Corporate training

Technology such as AI and automation is rapidly transforming the way businesses operate, creating new possibilities and changing the way employees carry out their work day-to-day. But for businesses to navigate this change effectively, they need the necessary skills. 

Recruitment alone can’t bring in the skills and knowledge required - existing employees need to upskill and learn how to apply this technology to their roles. This is where a well-designed corporate training programme can help, closing skills gaps and improving performance while preparing employees for change. 

Corporate training in a nutshell

• Corporate training means the learning provided by an organisation that helps employees learn new skills, knowledge and behaviours they can apply at work and in their careers.
• Training can take several forms, including in-person training courses, online learning, mentoring, workshops and more.
• While training can address an immediate need, like cybersecurity risk training, it can also prepare teams for longer-term change and help introduce new ways of working.

What is corporate training?

Corporate training programmes help businesses plan learning and development in line with the organisation’s goals. Unlike general learning, corporate training focuses specifically on workforce capability, equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge they can use in their roles to help carry out different tasks and projects.

While corporate training is often talked about alongside development, they aren’t necessarily the same thing. Training targets specific skills or business needs, while development focuses on longer-term career growth. Your corporate training strategy should focus on both to help boost employees’ current performance, while looking ahead to the future.

Why corporate training Is important

Skills are linked very closely to business performance. Without essential skills and knowledge, organisations could struggle to adopt technology, complete projects or meet their targets.

According to the World Economic Forum, 59% of employees will need some form of training by 2030. It also predicts that 39% of existing skills will change or become outdated in the next five years. Some of the key areas identified as the fastest-growing requirements include AI and data, networks and cybersecurity. 

While these are vital areas for businesses, investment isn’t keeping up with the demand. The Employer Skills Survey revealed UK employers spent £53 billion on training in 2024, which was a 10.2% reduction compared to 2022. Employees received an average of 3.6 training days a year.

While cutting training can produce short-term cost savings for businesses, the result can be wider skills gaps that take more time and money to fill in the long run. An effective corporate training programme can help ensure training remains consistent within the organisation, while continuing to address critical business needs. 

Types of corporate training

Corporate training varies depending on the goal, subject and the audience. Some examples of corporate training types include training course, online learning, professional certifications, workshops, on-the-job learning and coaching and mentoring. 

Corporate training can also be categorised into different groups, including onboarding and induction, technical skills training, leadership and management training and compliance. 

Some topics may also include several types of training, encompassing theory, software or equipment and practical applications. This is especially true for areas like AI, data and Cybersecurity. 

Bespoke vs off-the-shelf training

Corporate training can be flexible according to a business’ needs. There are standard courses which can appeal to a range of industries and sectors, or training can be more bespoke - each has its advantage.

Off-the-shelf training

Off-the-shelf training will use existing course content to educate on different skills, technology or industry standards. Off-the-shelf training offers:

• Faster implementation

• Access to established materials

• Predictable content and costs

• Certification options

Off-the-shelf training is particularly effective when it comes to wider skills training. This could include training in Microsoft Copilot, project management qualifications or cybersecurity certifications. 

If a company needs more in-depth or business-specific knowledge, however, an off-the-shelf course may not be the most suitable way to deliver the training.

Bespoke corporate training

Bespoke training involves learning developed or adapted for a particular organisation. This can ensure company systems and terminology are used, with examples related to real-life work scenarios. Some of the benefits of bespoke training include:

• Greater relevance to employees

• Alignment with business goals

• Consistent learning

• Opportunities to connect learning to workplace application

A bespoke programme will usually require more planning and investment, but can work effectively where skills and knowledge need to be delivered to a larger group that needs to have a shared level of understanding.

The right option for your business will depend on your business need, but is likely to include both off-the-shelf and bespoke corporate training options. Working with a provider like QA can help assess your business’ needs and put a suitable programme in place. 

How to build a corporate training programme

Creating a successful corporate training programme will connect learning to business objectives to help deliver measurable results. This can be structured in the following ways:

Connect training to your business strategy

Identify your business’ main priorities. If this includes adopting AI, digital transformation or improving cybersecurity, then training opportunities need to reflect these needs.

Create a corporate skills framework

Each role or team should have a list of essential corporate skills. This will help you find skills gaps, while helping you create suitable learning pathways. This can include both current and future needs.

Build a training portfolio

Build a portfolio that includes a mix of courses, workshops and digital learning. This can combine internal training platforms, as well as external training resources. 

Provide support to employees

Employees should be given the time and space to learn from managers to help ensure their skills can be applied carefully. A central learning and development team can help monitor participation and encourage or mandate take-up as required.

Embed learning across the organisation

The most successful employee training programmes are integrated across a whole business, with employees given the chance to use what they have learnt. This can be done through projects, mentoring and group tasks to help ensure knowledge and skills are used appropriately within the business. 

Measuring ROI

Measuring ROI will help establish whether or not your training is delivering value. These measures should be linked to your programme’s original goals, assessing whether productivity, error rates, employee retention, etc. have improved as a result of the training programme.

Creating baselines before the training programme commences gives you a starting point to measure from, helping provide comparisons later on. You can also ask for employee feedback and use performance reviews to provide further evidence of your programme’s effectiveness. 

Success isn’t just about completion rates, it’s about whether your employees are using their skills to improve business performance directly. 

An effective corporate training programme can close skills gaps and help your business use technology more effectively. Creating a programme that addresses business needs can result in measurable results that will help your business, and its workforce grow. 

Looking for corporate training? Get in touch with our team today.