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"Training matrix" and "skills matrix" are often used as if they mean the same thing. They do not, and mixing them up is why many teams end up with a grid that looks thorough but answers the wrong question.
Take the one-minute check further down to see which one your team needs first.
The short answer
- A training matrix records completion: who has done which required course, and when it expires.
- A skills matrix records capability: who can do which task, and how well.
One proves compliance. The other shows whether the work can actually get done.
Side by side
| Training matrix | Skills matrix | |
|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | Is everyone's required training in date? | Who can do what, and to what level? |
| What goes in each square | Status and dates | A rating, such as 0 to 3 |
| Source of truth | Certificates and course records | Observation, 1:1s and appraisals |
| Main risk it reduces | Audit, legal and insurance exposure | Single points of failure and poor cover |
| Changes when | Courses are completed or expire | Tasks, tools and people change |
When a training matrix is enough
If your main exposure is compliance - fire safety, first aid cover, data protection, safeguarding, sector-specific certificates - start with a training matrix. It is faster to build and gives an immediate, defensible view. Our step-by-step guide to building a training matrix includes an interactive builder.
When you need a skills matrix
If the problem is "only Sam knows how to do that", a training matrix will not help. A skills matrix lists critical tasks and rates each person. A simple scale works best:
- 0 - cannot do it yet
- 1 - can do it with support
- 2 - can do it independently
- 3 - can teach others
Highlight any task with fewer than two people at level 2 or above. That is your cover risk.
Why you usually need both
The real insight comes from connecting the two. Did the course actually close the skills gap? Is someone fully trained on paper but still rated 1 on the task? Two separate spreadsheets cannot tell you that, and they drift apart within weeks.
In Passport for Teams, the training matrix and appraisal objectives sit on the same record for each person, so you can see completion and progress in one place rather than reconciling files.
Choosing your starting point
Answer the four questions below. You will get a recommended starting point, a watch-out and a practical first step.
What question do you most need answered?
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