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Appendix B

Organization Master Training Plan*

When you plan for training as an organization, you gain powerful advantages and get results. With an annual training plan you can:
  • make a connection to the organization's strategic objectives up front,

  • target training areas of greatest need and biggest payoff, and

  • find the best and most cost-effective ways to get the training.

Here are the steps for developing an annual master training plan for the entire organization.

Developing an Annual Training Plan

1.   Review your organization's strategic plan training requirements.
2.   Review other documentation to identify training needs.
3.   Ask supervisors to identify skill gaps of their workers.
4.   Validate the requirements and set priorities.
5.   Determine best ways to meet the requirements.
6.   Identify potential sources for the training.
7.   Identify (estimate) costs.
8.   Organize the plan in an easy-to-understand format.
9.   Determine how to evaluate the results of the plan.
10. Ask departments to review the plan and validate requirements.
11. Get approval from the head of the organization.
12. Ensure the plan is funded.
13. Execute the plan.
14. Monitor performance and results of training.


1. Review your organization's strategic plan training requirements.
  • Contribution to strategic goals and objectives.
  • Introduction of new technologies or work methods.
2. Review other documentation to identify training needs.
  • Inspector General and similar reports.
  • Performance indicators/production reports.
  • Continuing professional development for occupations.
3. Ask supervisors to identify skill gaps of their workers.
  • Skills needed to perform job.
  • Skills needed for career progression.
4. Validate the requirements and set priorities.
  • Is training the right intervention?
  • How does training contribute to the overall solution?
  • Rank the requirements in order of importance to the strategic plan.
5. Determine the best ways to meet the training requirements.
  • Business case methodology to make decisions.
  • Decision areas include:
    • on-the-job vs. formal
    • onsite vs. offsite
    • customized vs. off-the-shelf
    • technology-based delivery vs. classroom
    • contractor vs. in-house
6. Identify potential sources for the training.
  • In-house.
  • Other agency.
  • Contractor.
  • College or university.
7. Identify (estimate) costs.
  • Tuition.
  • Travel.
  • Per diem.
  • Facilities.
  • Contracts.
  • Special or new equipment.
8. Organize the plan in an easy-to-understand format.
  • Support of the organization's strategic plan.
  • Summary of the training needs assessment.
  • Skill areas where there are deficiencies.
  • Training priorities.
  • Department-by-department breakdown.
9. Determine how to evaluate the results of the plan.
  • Connection to the organization's critical success factors.
  • Metrics that are easily tracked, meaningful.
10. Ask departments to review the plan and validate requirements.
11. Get approval from the head of the organization.
12. Ensure the plan is funded.
  • Meeting with the Comptroller.
  • Development of a funding mechanism/execution plan.
13. Execute the plan.
14. Monitor performance and results of training.
  • Collection of evaluation data.
  • Contribution to organization's strategic plan.
  • "Success stories."
  • Quarterly reports.
  • Submittals to organization head and department heads.

*These steps for developing an organization-level annual training plan were authored by David Amaral and are used in professional training courses for civilian HRD personnel in the Department of the Navy.
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