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Individual Development Plans (IDP) & Competency-Based Development Training Course

Shows HR, learning and management professionals how to build individual development plans based on defined competencies and genuine performance needs.

PDE · Performance Management & Employee DevelopmentAll Levels#2181ClassroomEnglish , Arabic
Duration
5 Days
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Free substitution at any time · 30+ days' notice: full refund minus 10%. Cancellation policy

Course Overview

The Individual Development Plans (IDP) & Competency-Based Development Training Course equips HR, learning, and management professionals with a structured approach to developing people based on clearly defined competencies and genuine performance needs. In government entities, ministries, banks, oil and gas companies, and large corporations, workforce development is increasingly expected to support strategy, succession, localization of talent, and readiness for new roles and technologies. Generic training catalogs and annual course nominations rarely achieve this. Competency-based development and well-constructed individual development plans ensure that each employee's growth is targeted, measurable, and aligned with organizational requirements. Many organizations have competency frameworks and IDP forms in place, yet the results are often disappointing. Frameworks are too complex to use, assessments are inconsistent, development plans are completed as a formality, and most development actions default to classroom training. Line managers may lack the skills or confidence to hold meaningful development conversations, and progress is rarely tracked. This course addresses these practical gaps by focusing on how to make competency-based development work in real organizational settings. Participants learn how to design or refine competency frameworks, define proficiency levels and behavioral indicators, assess competencies fairly using multiple sources, analyze gaps, and build individual development plans that combine on-the-job experience, coaching and mentoring, and formal learning. The program also covers conducting effective development conversations, linking IDPs to performance management, career paths, and succession planning, and monitoring and evaluating development progress at individual and organizational levels. Throughout the five days, participants work with real roles and competency requirements from their own organizations. They leave with practical tools, including a competency profile template, an assessment approach, a gap analysis method, a completed sample IDP, a development conversation guide, and an implementation plan for strengthening the IDP process in their organization.

Learning Objectives

  • Analyze the principles of competency-based development and its role in supporting organizational strategy and workforce capability on Day 1.
  • Evaluate the structure and usability of the participant's existing competency framework or define the core elements of a new one.
  • Develop a competency profile for a selected role, including technical, behavioral, and leadership competencies with defined proficiency levels.
  • Design behavioral indicators that describe observable performance at each proficiency level.
  • Apply competency assessment methods, including self-assessment, manager assessment, multi-source feedback, and practical evaluations, to identify development needs.
  • Assess competency gaps and prioritize them based on role requirements, performance impact, and career aspirations.
  • Develop a complete individual development plan with SMART development goals, a balanced mix of learning methods, required support, and timelines.
  • Apply the 70-20-10 learning model to design development actions that combine experiential learning, coaching and mentoring, and formal training.
  • Strengthen line managers' ability to conduct structured development conversations and provide ongoing support.
  • Align IDPs with performance management, career paths, talent reviews, and succession planning processes.
  • Implement monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track IDP completion, competency progress, and development outcomes.
  • Design an implementation plan to improve the IDP and competency-based development process in the participant's organization by the end of Day 5.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for HR managers, HR business partners, learning and development managers and specialists, talent management professionals, and competency framework specialists responsible for designing and managing workforce development systems. It is also relevant for training planners, career development advisors, and organizational development professionals who support employee growth and capability building. It is particularly valuable for human capital and civil service development teams in ministries and government entities managing national competency frameworks, leadership pipelines, and localization programs; for talent and learning teams in banks and financial institutions developing technical, regulatory, and leadership capabilities; and for competency assurance and technical training managers in oil and gas and industrial organizations where competency verification is critical to safety and operations. Line managers, department heads, and team leaders who are responsible for developing their staff will also benefit significantly, as will senior leaders who oversee talent strategy and succession planning.

