How do you learn best? In what ways do you develop and sharpen your skills? How do you want to grow professionally and creatively?

Each year the Association for Talent Development, the world’s largest learning association dedicated to empowering professionals to develop knowledge and skills, celebrates workplace learning through its Employee Learning Week campaign. Employee Learning Week 2022 is Dec. 5 – 9. The week is being recognized internationally, as well as by the Georgia Governor's Office.

Georgia Tech Professional Education’s Workplace Learning and Professional Development (WLPD) team believes that there are always opportunities to learn, and during Employee Learning Week we seek to share approaches, methods, and resources for all Georgia Tech employees to take advantage of.

“The ultimate objective of this year’s Employee Learning Week is to shine a light on the numerous ways our campus community embraces the idea of lifelong learning, promote the value of workplace learning, and celebrate those who take charge of their development and growth” said LaTrese Ferguson, director of Workplace Learning and Professional Development.

As we approach the end of the year, Employee Learning Week is a great time to reflect on the learning goals you accomplished over the last 12 months. It also provides an opportunity to review those goals you weren’t able to meet and develop a new learning plan for the upcoming year.

All employees are invited to celebrate Employee Learning Week on Friday, Dec. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon at Paper and Clay. Get creative by glazing a mug and learn about ways the Institute supports your continued growth and development. Register here (limited to the first 50 registrants).

Making a Plan

To close out the year and plan to make the most of your professional development and growth in 2023, WLPD has some recommendations for laying out a learning plan:

• Determine your why.
• Identify your how.
• Select your what.
• Leverage your who.
• Schedule your when.

WHY: First, start out with your reason and purpose for learning — do you want to acquire or enhance a skill, tackle an issue, make a career change, need to complete a requirement, earn a promotion, obtain a certification, or just have the satisfaction of learning something new? Ask yourself, “Why do I want to participate in a professional development opportunity?”

HOW: Next, explore the best learning approach for yourself based on your personal preferences, needs, and desires. Ask yourself, “How do I learn best?” There are many methods and modes of learning, so find the ones that are best for you and consider the following ways to learn a new skill.

• From those already performing the skill:
  • Job shadowing.
  • Cross-training.
  • Job sharing/rotation.
• By taking on additional responsibilities:
  • Stretch assignments.
  • Work delegation.
  • Special projects/committees.
• Through formal and informal training:
  • Training courses/programs.
  • Certifications/certificates/badges.
  • Degrees.
• By group participation:
  • Communities of practice.
  • Service/volunteerism.
  • Online forums.
• With guidance from others:
  • Coaching.
  • Mentoring.
  • Mastermind groups.
• From self-study:
  • Videos/podcasts.
  • Books/articles.
  • Social media.

WHAT: Now that you have identified your reason for learning and how you like to learn, determine what you want to do. Check out the courses and programs WLPD has offered in 2022 through our Learning Resource Catalog (the 2023 catalog will be published by the beginning of the new year), as well as the plentiful opportunities available on campus through the Campus Learning Directory.

Some things to consider to ensure you are fully engaged in the learning experience are examining your interest or passion for it, deciding if it is important or meaningful to you, and determining if it will challenge or stretch you. You will also want to consider what you will do with the learning obtained and how you will apply it. Find opportunities to incorporate your learning into your daily practices. Ask yourself, “What professional development opportunity do I want to participate in?”

WHO: Research shows that support from others is the best way to ensure that the learning you receive through developmental opportunities is actually put into practice. Involving your manager, peers, and/or direct reports is critical in ensuring this happens. Also, look to engage with others within or outside of your department, unit, or school who might also benefit from your experience. It will not only assist you in using the learning but also help others too. Ask yourself, “Who will support and engage with me?”

WHEN: Lastly, after laying out your plan, it’s time to set dates and milestones for your learning opportunities. Working with your manager through the Performance Management Cycle is a great way to document this and keep yourself on track throughout the performance year. Many times, the Career Development Goals section of the Values-Based Goal Setting Form is not given significant priority, so come prepared with your learning goals when working with your manager during the planning phase of the Performance Management Cycle. Ask yourself, “When will I begin my opportunity?”

During Employee Learning Week 2022, take some time to explore your personal learning goals, think about what is important to you, and establish what you want to achieve in the coming year. Stay tuned next week as more learning resources and articles are shared in the Daily Digest to help you continue planning how you will grow in 2023. 

If you need assistance or want to learn more about what Workplace Learning and Professional Development has to offer, contact training@gatech.edu.