January 2007 ISSUE

Learning to Advance Your Career

In a highly competitive world where constantly updated and enhanced skills are needed to succeed, the message is clear: to keep up, keep learning.

Many people struggle with changing work environments and the subsequent need to increase performance and learn new skills. All is not lost. There are some learning basics that can help everyone increase their effectiveness in absorbing new knowledge and skills.

Choose what you learn
There always seems to be too much to learn and too little time. That’s why it is important to focus on what to learn and why to learn it. Take time to think about what activities you want or need to do in the future. Then learn things that will help you do them. For example, if your work environment is moving toward automation or increased efficiency, developing computer skills will increase your marketability and desirability as an employee. It may open new doors, as well.

It is easy to learn when you are interested and motivated, so your career path should reflect some of the things that are important to you personally, as well as professionally.

Understand your learning style
Are you a hands-on, social learner or private and contemplative—or a combination learner? There are many ways to learn. Think about what learning activities have worked well for you in the past and which ones didn’t. By understanding your learning style, you can find a way of learning that works best for you. When the learning fits your style, it is more enjoyable and more productive.

Develop skills and strategies
If you have not been in a formal learning environment for a while, your learning skills may be rusty. Learning skills increase your understanding, retention and the rate or speed of you absorb the subject matter. Decide what you need to do to enhance your learning. For example, you could improve any one of your reading, listening, time management, concentration, memory, writing or exam-taking skills. Learn in manageable increments so that you achieve some success and avoid the frustration that results from trying to absorb too much information in too short a time.

Adapt to your changing future
It is important to be aware of, and responsive to, a constantly changing environment. It is easier to learn and adapt to change if it does not take you by surprise. Unfortunately, many of us tend to be too busy with our day-to-day activities to see what changes are heading our way. You can watch for and prepare for change by reading, talking to others or attending events and then thinking about what you have learned. Anticipating a change that will affect you makes it much easier to learn the skills to adapt to it.

Make a development plan
Without a plan, the best learning intentions may never be followed through. After you have established your preferred learning methods, you need to develop a plan of action that will allow you to find the right venue to take advantage of them. When your plan is on paper with timelines and resources devoted to learning, you’ll be on your way to a successful learning experience.

So, whatever, wherever and however you learn, you can do it faster and more effectively using the above basics for lifelong learning.

For more tips on career, learning and employment topics, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service website at www.alis.gov.ab.ca and click on the ALIS Tip Sheets.  The ALIS site is provided through a partnership of Alberta Human Resources and Employment, Alberta Education and Alberta Advanced Education.