noun
development of potential ability; capacity development
Often used in educational, corporate, and self-improvement contexts to refer to systematic training or cultivation of skills and talents.
会社は社員の能力開発に力を入れている。
The company is focusing on the development of its employees' abilities.
能力開発セミナーに参加して、新しいスキルを身につけた。
I attended a capacity development seminar and acquired new skills.
人材育成 focuses on nurturing human resources within an organization, while 能力開発 is broader and can refer to developing any individual's potential abilities.
スキルアップ is a more casual, goal-oriented term for improving specific skills, whereas 能力開発 implies a more systematic or long-term approach to unlocking latent potential.
Compound of 能力 (ability) and 開発 (development). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is a straightforward modern coinage reflecting standard kanji meanings.