Training involves providing a means by which employees can acquire new knowledge and skills. Although much training is done outside the work place, ‘on the job’ training is also common. The aim of training is that employees should acquire some identifiable skills.

Development is a process usually associated with individuals at a management level (or trainee management) within organisations. The purpose of development is to increase the experience and improve the judgement of an individual, so that the individual is able eventually to progress to a higher level or more responsible level within the organisation. Development is achieved largely through work experience. An individual is developed by gaining experience of different aspects of work, perhaps through (1) job rotation or (2) by standing in for a boss when the boss is absent from work, or (3) by assignment to special project work or (4) secondment to other departments.

Whereas training should have an identifiable learning objective, the aims of development of an individual are more difficult to specify and often take longer to achieve.