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‘An awkward ask’ – onsite content
How to ask your boss for more training (without it being awkward!)
It’s completely natural to feel a bit awkward when asking for funding or support, especially if you're unsure about budgets or worry that it may come across as self-serving. But it’s important to reframe the conversation. Professional development isn’t just about personal gain; it’s a strategic investment that benefits the wider team and the organisation.
We spoke to our business development manager, Arwa Due-Gundersen, to uncover:
Why training and development is important in the workplace
Top tips for asking your workplace for training and development
Whether employee training is on the rise or just more recognised
The skills employers are prioritising and how to upskill effectively
The most-asked questions on requesting workplace training
Why is training and development important in the workplace?
Investing in training benefits both employees and the organisation – ongoing development is essential for a business to stay competitive and future-ready.
Our view on the importance of workplace training is explained by Arwa, “The strongest organisations are those that invest in their people, not just for who they are today, but for who they can become. Learning should empower every individual to grow with purpose, lead with confidence, and drive meaningful change in their work and the world.”
Studies suggest that companies further along in their upskilling journey are seeing significant improvements across key areas. According to PwC’s Annual Global CEO Survey(Opens in a new window), leaders at more advanced upskilling organisations report:
Improved workforce productivity (93%) – 16% higher than those just starting out
Better talent acquisition and retention (95%) – 25% higher than early-stage upskillers
Greater innovation and accelerated digital transformation (96%) – 27% higher than those at the beginning of their upskilling efforts
Arwa shares how employee training and development provides benefits to both the organisation and the individual:
“Innovation, efficiency and engagement are all driven by regular employee upskilling. Organisations can expect benefits like improved business resilience, reduced recruitment costs and a team that’s future-proofed. For individuals, it can translate to increased confidence, improved career prospects and a stronger sense of value at work.”
Reduced recruitment costs stem from improved retention rates – McKinsey’s global research(Opens in a new window) found that 41% of employees quit their last role due to a lack of career advancement and development opportunities. This was the most common reason for quitting among all survey respondents.
Asking your workplace for training and development – why you should do it and our top tips
Asking for training shouldn’t be as nerve-wracking as it can sometimes feel. Arwa says, “Employers are usually really open to these types of requests because the return on investment is tangible – upskilled staff contribute fresh ideas, improved productivity, and greater innovation.
“Most organisations allocate specific budgets for learning and development for this very reason. So instead of seeing it as an imposition, you should view it as a proactive step towards helping your business stay competitive.”
Arwa shares her top tips for asking for opportunities to upskill below:
1. Be prepared and do your research
Being prepped and ready before you speak to your employer will give you the most effective outcome. Take the time to understand how the training you’re requesting aligns with your current role and long-term career objectives. For your manager, an important consideration is also going to be the ROI for the business and you should be prepared to discuss this.
A short, clear business case is often the most persuasive approach. For instance, will this course improve your team’s capacity? Will it help address a current skills gap? Could it reduce the need for external hiring or consulting?
It’s good to be ambitious, but also make sure you’re being realistic. I would look for courses that deliver high value and clearly align with both your own personal growth and outcomes for your organisation as a whole.
2. Consider flexibility around your own workload
Short online courses may be a good option as they are designed specifically for working professionals. Consider what capacity you have to fit in additional training and ask your manager if there’s any movement if you have a tight schedule. Our courses generally require 4-8 hours per week over 6-8 weeks, making them manageable alongside full-time work, whereas intensive day sessions may require more flexibility from your workplace.
3. Start the conversation via email to reduce nerves
For those feeling nervous, I’d recommend drafting a brief email to start the conversation. This can be something informal yet focused on what you want to achieve. For example:
‘I’ve found a course that directly relates to my current responsibilities and could also help us move faster on [X] project. Would you be open to discussing whether professional development funding might be available for it?’
Starting the conversation can be the hardest part, so once you’ve made this step, your nerves should ease as it’s more than likely that your manager will be more supportive than you expected.
4. Look for courses priced at around 1-3% of your yearly salary
While it can vary by industry, at Cambridge Advance Online, we often see organisations using 1–3% of an employee’s salary as a benchmark for annual professional development spend. For more senior roles or strategic skill areas, that figure is often higher.
Top tips for employers, managers and HR leaders
To help staff feel supported in their growth, employees shouldn’t feel like they have to push for development on their own. Making training a priority offers benefits to the entire organisation and is usually most successful when opportunities are clearly explained, easy to access and actively encouraged.
