2022 is gearing up to be a great year for professional development. During the last two years, learning approaches have undergone many changes. One of the biggest transitions was delivering and taking professional development courses online. This has led to an increased desire for coming together again for in-person learning and networking opportunities—ATD offers many programs and conferences in person and virtually to provide you with the learning experience that best fits your schedule and budget.
As I facilitate ATD Education programs throughout the year, both in person and live online, the one question I hear most is: How do I convince my supervisor to invest in my professional development? In short, people are looking for more professional development opportunities and need to tie them to business impact. Although it’s what we do for a living, it can be a hard sell sometimes to prioritize our own learning because we have to allocate for time away from the day-to-day tuition fees, travel costs, and so on.
One suggestion I always have is to maximize your investment of time and budget by finding opportunities that offer a variety of learning and networking options with one trip. The ATD International Conference & EXPO energizes the learning and development landscape. It brings together thought leaders and practitioners of our industry to discuss best practices, latest trends, new solutions, and knowledge on how to attract, retain, and develop top talent. The conference brings together talent development professionals from around the world, enables you to learn from inspiring speakers and industry experts, and provides you with the chance to interact with your peers at receptions and networking nights. The event will give you a plethora of information, tools, and even potential future business partners to take back to your team and organization.
To maximize your return on investment, register for an ATD certificate program to take during the same trip. ATD offers its flagship courses at the conference site, beginning just prior to the conference itself. Experience ATD’s courses held as part of the pre-conference program, earn an industry-recognized certificate, and then attend the conference to take advantage of the networking opportunities, world-class speakers, and an exposition featuring innovative suppliers to the talent development community.
If budget, travel, or personal comfort are still a concern, you can participate in the conference virtually to experience a robust virtual conference complete with educational programming and a virtual marketplace. However you choose to attend, we hope to welcome you to ATD22 in a way that is most ideal for your professional development. Looking to build your business case to attend? ATD has you covered with our manager letter, session and exhibitor worksheet, and our investment worksheet to help you convince your boss of the benefits.
