4 Types of Career Development Programs

Carolina Jacobs

Feb 12, 2023
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When you support your employees and their progression, you will likely notice a significant change in their performance. Employees who feel support from their employers work harder to obtain company goals. Let’s explore four types of career development programs that help employees advance personally and professionally.

Stages of Modern Career Development

There are six stages of modern career development that can help you grow and progress while you decide on your future. These stages can help you identify what you want to do and how to get there and lend support to your career development journey

The Assessment Stage is where you identify your strengths and weaknesses and decide on a career path. The Investigation Stage is where you begin researching and trying to find what field you want to make your life work. You can interview people who work in jobs you are considering pursuing to understand job aspects better and decide what’s right for you.

In the Preparation stage, you begin setting goals and gaining the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your chosen career. The Commitment Stage consists of searching for a job and perhaps even accepting a job offer. The last two stages are the Retention and Transition stages, where you build your professional network, focus on your skill set and then make necessary changes to your career to better suit your needs. 

Career Development Programs

Career development programs can allow employees to learn and grow while they work in their chosen careers. Professional development opportunities that can encourage employees to pursue a company are as follows. 

Leadership Training 

You can learn leadership training through online courses or internal workshops led by team managers who can share insights and provide on-the-job training. Encouraging employees to become leaders can help them effectively handle conflict and present management prospects for the company.

Teamwork training can also benefit employees and help them build soft skills like communication and emotional intelligence. Employers can use various team-building activities in workshops or meetings to strengthen relationships and increase employee engagement

Career Plan Map

An individualized career plan map can foster opportunities for individuals to gauge where they are in their careers and what other positions may better suit their interests. To keep employees engaged, a career map can help keep them on track and actively pursuing their goals

Career maps can provide personal assessment and clear goals that will set them up for success. It can also allow employees to identify skills they might need to work on to gain traction and advance in their careers. 

Tuition Assistance

Offering tuition assistance can be a game changer for employees. Individuals seeking to further their education and advance in their careers will jump at the opportunity for additional funding. Education at the collegiate level is expensive, so any grants or funding presented to employees will be beneficial and promote their experience. 

Professional Certification

Professional certification is an additional way that you can foster individual growth for employees. Similar to tuition assistance or reimbursement, offering professional development in the form of certificates can increase employee engagement and learning opportunities to climb the professional ladder. 

Certificate preparation and programs can encourage employees to continue their education or seek a promotion. With experience and added responsibility typically comes an advancement in pay, which is what most employees actively seek. 

Achieving Greatness With Different Types of Career Development Programs

Personal growth is essential to employees because when they grow, the company benefits. Individual career goals can help employees thrive and perform better at their jobs while nurturing personal and professional growth. 

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