Employers, managers and HR leaders can create a supportive environment by considering Arwa’s practical tips:
1. Protect your employees' time
Protecting time is really important to make sure staff actually have the space to learn. You can also offer specific group sessions or encourage informal skill shares, like a ‘lunch-and-learn’. People are more likely to ask for opportunities on their own if development is built into the day-to-day culture of the workplace.
2. Be transparent with available budgets
When employees know that a budget exists and that development is actively encouraged, they’re much more likely to come to you proactively with requests for training and request opportunities within the budget available to them.
3. Set training-related goals for your employees
Aim to make development pathways clearly visible, whether that’s through internal learning portals, goal-setting sessions, team meetings or regular performance reviews. This should naturally create a space where employees can feel comfortable speaking up.
4. Treat training as a strategic investment, not a one-off perk!
A well-designed training programme should be year-round, not a one-off. You’ll likely find that ongoing development will improve retention, boost performance, and help your business stay ahead of the curve. It’s worth choosing formats that make it easy for employees to apply new skills straight away. Short courses and bite-sized learning usually work well as they support ongoing development without pulling too much time from daily responsibilities.
5. Consider diversity in employee needs and plan for this upfront
Your employees will all have different needs, career goals and ways that they feel they learn best. You should allow staff members to share what works best for them and ensure training is accessible to everyone. One way of doing this is to offer a blend of technical, interpersonal and strategic content within your training programmes to meet different needs. You should also consider the stage of their career your employee is in – training isn’t just for junior team members:
Early career professionals typically benefit from training that helps them build confidence and improve technical fluency, foundational business or communication skills.
Mid-level professionals may require additional training in stakeholder management, team leadership and strategic planning, which helps bridge the gap between doing and directing.
Senior leaders are likely more interested in refreshing their knowledge base and upskilling to navigate changes in their industry. Topics like AI, sustainability and global strategy are generally beneficial, though sector-specific needs should be considered.
Employee training – on the rise or just more recognised?
The need for employee training and development is definitely becoming more recognised – Gartner reports(Opens in a new window) that 76% of organisations are currently significantly updating their leadership programs and planning to increase spending through 2025.
While this demand is now being met more effectively, even back in 2014, IBM found(Opens in a new window) that 42% of staff are more likely to stay in their job role when receiving the training they need to do their job properly, suggesting that it’s perhaps not the demand that’s changing, but rather employer attitudes.
UK search data does show that there has been a significant increase in interest around employee performance, training and development in recent years. Notably, searches around the topic of ‘job performance’ have soared by 700% over the last five years according to Google Trends, a clear indication that people are actively seeking out ways to grow their skills, meet expectations, and progress in their careers.
Similarly, search interest in ‘employee training’ has grown by 40% over the past five years, rising from 10,000 to 15,000 monthly searches. Searches for ‘upskilling’ have also increased by 57% over the same period, and are up 51% in the last month alone.
Specific trends relating to upskilling include:
Free upskilling courses (+450%)
Reskilling and upskilling (+150%)
Reskilling (+150%)
Upskilling courses (+120%)
Upskilling employees (+90%)
Employee upskilling (+40%)
These figures relate to changes in UK search interest over the last five years, according to data from Google Trends and Glimpse.
The skills employers are prioritising and how to upskill effectively
With the value of training and development clear, the next question is which skills to focus on and how you can approach your manager to support this growth. Recent LinkedIn data(Opens in a new window) points to relationship building, strategic thinking and AI literacy as some of the fastest-growing skills across the UK and strengthening your capabilities in these areas could play a key role in future-proofing your career. The top-ranked skills include:
Relationship Building
Strategic Thinking
AI literacy
Communication
LLM
Customer Relationship Management
Adaptability
Market Analysis
Data Management
Conflict Resolution
These are also key areas for managers and HR teams to focus on when upskilling their workforce. The table below includes Arwa’s top tips for requesting upskilling opportunities in these areas:
AI literacy
Making the request: AI is a top priority across industries. You can frame this around operational efficiency and future-readiness: ‘Building my AI literacy will enable me to identify ways we can work more efficiently, and it ensures we stay ahead of industry trends.’
Picking a course: Select a course that provides practical, non-technical insight into the use of AI in your sector. Some of our popular courses are:
Relationship-building skills
Making the request: Present this as a way to enhance cross-functional collaboration, client engagement or team leadership: ‘This course would improve how I engage with clients and colleagues, which directly impacts our delivery and team morale.’
