Professional Development for All
Professional development can take many forms: from classes and seminars to level up your skills or stay abreast of changes in your industry, to having or being a mentor, to joining groups and organizations that align with your industry and interests. Keeping informed about what’s going on in your sector, being aware of best practices and shared challenges, and communicating with others in similar or adjacent jobs are all effective ways to improve your knowledge and understanding and add value to your work.
Feds often think of themselves as being in the “business” of government, but the depth and breadth of what our government does – from air traffic control and administrative services to zoological research – means feds are involved in just about every sector, so there are opportunities both within and outside of the government to network, enhance skills, and share ideas.
FEEA has collected #FedLifeHacks articles and links to other information that can help feds think about where to start and how to meet professional development goals. We particularly recommend checking out “70+ Federal Groups You Should Know About” as a great starting point for finding other people who share your interests and organizations that share the goals of enriching and empowering their members. You might also consider groups in your local community that focus on skills you’d like to improve (like public speaking or writing) or causes you care about. Volunteering can be a great way to adapt an expertise you have from your working life to benefit others, learn new skills and be exposed to new ideas, and may also offer leadership opportunities.
However you choose to handle your own professional development, approaching it with an open mind and the intent to learn and share will help set you up for success.
The column from the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund is part of the FEDforum, an initiative to unite voices across the federal community. The FEDforum is a space for federal employee groups to share their organizations’ initiatives and activities with the FEDmanager audience.
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