BACKGROUND: A guideline for occupational health professionals (OHPs) is developed which provides them with knowledge and skills to optimize their guidance to people with a chronic disease.

OBJECTIVE: Developing a training programme to acquire and apply knowledge and skills provided by the guideline, through a bottom-up approach.

METHODS: First, OHPs training needs were explored using focus groups. Second, learning objectives were formulated by the researchers. Third, experts in the field of education were interviewed to explore relevant training activities. Fourth, researchers integrated all the results into a training programme.

RESULTS: Based on the training needs identified, we formulated 17 learning objectives, e.g. being able to name influential factors and effective interventions, increase the individual client's role, and increase communication with a professionals to enhance work participation of people with a chronic disease. The training activities identified by experts for OHPs to acquire and apply knowledge and skills were: a case study, role play, discussion of best practices and interviewing stakeholders. These were all performed in plenary sessions or small groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Training needs, -activities and learning objectives were integrated into a six-hour training programme. This bottom-up approach can serve as input for others developing training programmes to transfer knowledge and skills to OHPs.