Picking a course: Choose a course that covers:
Emotional intelligence
Stakeholder management
Strategic thinking
Making the request: Position this as a way to contribute more meaningfully to planning and long-term decision-making: ‘Developing my strategic thinking would help me identify trends and risks earlier, supporting our leadership and planning efforts.’
Picking a course: Look for content focused on:
Strategic frameworks
Innovation
For managers and HR leaders looking to implement training and development programmes in their organisation that cover a mix of key skillsets, Arwa says, “There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but I’d recommend focusing on three categories of training that reflect both current market trends and long-term capability-building”. These include:
Core business and strategic skills – such as strategic thinking, financial acumen, and project management. These underpin good decision-making and performance across roles.
People and communication skills – relationship building, influencing, negotiation and leadership. These are vital at every level, from early career professionals managing up to senior leaders managing change.
Emerging and technical skills – particularly in areas like AI literacy, data analytics, sustainability or digital transformation. These are increasingly expected across functions, not just in technical roles.
LinkedIn’s skill reports also highlight rising trends by sector, which provides a clearer picture of where to focus your training depending on your job role. Below, we explore some of these insights along with practical advice on accessing training in these areas.
Upskilling as a healthcare industry worker
According to LinkedIn’s ’Skills on the rise in healthcare’ report(Opens in a new window), healthcare workers and managers should make training investments in the following areas:
Health Information Management
Immunisation
Strategic Thinking
Regulatory Compliance
Patient Administration
These skills are reportedly growing in demand the fastest, meaning that upskilling in these areas is a smart idea to encourage progression. Arwa suggests relating your request to common healthcare priorities. For instance,
Health Information Management
‘I’ve found a course that I think will help me better manage and interpret patient data. This supports our compliance efforts and will enable me to make more data-informed decisions day-to-day, which is an important part of my role.’
Immunisation
‘Immunisation is something which I’m going to need to develop my skills on to keep up with growing demands. Accessing training in this area will help me to understand new immunisation protocols, encourage me to contribute to our public health initiatives and also engage more effectively with clinical partners.’
Strategic Thinking
‘I would really like to improve my strategic thinking skills to support our work with long-term planning for health policy changes and service delivery models. Training opportunities in this area will be really beneficial to my skillset and the team as a whole, as I’ll be better placed to anticipate risks and prepare future responses.’
Arwa adds, “Highlighting the fast-paced nature of the healthcare industry can also strengthen your case for training, particularly in areas like digital health, data governance, and public health.”
Upskilling in the finance sector
Topping the list of trending skills in the finance sector(Opens in a new window) is, perhaps surprisingly, not finance-specific, though it does reflect a skill we’ve seen in demand across the board:
AI Literacy
Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC)
Strategic Financial Management
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Valuation
Year-End Accounting
Arwa shares advice on how finance professionals can strengthen their AI literacy, alongside other important core skills:
“Start by looking at skill-based training opportunities that align with your personal development goals, the wider financial landscape and the priorities of your organisation.
“The trending skills listed here are a good starting point, especially with the increasing focus in the financial sector on regulatory change and risk management. The newness and rapid growth of AI technology will also support your need to upskill in this area. Try to link any skill-building opportunities to areas your employer is likely to value, such as cost control, compliance, or strategic investment planning.”
Suggestions for these types of training requests include:
AI Literacy
‘I’ve spotted a training course that will help me explore automation in forecasting, fraud detection, and customer insights. With the rapid growth of AI, I think this is something we need to stay on top of – AI literacy training will help us be more efficient and incorporate AI within our processes more effectively.’
Governance, Risk Management and Compliance (GRC)
‘I’m conscious of the importance of GRC to our industry and I think it would be beneficial for me to top up my knowledge. I’ve found a training opportunity that will help us make better decisions around risk while ensuring we remain audit-ready and regulation-compliant.’
Strategic Financial Management
‘As we’ve been talking more about long-term planning recently, I’d benefit from some training in strategic financial management to help support this. It will also improve my ability to explore financial sustainability at a strategic level. I’ve found a course that looks like a good fit, what do you think?’
Upskilling as an information technology employee
In the information technology sector, we’re not surprised to see AI literacy once again be one of the fastest-growing skills. Alongside AI upskilling, LinkedIn’s ‘Skills on the rise in IT’ report(Opens in a new window) suggests that those in the industry will want to focus their training and development on the following areas:
Technical Documentation
Ticketing Systems
AI Literacy
Incident Response
Threat & Vulnerability Management
Arwa says, “When requesting training in the IT sector, I would frame your request around your organisation’s digital transformation or innovation initiatives. You could explain how keeping your skills up to date can reduce downtime, improve systems and support innovation.”
