A training offer can exist without being accessible to the person who needs it. Time, cost, equipment and support all affect whether someone can take part.

Start with the person

In Workplace learning and the future of work, Beier and colleagues argue that research and practice should consider the learner alongside the organisation. Their focus includes people who are self-employed, between jobs or working outside stable organisational structures.

The paper is a focal article in industrial and organisational psychology. It offers a perspective on lifelong learning, rather than evidence that a particular clinical training programme is effective.

Availability is only one question

The authors discuss access to technology, the cost of learning and the time needed to participate. They also question whether shifting responsibility for development onto individuals can leave vulnerable workers behind.

For an educator planning a programme, that suggests several questions:

• Can the intended learner reach and use the resources?
• Is there realistic time for practice and feedback?
• Who can help when the learner becomes stuck?
• What support exists for applying the learning afterwards?

Share responsibility explicitly

These questions are a practical interpretation of the paper, not a tested clinical intervention. They can help an organisation clarify what it provides and what a learner must arrange. Clinical scope, supervision and workplace assessment still need their own agreed arrangements.

Read and reflect

Beier, M. E. and colleagues (2025), Workplace learning and the future of work, Industrial and Organizational Psychology,18,84–109. DOI:10.1017/iop.2024.57.

Explore the learning toolkits and use the access questions when reviewing your next training plan.

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