Convince your boss to support your learning

Have you been looking for ways to develop your professional skills?  

Ongoing professional development training is one of the best ways you can continue to deepen your communication, relationship-building, networking and leadership abilities. Whether you work in animal health, manufacturing, hospitality or a related field, the right professional training will help you level up your knowledge and ensure you’re as fresh and up to date as possible. 

Before you enroll in a class or register for a conference you believe would be beneficial, it’s vital that you get your boss’ buy-in. Having your supervisor’s support is key when it comes to being able to take time off from work to attend the training and for having your organization financially support the experience. 

But what steps do you need to take? 

First, identify the training you’re interested in and how it will benefit you specifically. For example, if you want to enroll in our leadership series, review what you’ll learn in each session and consider how those skills will help you perform the duties of your job better. Maybe sessions on team evaluation will help you become a stronger manager or supervisor, while our session on providing and receiving feedback can strengthen your communication skills and deepen your ability to evaluate team performance, especially when dealing with challenging situations. 

Once you’ve identified how the training will benefit you in your role, you’ll want to put together key information to present to your boss. This includes the cost, of course, as well as what the learning outcomes for the course or seminar are. It’s important to understand that your leader will need to balance the anticipated cost with the training against the intended learning results. 

Meet with your boss in-person to discuss your request. A face-to-face conversation is one of the best ways to communicate, especially when you’re requesting that your supervisor invest in you. Showing that you’re willing to invest in preparing for and attending a meeting is one of the key ways you’ll be able to showcase the need you have for the additional training. 

It’s a good idea to bring several key points with you to the meeting.  

Consider sharing the following with your boss: 

• How your performance at work will benefit explicitly from the training 
• What the cost is – and what the value-add of the training is 
• How you’ll juggle or manage projects while you’re away for the training 
• Whether other associates or team members will benefit from the training 

After you meet with your supervisor, be sure to send them a follow-up email that includes all of the details from your meeting, as well as additional resources that might be helpful. For example, if the event you want to go to offers a multi-employee discount, let your supervisor know. You might also include information on early-bird discounts or follow-up courses that might be helpful. 

Finally, be sure to follow up with your boss after the two of you speak to ensure they know you’re serious about the proposal. Ideally, give your supervisor a few days to review the materials. Then, send a follow-up email or schedule another meeting to discuss logistics. 

Professional development opportunities are key if you want to grow in your career, so be sure to talk with your supervisor early about how you can best use professional events to your advantage.