For instance, ‘The IT landscape evolves quickly and training would help me stay ahead of trends like AI integration while supporting more efficient service delivery.’
By linking your request to these broader priorities, you’re more likely to show how the training adds value not just to your role, but to the wider business. Specific examples can be found below:
Technical Documentation
‘I could improve the efficiency of our team if I had some time to learn more about technical documentation and develop my skills in this area. This course I found would help me boost cross-team collaboration, create clearer handovers and help our systems be more maintainable.’
Our Managing Software Architecture course helps you learn to document software designs in a way that streamlines communication, helps manage complexity and keeps teams aligned on goals.
Ticketing Systems
‘I’m keen to introduce advanced ticketing tools and systems to our workplace – is this something I could get some more training on? It will help streamline our workflows, reduce response times and strengthen the quality of support.’
AI Literacy
‘Improving our AI literacy as an organisation will help us explore automation opportunities and future-proof our systems. This is really important as AI continues to develop and I’ve found a training course that could offer what we need and make sure we don’t fall behind.’
Your most-asked questions on requesting workplace training
To understand what people in the UK are most concerned about, we reviewed AlsoAsked data(Opens in a new window) to answer the questions being searched for most often alongside ‘asking workplace for training’.
From asking politely to whether it’s appropriate to request training in a job interview, here are some quick and practical answers to your most-searched queries:
How do you politely ask for training?
Most managers will be open to (and should encourage!) your professional development, so politely requesting training shouldn’t be something to be worried about. Thoroughly research appropriate courses that match the needs of your team and can help you build on your skillset, then clearly communicate why the training will be beneficial. Professionally and politely explaining your reasoning while providing an appropriate business case like this can go a long way in contextualising your training request, making it more likely to be approved!
Can an employer refuse training?
Your employer isn’t obliged to accept your training request, though most organisations will have specific budgets for learning and development and will actively encourage employees to use these for upskilling. Some reasons your request could be refused include budget constraints, timing conflicts or if the course is not directly relevant to the business’s needs.
To minimise the likelihood of refusal, be prepared, communicate clearly and be aware of any budgetary requirements. Being flexible in course delivery (such as online) can also save costs and time, which might help to strengthen your case.
If your request is declined, ask for feedback and use that to make a better case next time. This should include finding out if it’s a hard ‘no’ or if there’s the possibility to revisit the opportunity in the future. This feedback should help you identify why your request was declined and ensure any future training requests are more mutually beneficial.
Can you ask about training in an interview?
Absolutely, and it’s a smart move as it shows you’re invested in long-term growth and keen to contribute more to the business over time.
It can feel daunting to ask when you’re meeting a prospective employer for the first time, but if development support could impact your decision to take the role, it’s worth bringing up.
Your interviewer will likely ask if you have any questions at the end of your conversation and if it hasn’t come up naturally already, this can be a good moment to ask something like, ‘What kind of learning and development support does the company offer?’.
It shows ambition and will also give you a better sense of how much the organisation values ongoing development.
How do you tell your boss you need better training?
Clearly communicating with your manager or boss is really important to make sure that the time and money spent on your training is mutually beneficial for your development and your team’s needs. If you feel like you’re not receiving appropriate training, you should identify why that is and how training can be recalibrated to better benefit you and your team.
Rather than flagging training as inappropriate, try saying something like, ‘I’d love to grow my skills in this area so I can contribute and deliver more effectively to the team [in the following ways]. I’ve identified a course that seems like a strong match – would you be open to discussing whether there’s support available for it?’
This opens a constructive conversation that focuses on growth, rather than gaps, to help keep the tone positive and respectful.
Take the first step towards career development
If you’ve been hesitant to ask for development opportunities, know that you're not alone and that the conversation is likely to be more welcomed than you think.
With the right approach and preparation, asking for training doesn’t have to be daunting. In fact, it could be the first step to driving value, innovation, and resilience within your team. To make the first step towards career advancement, discover our full range of online training and development courses, or keep reading to learn more about advancing your skillset:
Are you an employer? Explore our organisational page to see how we can partner with you on learning and development that drives real business growth.
About the expert
References
All research conducted to inform this article was completed in June 2025.
Search data sources include:
Sonia Arroyo
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