Professional Development

Improving skills which are directly of use to an individual in their current work role as well as for progression within the workplace.

The focus on professional development is that of the technical knowledge and skills, which can also include a range of soft skills, needed to ensure an individual is effective and efficient in their role.

With continual improvements and changes to technology in the workplace it is important that employees stay up to date with the use of the latest technologies, not only to stay employable, but to develop their career and also for their employer to stay successful, thereby maintaining their employment status.

Employees should consider themselves as active learners, identifying and driving their learning, typically as a career journey.

Take ownership of your own development; this will often be supported and lead at times by an employer, but as a long-term perspective it will be the individual who will be managing their own development. Gather and take on board feedback from various sources, constructively acknowledging the comments of others, even if they are disagreed with at the time.

Set realistic goals and plan how the various steps or stages which are needed to reach the goals; consider this as a professional development learning journey, in which numerous avenues may need to be taken to reach the destination.

Regular reflection on the ongoing journey will contribute to staying on the right path for development. It is easier to make small adjustments to development needs by using reflection as a means of controlling progress, rather than allowing a journey to endure without any corrections along the way, only to find that the destination has moved (due, for example, to changing technologies) and you are a long way from reaching it or maybe even on the wrong path altogether.

As part of an individual’s professional development, consideration should also be given to what they can give back to those who have helped them on their journey and the industry in which they have gained their own professional development. This will continue the cycle of development for the betterment of their industry and wider society. See also Continuing Professional Development.