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Purpose - Considerable research has been conducted into the outcomes of vocational lifelong learning (VLL) funding in terms of courses offered and their effectiveness, but much less into the work, professional development needs and careers of staff organising and delivering VLL programmes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the career management and development needs of such university staff. Design/methodology/approach - A survey was conducted of VLL professionals in higher education to establish the position and their future prospects. Findings - A survey revealed that experienced VLL staff are being required, in some cases unwillingly, to move away from activities concerned with external training to take on work in areas such as technology transfer and general student recruitment. This development is likely to be to the detriment of VLL provision by universities. Practical implications - VLL staff identify further knowledge of new developments in the field, stronger IT skills, and competence in conducting research as their major development needs. Originality/value - The paper puts forward some concrete suggestions for improvements.