What do L&D professionals do?
If you’ve ever seen someone grasp a concept and get excited about it during a training session, you can see why learning and development (L&D) is on the rise. Companies are investing heavily in employee development because people want to learn, and businesses need employees who can adapt. With the many changes in technology, the need for constant skill development, and the need for remote work shaping today’s workplace, L&D has become a valuable and secure career path.
So, what is L&D? Simply put, L&D professionals help people learn and grow on the job. They design training programs, identify what employees need to learn, create learning experiences, and help teams develop new skills. Whether it’s onboarding new employees, creating online training, or leading workshops, L&D teams are essential to shaping company culture and ensuring support for staff. However, there are many options in the L&D career path. Common roles include L&D Specialist, L&D Manager, Instructional Designer, Learning Business Partner, and Training Coordinator. Each role contributes to a different part of the learning process.
To succeed in L&D, you need strong communication skills, basic knowledge of instructional design, project management skills and confidence when you lead others. It’s also important to be comfortable with data, especially for measuring training results. More individuals are exploring careers in L&D as it is a creative job that requires strategic thinking and also allows for human contact. It’s perfect for people who enjoy helping others, solving problems, and designing effective learning experiences. Best of all, you don’t need an HR background to work in this field. This article explains well how to get into L&D, even if you’re just starting from scratch. Let’s begin.
Why choose a career in L&D?
Recently, companies are investing more and more in training their employees through upskilling and reskilling, which becomes part of the daily work. Thus, the demand for L&D professionals is increasing, making it a huge field for a long-term career.
One of the best things about working in L&D is the positive impact you have. You’re helping people improve and supporting employees who want to develop their skills, explore new roles, or gain confidence at work. When employees grow, so do companies. Therefore, good L&D programs can increase performance, promote engagement, and strengthen team relationships. Knowing that your efforts contribute to the growth of others and the success of the company is truly fulfilling.
L&D is also appealing because it offers different routes. You don’t need to follow a specific path to enter this field. L&D professionals come from many backgrounds, including HR, education, psychology, marketing, customer support, sales, and engineering. Most importantly, you have curiosity, empathy, communication skills and a willingness to help others learn. If you have experience explaining concepts, helping people, or creating content, you have a strong foundation.
How to Get Started in L&D: Step by Step
If you want to start a career in learning and development, the good news is that you don’t need a traditional background in the field. Many successful L&D professionals started out in different areas. You need to recognize your current abilities. Let’s walk through some first steps to start your journey in L&D.
Step 1: Assess your current skills
Before you start, think about what you’re already good at. L&D has professionals from many fields, such as HR, education, business, psychology, marketing, customer support, and operations. This is because L&D relies on skills such as communication, problem solving, empathy, planning, and understanding how people learn. So, if you’ve ever explained something clearly and systematically, helped co-workers learn a new process, or naturally supported others, you may already have the foundation to become an L&D professional.
Step 2: Acquire basic L&D knowledge
Once you know your strengths, you can begin to learn about learning and growth. Of course, you don’t have to go back to university for this. Many online courses teach the basics of L&D, such as instructional design, adult learning theories, and instructional best practices. A good place to start is with a course that offers a structured introduction to the field and helps you develop practical skills. Such courses can help you grasp the basics quickly and give you the confidence to move forward.
Step 3: Get certified
Certifications aren’t mandatory, but they can improve your reputation, especially if you’re changing careers. Accredited certifications, such as the Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) and ATD certification, as well as HR-based options such as SHRM, demonstrate that you understand L&D principles and are committed to the profession. See them as a way to gain confidence. When recruiters see this on your CV, they recognize that you are serious about the field.
Step 4: Start the building experiment
You don’t need L&D govt job to get experience. Look for small opportunities at your current workplace. For example, you could volunteer to lead a short training session for your team or update some of your company’s onboarding materials. Also, you can write a process that people often ask about or help a new employee with clear guidance. These small steps will help you practice key L&D skills and give you real examples to discuss later.
Step 5: Create a portfolio
Having a portfolio is very beneficial in learning and development. It shows employers what you can create. Start saving items like training slides, learning modules, how-to guides, implementation documents, and lesson outlines. Even if these items are small, they demonstrate your ability to design learning experiences.
Step 6: Network with L&D professionals
Finally, start networking with others in the L&D field. Join L&D communities, participate in discussions on LinkedIn, and attend webinars or conferences. These activities help you stay abreast of trends and can lead to job opportunities you might not find elsewhere.
Change in learning and development from other roles
Transitioning into a formal L&D role can be exciting but also overwhelming, especially if you come from a different field. The good news is that many L&D professionals began their careers in other areas, such as HR or teaching. What matters most is how you demonstrate your experience and understanding of L&D.
If you’re coming from HR, you have an advantage. HR professionals often understand employee needs, company culture, and talent development. At some point you may have helped board a ship, prepare guides, or coach employees, all jobs focused on learning. If you come from a different field, focus on any experience in training others, developing content, presenting information, or improving processes. These experiences are valuable for L&D expertise.
When you transition, having guidance can make a big difference. Finding a mentor in L&D, someone who knows the field and has experienced a similar journey, can save you time and help avoid confusion. Teachers can offer advice, feedback on your portfolio, and help you make connections. You can find them on LinkedIn, in L&D communities, or in professional associations.
Once you feel more confident, start applying for entry-level roles in L&D. Titles like Training Coordinator, Learning Administrator, L&D Assistant, or Instructional Design Intern are great for beginners. These positions help you understand how learning programs work behind the scenes and give you experience with LMS platforms, training logistics, content creation, and learning engagement, which are skills you’ll need in more advanced roles.
The result
Getting into L&D may seem overwhelming at first, but the truth is, you can start at all without any formal experience. Everyone starts somewhere, and small, practical steps make all the difference. Try designing a simple training guide, join an online L&D community, or start building a portfolio with examples of your work. The most important thing is getting started.
Questions
Start by identifying transferable skills from your current job, such as communication or project management. Take online courses or certifications in L&D, create mini-learning projects, build a portfolio, and network with professionals. Practical steps and consistent effort can help you break into L&D even without prior experience.
A typical L&D career path starts with entry-level roles, such as training coordinator or learning specialist, progressing to L&D manager, and ultimately to director or head of learning. Development includes gaining experience, improving technical and soft skills, and demonstrating the impact of learning programs on business performance.
Certifications validate your knowledge and increase credibility in L&D. Popular options include CPLP, ATD certification, and SHRM learning credentials. They help you gain expertise in instructional design, learning strategies, and assessment, increasing your chances of landing your first or more advanced L&D role.
Essential skills include communication, instructional design, facilitation, project management, and analytical thinking. Technical skills such as LMS management, learning tools, and learning analytics are increasingly important. Soft skills such as empathy, adaptability, and collaboration help L&D professionals create effective programs and connect with learners in diverse organizations.
Leverage your HR or teaching experience by highlighting transferable skills, such as training, mentoring, and curriculum design. Gain L&D-specific knowledge through courses or certifications, build a portfolio of small projects, and network with professionals. Start with an entry-level L&D role for easy transition into the field.
