Further Training and Further Learning

In many books and pages we often read that the secret to professional success if further training. No matter what you learned, what your area is, truth to be told, you need to refresh your skills and knowledge from time to time. Whether you are not employed - or not employed in your area of expertise - or employed, training is important, and more at hand than you'd imagine.

Who Should Provide the Training?

I've known plenty of people who believe that further training is the responsability of the employer, and thus the company that employs them should be the one paying for their further improving of their skills or their acquiring of new skills. Though often companies do train their employees, or further train them, in order to be better equiped for the job the company wants the to do, one must never forget that all types of trainings are always a gain for the employees themselves. After all, one thing that can never be taken away from you is what you've learned, what you know. You can forget, if you allow yourself to forget, but no other person can take it from you, and that makes knowledge and skill such an important, valuable asset in one's life.

Also, people relying on the training selected by the company, cut their chances at expanding in other areas of interest that might broaden their scope and their view. It's very good to participate in trainings organized by the company, or trainings organized by professional groups you belong to, or can join freely, but you can - and you should - also actively seek further training by your own.

Where to Start?

Depending on your circumstances, you may look universities and their websites, and these often offer free courses, or paid courses you could take to improve and refresh your skills and knowledge. Professional groups, such as Professional Commitees or Unions, are also a great option, but if neither of these is available, there's always the internet. Check on blogs and different sites, but don't stop there, start there! Check out articles, look for web seminars (or webinars), check suggested books and try to remain on top of the latest news and trends of your craft. It applies also to the cases where you've got a degree in A, but are working and more interested in B. Check A, check B... check the one you wish to improve, you wish to hone into a fine shape.

For instance, inspired in a job post I recently checked out (and applied for), I decided to roam the net looking for information on Project Management. I've worked on this area pretty much the last eight years, and have received quite some training in it, BUT I felt that a little bit more of tuning wouldn't harm. It's amazing to read articles that reinforce my experience and what I've learned both in books and in the field, and also know about the latest trends.

You can look for different topics too, and read articles, maybe attend professional breakfasts if you have the chance, the time and the resources, and nurture your profession.

Truth is that even if the profession was forced on you, you decided to make it happen, you decided to follow it - otherwise, once you've got the job, why didn't you choose to study what you really like? - so what's stopping you from improving it and let it grow stronger? The choice is yours.