What is time to competency?
Time to competency is how long it takes a new hire, or someone moving into a new role, to reach the proficiency the role requires. It is a better measure of training than course completion, because it tracks the outcome.
It is also called time to proficiency.
How to measure time to competency
Define competence as reaching the required level on the role’s critical skills, measured by assessment or observed work. A simple time to competency formula:
Time to competency = date the required levels were reached − start date in the role
Track the median per role, and look at which skill took longest; that is usually where training should change.
Time to competency vs onboarding time
Onboarding ends when the paperwork, accounts and introductions are done, often within a week or two. Competency comes later, when the person can do the job unaided. Treating the end of onboarding as the end of training is a common reason new hires struggle in their third month.
How to reduce time to competency
- Start with an assessment so people skip what they already know.
- Order learning by what the role needs first, not by the course catalogue.
- Pair learning with real work as early as possible.
- Re-assess often so progress is visible to the learner and their manager.
Tracking it
Personalized Learning Platform for Corporations reports time to competency alongside completion and the modules where learners stall, so L&D teams can see which part of a path slows people down.
Last reviewed 2026-11-01.