Around 4 minutes to read · Updated 10 September 2026
Published by Serious Sports Training Academy
Your planning notes
- Define the skill gap before searching for a course.
- Compare training, supervised practice, mentoring and business support where appropriate.
- Check entry requirements and what completion actually demonstrates.
- Confirm any implications for your role, insurance or professional membership with the relevant organisation.
Name the problem you want to solve
Write one sentence describing the gap between your current work and the work you want to do. 'I want more qualifications' is difficult to evaluate. 'I need a clearer process for planning my permitted teaching sessions' provides a more specific starting point.
Gather evidence from your own experience, feedback and current responsibilities. Keep identifiable client or learner information out of informal comparison documents. Where a gap concerns safe practice or the boundaries of your role, seek appropriate professional guidance before trying to fill it independently.
Complete a skill-gap worksheet
Use one row per development goal. These prompts are a planning aid, not a professional standard or an accreditation framework.
- What needs to improve?
- One observable skill or process
- What shows the gap?
- Feedback or a specific recurring difficulty
- Is this within my current role?
- Any boundary that needs checking first
- What support could help?
- Training, mentoring, supervised practice or another suitable option
- What would improvement look like?
- A practical outcome rather than just a certificate
- When will I review it?
- A realistic review point after using the learning
Scroll sideways to compare the columns. Row labels stay visible.
| Planning question | Your answer should identify |
|---|---|
| What needs to improve? | One observable skill or process |
| What shows the gap? | Feedback or a specific recurring difficulty |
| Is this within my current role? | Any boundary that needs checking first |
| What support could help? | Training, mentoring, supervised practice or another suitable option |
| What would improvement look like? | A practical outcome rather than just a certificate |
| When will I review it? | A realistic review point after using the learning |
Compare what the learning actually includes
Ask for the syllabus, entry requirements, teaching format and assessment arrangements. Establish whether the activity leads to a regulated qualification, a provider-issued certificate or another form of recognition. Do not treat these descriptions as interchangeable.
Consider access to feedback, opportunities to practise, travel, equipment and time away from work. If recognition by an insurer, employer or membership body matters, ask that organisation directly whether the specific activity meets its needs. A training provider's general marketing wording may not answer your individual question.
Fictional worked example: course or process improvement?
Fictional instructor Morgan initially looks for another qualification because planning sessions takes too long. After reviewing the problem, Morgan realises the immediate difficulty is managing notes and finding previous plans, rather than lacking a new specialist qualification.
Morgan compares a provider-approved planning template, feedback from an appropriate mentor and a relevant training activity. The first step is a short trial of a clearer planning process, followed by feedback. Further training remains an option if a specific knowledge or skill gap becomes apparent.
This example is not a recommendation to avoid qualifications. It illustrates why identifying the problem can prevent buying training that addresses a different need.
Plan what happens after the learning
Before enrolling, decide where you can appropriately apply the learning and how you will obtain feedback. Completion does not automatically extend your scope of practice or demonstrate competence in every setting.
At your review point, compare the outcome with the original goal. Record what improved, what remains uncertain and whether another step is justified.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Does every development activity need to be another qualification?
Not necessarily. The appropriate option depends on your goal and any requirements that apply to you. Confirm those requirements rather than assuming informal learning will meet them.
Will a CPD certificate expand what I am allowed to do?
Do not assume that it will. Check the learning outcomes and discuss any proposed change in work with the relevant provider, insurer, employer or professional body.
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