Amanda Marschall has been a member of ATD since 2013. Here's her story in her own words.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I work for LEGO Systems Inc. as a contact center trainer. I have been at LEGO for seven years. I have a BA in theatre performance and an MS in organizational leadership.
What are your personal and/or professional goals?
My biggest personal goal is to continue to develop. I have a strong passion for collaboration, networking, and learning from different people, so I hope that I can continue to do that no matter where I am. Professionally, I do love training and I hope to be able to step into a training management role one day. As much as I love to be in front of a class, I really would love to start diving into the strategy behind learning endeavors.
What’s the most valuable thing you’ve gained or experienced during your membership with ATD?
Being an ATD member has truly changed my professional and personal life. I have gained many valuable lessons, seen amazing people share their experiences, been able to speak at huge conferences; but to me, the most valuable thing I have gained is the new network of Young Professional L&D Friends. The first ATD International Conference & EXPO I went to in D.C., there was a YP event hosted by ATD; and during that bowling networking event, I made lifelong friends and connections with like-minded people who were going through the same struggles, situations, and successes as me. I have been so proud to be a part of this YP L&D community. I visit my friends, we talk regularly, we bounce ideas and challenges off of each other, and we even started our own monthly catch-ups. I learn more from them than anyone else within my network, and I am proud to be associated with them!
Could you share any professional tips, specific to talent development, that you have picked up along the way?
Never be limited or closed-minded to solutions. Sure, you may not have the money, the time, or the support to do something specific, but with innovative solutions you can do something just as good with the tools you do have. Always know that the ideas you have should be shared and the things you are doing can be better. Once you open your mind for criticism and creativity, your learning initiatives will hit more people with more success.
How do you find meaning in your work?
Meaning in my work comes from the performance of others. When I see the lightbulb go on in a class participant or hear about the success story of a colleague (thanks to my teaching) or a great interaction an employee had with a consumer because of the lessons I taught—well, that is all the meaning I need.
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