27 Jul What is Professional Development?

In the first blog of our Professional Development Series, Kamal S. provides us with an overview of Professional Development.

To define professional development, we can say it is the manner of improving and enhancing the capabilities of employees. To progress in your career in an ever competitive industry, or to be forever employable ultimately, professional development is the key skill required.

In the workplace, we are constantly being judged and benchmarked on the capabilities of our peers. Unlike the time we were at school or university, and thought “exams are over”, we now realize that the workplace is just as competitive and intense a learning environment. The goalposts can keep moving in the workplace due to technology, legislation, company vision or customer demand. Many companies provide immense learning opportunities for their staff; however, they may not always be the requirements to progress your career. So how do we stay ahead of the game?

Q: Why do I need professional development?

A. It helps to build and maintain staff morale, can attract a higher quality of staff.

Q: What area(s) of your work would I like to improve or find difficult?

A: You can discuss this with management and colleagues. You may also look at previous performance reviews.

Q: What can I do to improve these areas?

A. Attend workshops and courses. Guided learning and mentoring, even online courses can be beneficial or shadowing a colleague for example you require skills in presentations and arranging to shadow a colleague may be relevant.

Q: Am I doing the right things to improve my employability?

A: Routinely check job specifications similar to your role. Do you have everything they are looking for?

Therefore, in an ever changing world, to maximize your potential for lifetime employability, it is imperative to maintain great levels of professional proficiency by continually refining your knowledge and skills.

Next Month: What skills should I develop?