When adults receive more training and further their knowledge, they often find that they can bring more to their role. However, it’s possible that many people think that they can’t speak to their employer and ask them for education funding. Perhaps they believe that this is an inappropriate question to ask, or they don’t think that their employer would agree. In reality, employees that have been invested in by their place of work often have a higher well-being and are more productive — bringing more to their company.

What’s the best way to deal with this situation? There are certain things to remember when approaching an employer and asking them for training. Members of the Newcastle College adult learning department give us their advice:

Find out about the training options

One thing you should do before approaching your employer is find out about the training options available to you. With many training and education providers, you’ll find that there are a range of courses and options available. From night courses to part-time degrees, to higher apprenticeships, you can find a course that will fit nicely around your work/life balance.

Remember that there are more options than university when it comes to furthering your education and qualifications. Speak to your local college and visit their website to see what they have to offer — it’s likely that they run a course related to your field or around a topic that you’re interested in.

Tell your employer about course flexibility

It’s natural for your employer to want your work productivity to be unaffected by extra training. Again, this is all about doing your research and demonstrating to your boss that there are flexible courses out there – designed for workers like you!

It’s true that for many courses, you can be assessed on the job to receive your qualification. This means that you wouldn’t be sacrificing any working hours for exams and your ability to complete tasks at work shouldn’t be affected.

Take the time out to ask your local college about module structure and ways of assessment.

Your training can benefit the business too

Make your boss aware of the benefits you can bring to the business once you advance your learning and training?

It’s possible that your extra training could fill a knowledge gap in the company. This is knowledge you can share with your colleagues. It’s also possible that after your training, you could be bringing in financial benefits for the business, for example if it means they don’t have to employ somebody else to fill a role or an external company to pick up that area of work. Think about what your new qualification could allow you to do and present this to your employer when asking the question.

For many employers, they like to know that their workforce is happy and content. Let your employer know what this training would mean for you. Will it make you feel more confident in your role? Or, more valued and empowered? If so, express these feelings to your boss.

Give them all the information upfront

Bring together all the information that your employer needs before you ask the question. This allows them to fully review all the information at a later date and saves them from doing in-depth research themselves.

This information could be; module overviews, assessment methods, course testimonials and information about websites or open days so that they can find out more if they want to.

Bear in mind that you will have to commit some of your own time to further your education. This is especially true if your employer isn’t able to give you time away from the workplace. Make sure your employer knows the sacrifices you are willing to make to improve your performance at work.

Follow our top tips for approaching your employer. Don’t be afraid to ask the question — you and your employer can both enjoy the many benefits.