by Batbold Munkhzul
Ongoing professional development is essential for many reasons, including learning new skills to advance your career. It also keeps employees up to date with their skills and knowledge, enabling them to do their jobs better, which benefits the company.
The company staff's creativity can be re-energized through professional development, which can break up the monotony of daily work. It can also be beneficial to provide workers with periodic professional development so they can gain new skills and perspectives, which they can apply to their work. In addition to opening up communication lines, professional development goals allow employees to share their visions for the future. Other departments' work might be affected, or they might learn how to use new technology to improve their effectiveness.
I just read a short story about David McBane and how he gained knowledge and network while working abroad. David McBane returned to Greensboro, North Carolina after finishing a nine-month short-term assignment (STA) with Volvo Financial Services Australia in Brisbane, Australia. It was not an easy decision to move temporarily across the globe, but it proved to be the right move in the end. “I liked the idea that Volvo Financial Services is part of a bigger company. We have the global reach of Volvo Group, yet we work in a closely-knit team. That really appeals to me,” David says. When David was offered a STA in Volvo Financial Services Australia, he hesitated at first. “I’d just gotten married, so it was a tough decision. But in the end, it made sense to take this chance to grow my knowledge base and network within Volvo Group.”
Depending on our goals and the types of professional development our company or licensing board accepts, we will be able to choose which professional development opportunities are right for us.
The following are some examples of professional development opportunities:
Once a year attend a professional conference. Conferences are great opportunities to learn from experts in our field, network with like-minded professionals, and have a good time. Several online conferences and webinars are available to professionals who cannot attend an out-of-town conference.
Every month participate in workshops. Professionals with specific expertise are brought together during workshops to discuss problems and offer solutions. Unlike most conferences, workshops require active participation from those attending. This hands-on experience can be especially useful in learning new skills.
Keep on Continuing Education. Continuing education is required to maintain most professional licenses and designations. Professionals who take advantage of their continuing education courses hone their skills and keep up with industry trends compared to those who view it as a chore.
Every day take advantage of microlearning. Microlearning is an effective learning method especially useful for busy professionals. Professionals, who have busy schedules, can fit short learning sessions into their busy schedules by using microlearning units, which are also known as "bite-sized learning".
Learn from your colleagues. You may benefit from shadowing a colleague or superior whose job or skills interest you. Learning another professional can be a positive learning experience that can offer a lot of clarity about your interest in that career.
Always read a book that can help you in your field. It doesn't matter what industry we are in, there will be lots of books out there. If we are unsure of what to read, we can ask our manager or mentor what they recommend.
By developing ourselves we develop our brand. Careers and job success will benefit from lifelong learning. Maintaining knowledge of trends, skills, technologies, and other aspects of your field is the essence of professional development.
Taking advantage of short-term training opportunities in your workplace or community should be at the top of your mind, but how do you find out what is new in your profession?
Here are a few suggestions:
Build or join a network with others in your field.
Consult with professional associations by occupation or industry.
Attend the local training programs that can help you get to the next level in your career.
Search for contacts with the local school district to find short-term education classes.
Keep up with the latest industry trends by subscribing to newsletters and other mailing lists.
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