Template: Professional Development and Training Request Letter

It can be a nerve-wracking and intimidating experience to ask your employer for approval and funding for professional development activities like management development training or one-to-one coaching. Yet, it’s incredibly important to do in order to support your professional goals, career advancement, and overall level of engagement.

Fortunately, we’ve made asking your employer to pay for professional development and training that much easier, especially if your organization does not have a formalized training request form. Simply download the editable version of this professional development and training request letter template and apply the tips outlined below.

If you do so, you’ll be one step closer to getting the training and development you want and need! Here's how to ask for training using the professional development training request letter template.

Professional Development and Training Request Letter Template

6 Tips for Writing a Great Professional Development and Training Request

1. Base Your Justification Around Something Tangible

Employers are far more likely to approve and pay for professional development and training when it’s in response to something tangible. For example, were you told to improve your leadership skills in a recent performance review? Are you dealing with an ongoing issue or mistake? Is there an imminent change or disruption in your industry? If so, use it to justify your professional development and training request. State something like, “As you know…” or “As you have told me…” and then follow it up with, “In light of this, I propose…”

2. Cite Case Studies and Testimonials to Support Your Selection

Did you know that 88% of consumers say reviews influence their online purchasing decisions? Or that 72% of consumers say positive testimonials and reviews increase their trust in a business? One way to strengthen your professional development and training request letter is to cite a great testimonial, review, or case study. Doing this not only gives your employer a sense of the credibility of the training and the provider you selected, but it also reassures them that you have done your due diligence and put thought into your request.

3. Circle Back to Your Company’s Core Values

It is quite common for companies to include continuous improvement or learning among their core values. For example, “We believe in investing in life-long learning” is written directly in HubSpot’s Culture Code, for not only employees but the world to see. If your company has something similar, you may cite it in your request for professional development and training to round out your justification. Say something like, “Not only is this opportunity closely aligned with my own commitment to my development, but with our company’s core value of learning as well.”

4. Prempetively Get More Information

One way to strengthen your professional development and training request is to preemptively ask the provider for more information, such as an in-depth program agenda, or to get answers to questions you have, or questions you think your employer may have. When you do this, you may also find out the provider offers incentives like group discounts or additional services like assessments, which can be appealing to some employers.

5. If Your Request Gets Rejected, Reformulate It and Try Again

Say your request for professional development and training gets rejected. Instead of immediately letting it go, consider the rationale you were given. Depending on what that rationale is, you may just need to reformulate your original plan. For example, it is not uncommon for employers to reject a request of this nature given the timing. If this is the case, you may be able to try representing it with a new date or timeline that is farther in the future.

6. Ask Your Provider for Support

Last but certainly not least, you can always turn to your chosen professional development and training provider for additional support. It is likely they have additional resources and documents prepared for this exact reason! You can also ask if they would be willing to speak with your employer and provide them with additional information to more in-depth questions. This is something Niagara Institute’s team does on a regular basis for everyday leaders who want to get their requests over the finish line.