Tetsuyama-san’s quote, “The day you stop learning is the day you stop living” still holds true. From learning through every situation you go through in life, to learning from others and taking courses to advance yourself professionally, learning should never stop. It’s one of those things that makes life meaningful and interesting.
Professional development
When it comes to your career, you can’t go far without learning. You learn from your superiors, on the job, especially through professional development courses or programs. This is because as times change, new skills, knowledge, ideas, and trends spring up. You must constantly find ways to develop yourself to stay relevant, compete, and achieve your professional goals. It is safe to say that professional development is not an option but a necessity.
A report by Gallup also shows that “87% of millennials say professional development opportunities are very important to them”. Luckily for some, their employers share the same sentiments and offer regular training sessions and workshops. Others, need to take their destinies into their hands and find ways to develop themselves through self-funded professional development courses or programs. Either way, there are certain things you must do to maximize such learning opportunities so they don’t end up being less than useful.
5 ways to maximize professional development courses
In our over 5 years of offering professional courses and programs, we know and have seen the differences between those who take professional development courses for the sake of it, and those on a mission. It is from our experience that we’ll be sharing with you 5 ways to make the best use of professional development courses and come out ready to take on the world!
1. Make sure you’re taking the right course
Interest, dedication, and passion are some of the things that keep you pumped up during a professional course, irrespective of how difficult or stressful it gets. So, before you choose and pay for a professional course, ensure it is what you need at that point in your career or for a future goal you’ve set.
2. Set goals for each course or program you take
Before and upon registering for a course, decide on what specific goals you want to achieve during the course. For example, if you’re taking a professional course in media and journalism, your goals can be to publish 3 articles in top newspapers, build an audience, and learn how to successfully manage media projects. With these goals in mind, you are more likely to succeed.
3. Learn time management
Time management is one of the reasons people under-utilize professional development courses. With work demands, a family to take care of, personal commitments, and other cares of life, dedicating time to a professional course can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. You can learn to better manage your time by creating and following a realistic timetable. For example, you can dedicate your weekends to finish your assignments or projects or, 2hrs a day to read supplemental materials. You can also prioritize your commitments and postpone some to later so you can focus on your professional course which is usually for a short period.
4. Practice what you’re learning
One of the best ways to retain information or learning is by practice. Take on a personal or professional project while you take a course so you can immediately apply your learnings. For example, if you’re taking a professional course in digital management, you can create a blog and begin to share articles or help a brand manage its Twitter page to achieve its set goals and objectives. This way, you will gain hands-on skills and learn through practice.
5. Network
Studies have shown that “80% of professionals believe that career success can be elevated through professional networking.” In a professional development center such as ours, we receive students from different parts of the country and organizations. More so, our faculty are top educationists and professionals from reputable institutions such as Cambridge University, Kings College, University of East London, etc. You will be maximizing your professional development by interacting and building long-lasting relationships with them.
Wrap up
It is not enough to decide to develop yourself through professional development courses, you have to do the work to ensure you get value from them. Follow the above tips and you’ll be well on your way to success. And if you’re still in the process of searching for worthwhile and practical professional development courses, check out our suite of international professional and postgraduate courses here.
See you next time!
