Providing great employment opportunities for young people early in their career journeys requires an extra investment of time, support, and resources, but it is worth it. Investing in their training and development helps to boost employee retention and job satisfaction, foster promising talent, and inject innovation and new ideas into your organisation.
Good training and development plans are essential for supporting the young people working for you. In this post, we will share seven top tips to help you create and implement plans that work.
1. Tailor each plan to the individual
Everyone has a unique story and background. The young people you hire will have a range of skill sets, professional experiences, life experiences, and career aspirations. Consequently, every development plan must be unique and tailored to the individual. There is no “one size fits all” here.
Take the time to understand each young person’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals (both long-term and short-term) and to create a plan accordingly. This should be a collaborative process that involves regular conversations, feedback, and evaluations.
2. Set SMART goals
For a training and development plan to be effective, it is vital that both you and the young person understand the learning objectives and outcomes. In other words, what do you want them to do and what do you want them to learn or gain from the experience?
Work with the young person to set a small series of goals. These should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Avoid vague goals or those that are difficult to quantify.
Example: “improve your confidence” is not a SMART goal. “Take a course in presentation skills so that you can confidently deliver a presentation on your project at the whole-team meeting in June” is a SMART goal.
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Become a Member3. Cater to different learning styles
Everyone learns differently. Some people prefer classroom-style learning, while others are more hands-on. Some like written material, and others prefer audio or video content. Offer various learning options to cater to these different styles and preferences wherever possible.
For example, you might offer:
Formal training sessions or seminars
On-the-job learning experiences such as job shadowing or having a go at a new task
Workshops
E-learning modules
Networking opportunities
Mentorship programmes
Aim to provide a varied menu for each individual so they can build their own development plan that suits their goals and learning style.
4. Break big tasks into smaller steps
An ambitious training and development plan can be a good thing, but it can also be overwhelming if it doesn’t seem achievable. Break down large tasks or goals into smaller and more specific steps. This helps to map out a plan for how those big goals will be achieved.
Example: perhaps one of your team members wants to be promoted to a management role someday but does not know how to get there. Examples of small steps could include taking a leadership course, leading a small group or project, or taking on a mentorship role for a newer employee.
5. Facilitate networking and mentorship opportunities
Interacting with as many different people as possible is a vital part of many young employees’ development journey. Don’t forget to incorporate networking, peer learning, and mentorship opportunities into your training and development plans.
Create opportunities for your young employees to collaborate with their peers and network with more senior staff. Encourage cross-team collaboration and knowledge sharing. If you have the resources, a formal mentorship programme is a fantastic investment.
6. Incorporate regular feedback and support
Young people who are early in their careers may need a little extra support in their training and development journey. As you create a development plan, don’t forget to ask about what support each individual thinks they might need. Aim to foster an open and communicative environment where they can come to you with questions or concerns in a way that works for both of you.
Providing regular feedback is crucial, too. This enables your young employees to understand how they are doing and how their plans are progressing. Schedule regular check-ins, one-on-ones, and performance reviews to discuss their progress, address any challenges, and provide constructive feedback.
7. Adjust the plans as you go
Training and development plans are living documents that will and should change regularly. You will need to implement ways to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of each employee’s plan, such as gathering feedback and tracking key performance indicators.
As each individual progresses, you will need to revisit their plan and add to or revise it accordingly. It is also normal for young people’s short, medium, and long-term career aspirations to change as they learn more about their field, their role, and themselves. This, too, will require you to make adjustments to fit with their new goals.
Identifying a process for feedback and adaptions is critical so that you, your wider team, and the young person on board are able to communicate effectively, without feeling interrupted or overwhelmed.
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