“Create Your Own” Professional Development Opportunities

Article written by Brynne Pulver, Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, UNC Greensboro

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There is an energy that accompanies the beginning of a new academic year.  The atmosphere is electric as new students move in and continuing students return to campus. There is a sense of renewal, of new possibilities, and growth, and it’s at this time of year when I use this energy and momentum to consider how I can invest in my own development. With our busy schedules (and let’s be honest, when isn’t it busy in our profession?) and our focus on helping others, we can often put our own betterment and wishes for learning, improvement, and advancement on the back burner.  Professional development, however, is essential for growth, both at the individual and organizational level, and should be a regular consideration.  When you become more knowledgeable, learn a new skill, or create a new network, you benefit both yourself and your institution. 

There are, of course, professional development opportunities in the form of formal conferences, workshops, and certificate programs, but what if there are time constraints, limited funds, or other circumstances barring these opportunities? Years ago, when I was actively pursuing opera as a career, a guest artist in a master class I attended was asked about the difficulty of the career and gaining performance experience when so few opportunities existed.  Her response was something that stuck with me.  She said, “You have to create your own opportunities.”  In my almost four short years at UNCG, I’ve actively lived by this mantra, finding and creating professional development opportunities for myself and others.  Whether you are a seasoned vet or just starting in the profession, here are a few ideas to jumpstart your professional development journey:

Leadership Opportunities

• Consider joining or taking on a position of leadership within your staff senate/staff council at your institution.
• Advocate for yourself to lead a committee or council.
• Find a working Board that will allow you to join for the cost of membership.
• Seek out opportunities to hold a leadership position at your church, a charity, HOA, etc.

Mentorship Opportunities

• Actively seek a mentor in a position you aspire to, or someone who is in a field you feel you could learn from.
• Consider mentoring another colleague.

Free or Low-Cost Online Learning and Micro-Credentials

• Check with your institution to see if they have resources such as LinkedIn Learning, Percipio, Coursera, or others, which would allow you to earn micro-credentials and/or learn new skills. *Make sure to take a look at Akesia Phillip’s Fun Five List: “Reasons to Get A Micro-Credential” from the July NAPAHE newsletter, which includes five great micro-credentials to consider!

Programming

• Create an affinity group within your own institution. (If you’d like to know more about our Executive Assistant Group here at UNCG and how we put it together, reach out to me in the NAPAHE portal!)
• Check in with IT, HR, and/or Career and Professional Service offices to ask if they could develop relevant programming. 
• Create your own institutional leadership program using in-house resources.

Tuition Assistance

• Find out if your institution offers tuition assistance to take a class or to use towards the completion of a degree program. 

While this list is by no means complete, hopefully it gives you some food for thought and inspires you to create your own opportunities for professional development.