Setting Up Career Pathways

Career Pathways in Learn Amp show learners how roles connect and progress within your organisation. By defining which roles advance from others, you create visible career ladders that inspire development and clarify progression routes.

When learners can see a clear path from their current position to their aspirations, they're more engaged and motivated. Career pathways transform abstract career goals into concrete, achievable steps.

Career pathways are created using the "Advancing From" relationship when setting up roles. This connects roles in a progression chain:

Example pathway:
Junior Developer → Developer → Senior Developer → Lead Developer → Engineering Manager

• Each role can specify which role(s) it advances from

• A role can advance from multiple roles (matrix pathways)

• Multiple roles can advance from the same role (branching pathways)

• Learners see pathway visualisations when viewing role details

When a learner views a role, they can see:

• One level above – Roles this position advances from

• One level below – Roles that advance from this position

• Full pathway – The complete career ladder

💡 Tip: Think of "Advancing From" as answering the question: "What role would someone typically hold before moving into this position?"

To set up career pathways, you need:

• Owner, Admin, or HR user role

• At least two roles created to connect

• Understanding of typical career progressions in your organisation

A linear pathway shows direct progression from one role to the next.

1. Navigate to Company Settings → Learning Taxonomy → Manage Roles

2. Click on the more senior role (e.g. "Senior Developer")

3. Scroll to the Advancing From section

4. Click Add Role

5. Search and select the junior role (e.g. "Developer")

6. Click Save

7. Repeat for each step in the ladder

Result: Developer → Senior Developer

A role can advance to multiple positions, creating branches.

Example: A "Product Manager" might advance to either "Senior Product Manager" or "Head of Product".

1. Edit the "Senior Product Manager" role

2. Set "Advancing From" to "Product Manager"

3. Save

4. Edit the "Head of Product" role

5. Also set "Advancing From" to "Product Manager"

6. Save

Result: Product Manager branches to Senior PM or Head of Product

A role can advance from multiple positions, showing various entry points.

Example: An "Engineering Manager" might come from either "Lead Developer" or "Senior Developer".

1. Edit the "Engineering Manager" role

2. In "Advancing From", add "Lead Developer"

3. Also add "Senior Developer"

4. Save

Result: Both Lead Developer and Senior Developer can advance to Engineering Manager

1. Go to My Development → Roles (as a learner)

2. Click on any role

3. Scroll to the Career Pathway section

4. View the visual representation of progression routes

Only connect roles that genuinely represent typical progression routes. Avoid creating pathways that rarely happen in practice.

When planning pathways, ensure the skills required increase logically. A Senior role should build on Junior role skills, not require completely different competencies.

Career pathways often cross department boundaries. Involve stakeholders from different areas to ensure pathways reflect reality.

As your organisation evolves, so do career pathways. Review and update connections when new roles are created or progression routes change.

Q: How many levels deep can a pathway go?
There's no limit. You can create pathways with as many levels as needed to represent your organisation's career structure.

Q: Can I create circular pathways?
Technically possible, but not recommended. Circular pathways (A → B → C → A) create confusing visualisations.

Q: Do pathways affect content recommendations?
Not directly. Content recommendations are based on target role skills. However, learners often explore roles in their pathway, discovering relevant content along the way.

Q: Can pathways cross categories?
Yes. A role in one category can advance from a role in another. This is common when careers span departments.

Q: What if someone skips a level?
Pathways show typical progressions, not mandatory steps. Learners understand these are guides, not rules.

Q: How do I remove a pathway connection?
Edit the senior role, find the "Advancing From" section, and remove the connected role.

Q: Can I import pathways via CSV?
Not currently. The standard CSV import doesn't support Advancing From relationships. Set these up manually or via the API.

Last Reviewed: 02/12/2024