This week, we kickoff a continued education course for K-12 educators focused on supporting career development growth for every grade, from classroom to career. Reflecting on content, I also thought about what supporting career development looks like for employers. In our training with educators, we try to connect student growth and learning about careers with workforce development. What do our students, employees, and our community need to thrive?
“The best way to predict the future is to create it—through education, mentorship, and opportunity.” — Adapted from Peter Drucker
The National Society of Leadership and Success has developed “Career Development 101: A Complete Guide to Professional Growth” which backs up our approach to lifelong learning. The guide says, “Career development helps you stand out in front of employers, compete in today’s job market, and grow within a company. The process of career development is just as important for students as it is for those currently in the workforce.”
For students – awareness, exploration and readiness for what follows high school is key. Those students will become tomorrow’s employees. So how can employers continue the development from classroom to career?
3 Roles for Employers in Career Development
Continuous Learning Opportunities
Think tuition reimbursement and offering a budget for professional development. Check out Nourish Your Growth in 2025: Why Learning Should be on Your Agenda for ideas on learning.
Employee Driven Pathways to Their Next Right Thing
Grow your own leaders! Pouring into employees helps the entire organization rise. Everyone should have a “coach” and “cheerleader” for their professional development gameplan. Check out 4 Ways to Get Unstuck with Professional Development for more ways to support employees.
Total Rewards
Does your rewards package support the desire to grow and do good work? How do you reward employees? Here are 5 Ideas for Retaining Talent in a Tough Labor Market.
If you need more support for your supporting development, reach out to us at HPC. We’d love to help!