The pathway
How you actually get there, here
How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.
- 1
From Learning Platform Administrator (L2)
2-3 years at L2Skills to master
- At the L2 level, you'd have mastered core administrative tasks and troubleshooting. To step up to Senior, you'll need to show you can lead small projects, build custom reports, and start automating processes. It's about moving from 'doing' to 'improving'.
You're ready to move on when
- You've successfully led at least two small platform enhancement projects end-to-end.
- You're regularly building custom reports and dashboards that provide actionable insights.
- You've identified and automated at least one significant manual administrative task.
- You're the go-to person for complex technical issues that junior admins can't solve.
- You've proactively contributed to improving team processes or documentation.
- 2
From IT Support / Systems Administrator with L&D Focus
3-5 years in IT, with 2+ years supporting L&D systemsSkills to master
- You'd need a solid technical foundation (systems, networking, integrations) and a keen interest in learning technology. You'd need to pick up the specifics of SCORM/xAPI, learning taxonomies, and L&D reporting needs. Your project management skills from IT would be a huge asset.
You're ready to move on when
- You've been the primary technical contact for an LMS or similar system in your previous role.
- You've managed integrations between an HRIS and other systems.
- You've demonstrated a strong understanding of data privacy and security in a system administration context.
- You've actively sought out opportunities to learn about L&D specific challenges and solutions.