What Goes into a Great Training Plan (Even for Small Businesses.
Stop winging it. Here’s how to create a real training roadmap that supports your team and your WSP.
If your WSP feels like a once-a-year admin task, you’re not alone.
But here’s the truth: the most effective SDFs use the WSP process to build a training culture — not just fill in a form.
A great training plan isn’t just a SETA requirement.
It’s how you grow your team, build systems, and unlock potential.
And the best part? It doesn’t have to be complicated.
🔧 First: What is a training plan?
At its core, a training plan is a simple document that outlines:
What skills your team needs
Who needs them
How and when you’ll deliver the training
How you’ll track and measure the result
That’s it.
Whether you use a spreadsheet, HR software, or sticky notes on your wall — if it does those four things, it counts.
✅ What makes a good training plan?
SETAs care about the structure and intent of your plan.
You should care about the impact.
Here’s what you need to include:
🧩 1. Skills Gaps
Start with your real-world challenges.
What’s not working?
Where are mistakes or delays happening?
What do you want your team to do better?
Example:
Your dispatch process is slow. → Skills gap = stock system usage + time management.
👥 2. Employee Roles & Needs
Break your team down by job function or department.
Then ask:
What does each role require in terms of skills or knowledge?
Are they new to the job? Needing a refresher? Ready for leadership?
This personalises the plan and shows SETAs you’re thinking beyond a one-size-fits-all model.
🎯 3. Training Objectives
Each training activity should have a clear purpose.
Don’t just write “Excel course.”
Write: “Improve stock tracking accuracy by training store manager on intermediate Excel formulas.”
SETAs love to see outcomes — not vague course names.
🧰 4. Methods of Delivery
This is where you choose:
Internal or external?
Accredited or informal?
Face-to-face, blended, or online?
✅ Include on-the-job coaching, shadowing, SOP reviews, and even YouTube tutorials — if they’re planned and trackable.
📅 5. Timing
Lay out when the training will happen.
Even if it’s rough (quarterly, monthly, once-off), having a timeline shows structure — and it helps you stay accountable.
Bonus tip: Tie training dates to events like product launches, promotions, or onboarding windows.
🗂️ 6. Evidence & Evaluation
How will you know it worked?
For each session or activity, decide:
What proof will you collect? (attendance, screenshots, reflections)
How will you measure the outcome? (feedback, performance, confidence)
This strengthens both your ATR and your internal processes.
🧠 How to Build a Simple Training Plan (Template Style)
Here’s a basic structure you can copy:
| Skill Area | Employee(s) | Method | Outcome Goal | Timeline | Evidence Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Excel Formulas | Store Manager | Online video + internal demo | Reduce stock reporting errors by 50% | Q2 | Screenshot + task log |
| Conflict Resolution | All Team Leads | Internal role-play session | Improve team communication | Q3 | Attendance + feedback |
| Fire Safety | All Staff | External 1-day session | Meet OHS compliance | Q2 | Certificate |
✔️ Three lines like this is already a training plan.
✔️ This is valid for SETA reporting.
✔️ More importantly, it’s actually useful to you.
⚠️ Common Training Plan Mistakes
❌ Listing “popular” courses that don’t fit your team’s needs
❌ Copying last year’s plan with no changes
❌ Failing to track informal development
❌ Leaving soft skills off the plan
If it helps your team work better, it should be in your plan.
📎 Use Your Plan to Strengthen Your Submission
When your training plan:
Matches your ATR
Is clearly linked to performance
Includes informal learning
Has documented proof…
…you’ve just turned a basic WSP into a powerful skills development strategy.
That’s how small businesses earn credibility — and grant approval.
💬 Final Thought
You don’t need a corporate HR department to build a training plan.
You just need clarity, intention, and a willingness to track what’s already happening.
It’s not about creating busywork.
It’s about building better people — and better businesses.
📥 Want a training plan template you can plug into right now?
Grab the Smart SDF Starter Kit — it includes a sample plan, editable checklist, and reporting tips.
📎 Download it here
📞 Book a skills review call
📚 Read more from the blog