Learning Outcomes

  • By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
  • Explain how competency-based development differs from traditional training-driven approaches and why it produces more targeted results.
  • Build a clear and usable competency profile for a specific role with appropriate proficiency levels.
  • Write behavioral indicators that allow consistent and fair assessment of competencies.
  • Select and apply suitable competency assessment methods for different roles and purposes.
  • Analyze assessment results to identify priority development gaps for individuals and teams.
  • Write SMART development goals that link directly to identified competency gaps.
  • Design an IDP that uses a practical mix of on-the-job assignments, coaching, mentoring, self-directed learning, and formal training.
  • Conduct a structured development conversation that builds employee ownership and commitment.
  • Integrate IDPs with performance reviews, career paths, and succession plans.
  • Track and review IDP progress and measure improvement in competency levels over time.
  • Consolidate individual development needs into team and organizational development priorities.
  • Present a practical plan to strengthen the IDP process, tools, and manager involvement in their organization.

Course Outline

Course Outline:

Day 1

Foundations of Competency-Based Development

  • The role of competencies in strategy execution and workforce capability
  • Competency-based development versus traditional training approaches
  • Types of competencies: core, technical, behavioral, and leadership
  • Common reasons competency and IDP systems fail in practice
  • Practical application: participants review their organization's current approach to competencies and development plans
Day 2

Designing Competency Frameworks and Role Profiles

  • Structure of an effective and usable competency framework
  • Defining proficiency levels and behavioral indicators
  • Building competency profiles for specific roles and job families
  • Linking competency profiles to career paths and progression
  • Practical application: participants develop a competency profile for a selected role
Day 3

Assessing Competencies and Identifying Gaps

  • Competency assessment methods: self, manager, multi-source feedback, and practical evaluation
  • Ensuring fairness, consistency, and evidence in assessment
  • Competency gap analysis at individual and team levels
  • Prioritizing development needs based on role impact and career goals
  • Practical application: participants conduct a competency assessment case study and complete a gap analysis
Day 4

Building Effective Individual Development Plans

  • Structure and components of a high-quality IDP
  • Writing SMART development goals
  • Applying the 70-20-10 model: on-the-job assignments, coaching, mentoring, and formal learning
  • Conducting development conversations and building employee ownership
  • Practical application: participants build a complete IDP and practice a development conversation
Day 5

Integration, Monitoring, and Implementation

  • Linking IDPs to performance management, talent reviews, and succession planning
  • Tracking IDP progress and evaluating development outcomes
  • Consolidating IDP data into team and organizational development priorities
  • The role of HR, line managers, and employees in sustaining the IDP process
  • Final workshop: participants finalize an implementation plan to strengthen competency-based development in their organization

Upcoming Dates

Selected date

Riyadh · 28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 · Classroom

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CityDatesPrice per ParticipantEarly Bird
KigaliScheduled
9 – 13 Nov 2026€5,100—
MarbellaScheduled
30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026€5,400€4,860until 9 Nov
OnlineScheduled
27 – 31 Dec 2026€1,700€1,530until 7 Dec
AmmanScheduled
27 – 31 Dec 2026€3,100€2,790until 7 Dec
DubaiScheduled
27 – 31 Dec 2026€4,400€3,960until 7 Dec
BarcelonaScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 7 Dec
GenevaScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€6,300€5,670until 7 Dec
DammamScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 7 Dec
BakuScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,800€4,320until 7 Dec
MadinahScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 7 Dec
ParisScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,700€5,130until 7 Dec
SalalahScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,300€4,770until 7 Dec
MunichScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 7 Dec
RomeScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,800€5,220until 7 Dec
CasablancaScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,300€3,870until 7 Dec
IstanbulScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,700€4,230until 7 Dec
LisbonScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 7 Dec
LondonScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,600€5,040until 7 Dec
MuscatScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,300€4,770until 7 Dec
BerlinScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,800€5,220until 7 Dec
DohaScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,400€3,960until 7 Dec
RiyadhScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 7 Dec
MarrakeshScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,300€3,870until 7 Dec
ManamaScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,700€4,230until 7 Dec
MilanScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€6,000€5,400until 7 Dec
Kuala LumpurScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,400€3,960until 7 Dec
MakkahScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€4,200€3,780until 7 Dec
CairoScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€3,300€2,970until 7 Dec
FrankfurtScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,800€5,220until 7 Dec
MadridScheduled
28 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027€5,400€4,860until 7 Dec

Available in: Istanbul · Dubai · London · Riyadh · Doha · Amsterdam

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