Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to investigate mediating mechanisms in the relationship between the training and development climate at higher education institutions and administrative employees' productivity. Organizational identification theory and the job demands-resources model are used to investigate supervisor support, employees' motivation to learn and employee engagement as mediators. Design/methodology/approach: Survey research was used to collect data from 289 administrative staff members employed at five higher education institutions in Trinidad and Tobago. Findings: The findings supported the hypothesized mediating role of supervisor support, employees' motivation to learn and employee engagement in the relationship between organizations' training and development climate and employee productivity. Social implications: Productivity is a major problem in Trinidad and Tobago. In Trinidad and Tobago's higher education sector, productivity deficiencies are particularly problematic because of the gradual reduction in government subsidies. Therefore, higher education institutions must improve productivity, particularly administrative employees' productivity, in order to compete with local and international tertiary education institutions. This study contributes to Trinidad and Tobago's society by showing the importance of both a positive training and development climate and supervisor support to influence administrative employees' affective states and productivity in tertiary education institutions. Originality/value: This study adds to existing research on training and development and employee productivity by introducing novel and theoretically sound mediators to clarify how the relationship between a higher education institution's training and development climate and its administrative employees' productivity unfolds.