arise if you are away from work.

Is there someone else who can take care of your tasks while you're away? Or will they just not get done? Or will you come back to a huge workload? If so, how can you solve that?

Think about it, plan your way out of it, and tell your manager about your plans.

5 Make a plan for how you can implement what you learn

Your manager needs to see the return on their investment – and you need to feel how motivating it is to gain new skills.

So make sure you set aside time to implement your new skills. It is important that there is acceptance and understanding that you need time to use what you have learned and that there is an understanding of the activities and changes this may entail.

Also commit yourself to telling your manager and colleagues what you have learned so that you can all benefit from your new knowledge.

6 Be prepared for your manager's alternative plans for you

Perhaps your manager does not agree that you should take the continuing education course you want because they have other plans for you.

Think through what you will do if your manager has a different wish for your development than you do, and perhaps even presents a specific course for you.

Ask openly about your manager's plan and wishes, but consider what you really want yourself – and feel free to ask for some time to think about it, and that you will talk again a week later. You can politely decline, for example, further training as a project manager and say that you would like to revisit the idea once you have gained more experience in the company.