Career Planning, Professional Development, and Lifelong Learning

This chapter emphasizes the significance of career \i planning, professional development, and lifelong learning. Students should begin to think about their short-term and long-term career and development plans at the onset of their academic journey and continue to engage in forethought and planning through the journey. A student is enrolled in a college or university degree program to prepare for future employment, to increase their likelihood for a promotion, or to pave the way to an advanced degree or certificate. Whatever the purpose, a student needs to plan ahead to ensure they are achieving milestones along the way and fulfilling degree requirements. Accordingly, this chapter explores program of study requirements beyond just coursework that a student needs to plan for, including practicums, internships \i, study abroad experiences, culminating learning experiences (i.e., student teaching, clinical rotations), formative or summative assessments, or any other professional experience that a student must successfully complete prior to degree completion. Even after a student completes their degree, there may be certification exam requirements that are administered externally. These are all factors that a student needs to consider and plan accordingly for at the onset of their academic journey. Early career exploration can help a student to determine what competencies to develop or enhance, inform decisions related to declaring or changing a major (i.e., program of study), and yield additional insight into any necessary academic minors or concentrations. A student who develops an awareness of future career prospects and continuing education programs may feel more confident and motivated as they navigate their program requirements. Hence, this chapter also provides strategies and recommendations for actions that a student can take to align their educational, career, and professional development goals.