Training matrix vs skills matrix
A training matrix records the training each person has completed; a skills matrix records how capable they are. In practice you need both: training is the input, competence is the outcome. SkillsLedger keeps them together, with certifications and expiry dates sitting alongside each person's skill ratings.
What you can track
Competence levels
Rate each skill on your own scale, from awareness through to expert, per team.
Certifications
Record certificates with expiry dates and an optional link to the evidence.
Refresher dates
Expiring certificates are flagged weeks in advance, colour-coded by urgency.
Interest in learning
People can flag skills they'd like to develop, so training goes where there's appetite.
From matrix to training plan
Gaps are only useful if they lead to action (see our skills gap analysis guide). Set an objective against any skill (for example three people at Practitioner level in fire safety by March) and SkillsLedger shows progress live as ratings change. The org-wide overview highlights your weakest skills by department, which is usually where the next training spend belongs.
Why teams move off the spreadsheet
- Nobody owns the file, so it goes stale between audits.
- Expiry dates sit in a column nobody sorts by until something lapses.
- Every report means copying and reformatting rows by hand.
Still happy with a spreadsheet for now? Start with our free skills matrix template. It includes a certificate tracker with days-left and status columns.