In my previous article, The Skills We May Be Overlooking, I reflected on capability that may already exist within our organisations but remains hidden behind CVs and job titles.
Recognising that potential is important. But what happens when someone has many of the skills needed for a future role but not all of them?
We may identify the gap, recommend training and assume that development will follow. Yet for the person involved, the way forward may still be unclear.
A course can provide knowledge, but it does not always show someone how that knowledge connects with their role, a future opportunity or something the organisation genuinely needs.
This is where a development pathway can make a difference.
Someone may already have much of the capability needed for a future role.
The development question is not always how to begin from zero, but how to recognise what is already there and close the remaining gap.
I find that learning becomes more meaningful when people can see the connection between what they already know, what they need to develop and where that development could take them.
At ThinkPeople Nexus, we design Skills Development Pathways that turn an identified gap into a structured route for a priority role or capability. These pathways can bring together learning within the organisation, relevant digital content and other appropriate development options.
A targeted skills pathway addresses a defined gap. A broader career progression route considers movement and readiness across a wider career journey.
Both begin with the same principle: development should connect people’s potential with something the organisation genuinely needs.
When people can see the next step and understand why it matters, development becomes more purposeful for them and more valuable for the organisation.
Charmaine Farrugia
Leadership & Integration, ThinkPeople Nexus