Professional Development

[fm2176]

I'm sure that many of us are in careers where self-development is strongly encouraged, if not required.  For example, the Army uses the attached image to summarize its leadership developmental model.  Training, education, and experience are all equally important for continued advancement.  When I was a mechanic, I was fortunate enough to "know somebody" to get an entry-level job as a mechanic's helper at Great Dane Traliers, moving to the Cadillac dealership as an Apprentice Tech within six months.  They sent me to the regional GM Technical College campus and a local community college to receive courses on basic automotive diagnostics and repair, and when I later worked for the forklift dealership, we attended in-house training on Crown and other equipment, to include certification as an aerial work platform inspector for various types of lifts.  Of course, the trades have their various licenses and certifications, and a lot of people would rather hire that highly experienced, fully licensed and insured, and articulate electrician or plumber rather than the "shade tree" sort next door.  Of course, a lot of the TIA Crew probably either does their own work or knows someone in the trades that is willing to make a little extra cash.

 

I've been doing a lot of teleworking recently and am no longer in a position of leadership or, really, even in a position where I can stay busy with my core job for 8+ hours a day, whether at home or in the office.  Fortunately, there's a lot of stuff to do between medical appointments, required processes once my retirement is approved, and continued self-development.  I should be looking back into the Construction Management program I was accepted into a few years ago but never started, or another graduate-level program, but have been doing a lot of independent study instead.  A lot of it is US, military, and firearms history, but a lot of study is also being put into the US' justice system, whether through reading case law, watching police interactions with the public, or keeping up with law enforcement news. 

 

This morning I found a good site ran by a former cop who is both (mostly) objective and who can cite sources or references: https://grahamfactor.substack.com/?r=1a06mw.  I've long been interested in policing and other aspects of the CRJ system, and have been visiting sites like Law Enforcement Today and Police Tribune (previously Blue Lives Matter, before they changed the name during the anti-cop backlash in 2020).  However, while both are good at honoring fallen officers, they each have a distinct political stance that adds bias to most of their opinion and news pieces.  A couple of weeks ago I found the much less political Law Officer site, which led me to the site I spent most of the morning reading.  With the future open, I enjoy simply learning and getting objective opinions from experienced persons. 

 

In my opinion, a lot of people overlook education and other self-development at the expense of being relegated to a limited career path.  Some probably choose this--my father-in-law was a lifelong Journeyman Electrician that had no desire to become a Master Electrician--while others get caught up in the grind and simply put themselves on the backburner.  Then too, there is concept of being over educated and under experienced or under educated and over experienced.  Perhaps worse are the young men and women who are pushed into college, racking up tens of thousands of dollars in student loans for a useless degree and having no real life experience.  Some of the most ignorant people I've dealt with were those with 4-year or graduate-level degrees.  As a Drill Sergeant, and especially as a Recruiter, I've met a lot of people who couldn't grasp basic life skills or who thought their Master's degree guaranteed them a position as an Officer Candidate (one couldn't score over 40 on the entrance test and another person with a Master's scored 3).  

 

So, what are your thoughts, and what kind of professional development does your career path expect/desire?  When it comes to self-development, do you spend your spare time reading, watching informative videos, or playing videogames?  Do you think that an expensive piece of paper is worth more than informal knowledge and experience?  

 

 

[Altan]

I would write a lot about this, but I don't like to discuss too much about non-tool-related things here  

I do believe education is an important factor in self-development, either by reading or by being in a university education, BUT I do believe in IQ factor more than that, as I have seen a lot of examples around me. Also a lot of universities can teach what they want to teach (is needed to be taught) in 1-2 years not 4 years! Everything has become a business these days in all levels everywhere in all countries! And this is taking the world in a wrong path, unfortunately (not to keen to use this word here as I believe in most cases people deserve what they get/are/have). 

[Eric - TIA]

Great post.  I agree, I think a lot of people overlook education, whether it's schooling or doing something on their own.  For me, I like trading options.  Knew nothing about it but over the years I have studied and taught myself.  I still try to read and learn as much as possible.