By Sam Ast, Re-Entry Workforce Development Specialist, Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas
This blog will outline several accessible ways to equip yourself with additional knowledge and skills that can be beneficial to you both on and off the job. If you are interested to learn more about ways to advance personally and professionally, keep reading.
Importance of Learning
Professional development is virtually indistinguishable from continual learning. The main, if not the only, difference is the attachment to current work or work-related skills. The reality is that such development often leads to better work for those already working while still being of benefit to those who are not. Because of these similarities, the term — and its impact when put in practice — can fairly be described as important for both demographics.
There are various ways for you to fill gaps in your own proficiencies and improve your base of knowledge. These upgrades will help increase your inventory of skills and talents, thus making you a more marketable asset in the world of work. These reasons, among others, should drive you to put in more work toward personal discovery and professional betterment. In the employment environment, knowing more about a particular topic or idea means doing better in the workplace and can help set you apart from others in a positive way. Be it an external push from your boss who is seeking personnel with more specific competencies or an internal drive formulated to expand your abilities, developing your skills can raise your confidence and highlight your occupational value.
How to Do Professional Development
There are many ways to enrich your knowledge and develop additional skills relevant to your field of work. For instance, visiting your local library to brush up on topic areas you frequently encounter or are interested in is always a great free option.
An engineer could brush up on the latest industry news in the reference section or learn more about the history of construction principles by browsing books that cover monumental breakthroughs in science and math. Perhaps you are a teacher looking for certain subject matter or topics on which to build a curriculum around for the next class of students, or maybe you wish to see what others have to say regarding how to more effectively communicate lesson plans to substitute teachers for any future absences. You could brew beer and need assistance finding the right ingredients for the next batch of a new summer ale destined for the tap. Whatever the case may be, there are answers, suggestions and guides to be found.
Employers all over the world seek staff that can adequately address their needs. The avenues with which this demand can be met are numerous. Professional development can be obtained through association-sponsored conferences, enrollment in trade schools, participating in LinkedIn learning courses, watching videos on the internet, spending a day at the library or browsing Coursera offerings after a shift. As such, there are seemingly endless ways that you improve your intellectual and professional standing — regardless of your occupation, interest or initial motivation.
Another powerful resource for career advancement and upskilling is Goodwill®. With hundreds of career centers providing essential resources and personalized support, Goodwill can help people overcome challenges and find meaningful work. Our career navigators are committed to making dreams come true by offering career guidance, résumé assistance, skills certification, application help, interview prep and ongoing support including financial assistance that can help to enable you in your journey to find work.
Remember, you are not alone on this journey. If you need assistance with career readiness, developing marketable job skills or overall counseling regarding any of your employment needs or questions — we are here for you! Please stop by a Goodwill career center to learn more about how Goodwill can help you.
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