Pathways to Excellence follows on from the LPI's Capability Map, which has become the L&D industry's leading benchmark for evaluating the skills and opportunities for learning practitioners. Utilizing the experience of LPI consultants over the past twenty years, Pathways takes the principles of the Capability Map and applies them to the L&D department as a whole, identifying strengths and weaknesses against a comprehensive maturity model, recognising leading practice and facilitating a "direction of travel" that enables the department to quickly excel.

The programme will be supported by LPI reseller, LearnKotch, headed up by Learning and Performance Consultant and founder of LearnKotch, Con Sotidis.

Sotidis remarked, "The benefits for Learning Departments in Australia are significant. Pathways helps to identify and prioritise areas for improvement, provides a roadmap for the evolution of the Department, and engenders stakeholder confidence. With the backing of the LPI's community resources and LearnKotch providing local and continuous independent, expert support, users of Pathways can be assured that their Learning Department will be fast tracked to the highest standards of excellence."

The Pathways program consists of three steps or levels:

Step 1. Diagnosis - This is a web-based self-assessment to quickly analyse a department's current strengths and opportunities. This diagnosis includes an overall scorecard that prioritises opportunities for improvement.

Step 2. Key Focus Areas and Action Plan -This step drills down beyond the overall scorecard and looks at the metrics in greater detail. LearnKotch consulting services can assist at this stage by creating a detailed action plan that will describe the steps necessary to quickly achieve excellence.

Step 3. Validation - In this highest level of engagement with Pathways, the responses that participants have made are formally assessed and accredited. This stage in the process reviews the extent to which a self-assessment has been accurate and accredits that the "direction of travel" is being optimized. L&D functions that achieve Level 3 engagement within the program become accredited departments and are permitted to use the LPI logo on all materials, along with the text ”Accredited Learning Department”.

LPI Chief Executive, Colin Steed, commented, "Since 1995 the Institute has been working with learning individuals and organisations to create an industry-wide Code of Practice, so we are delighted to be offering this benchmarking and accreditation programme to Australian businesses and providing local support through LearnKotch."

Steed continued, "Australian L&D departments engaged with Pathways will be able to demonstrate a commitment to excellence, adherence to a recognised Code of Practice, and a commitment to continually raise learning outcomes and standards."