Your guide to professional development

It’s no secret that in order to perform well, employees need to feel valued.  

In many workplaces, employers struggle to connect with their teams in meaningful ways, forgetting that one of the most obvious solutions is providing their team with professional development training.  

Kansas State University Olathe knows that employers who connect with their employees and provide professional development opportunities experience greater employee satisfaction, which is just one of the reasons we provide a wide variety of professional development opportunities for our local community. 

Our professional development programming features webinars, seminars and a three-day conference that’s designed to boost your team’s performance to the next level. We offer customized trainings, as well as animal health, leadership and advanced manufacturing training.

Attendees at our professional development events will have opportunities to:

• Attend workshops, webinars and conferences at a time that is most convenient for them 
• Hone and develop their animal health skills 
• Deep-dive into specific topics related to the animal health industry 

If you’re looking for ways to connect with your team members and support your employees so they can feel valued and well-trained, a professional development workshop could be the ideal solution. 

What is professional development — and how can it help your team? 

You may have heard about professional development or even considered seeking opportunities for your team members, but what exactly does professional development look like — and is it something your team needs? 

Professional development is a targeted program that’s specific to a professional’s current need. Regardless of your company’s mission and goals, professional development opportunities are essential for employee growth and retention. Providing your team members with opportunities to develop their leadership skills, hone their critical thinking abilities and develop their communication skills is an important part of building your relationships and supporting your team members so they can enhance their performance. 

Professional development looks different for each employee and might include: 

• Attending a seminar on leadership 
• Participating in a workshop on managing a team 
• Enrolling in a skills-based classroom 

Because each team member has unique interests, goals and roles in a company, it’s vital that leaders consider how the right professional development opportunities can provide room for growth and the opportunity to improve. 

Our professional development opportunities are specifically designed to be versatile and accessible. We want to meet your employees where they are. Whether that’s attending a one-hour webinar over their lunch break or investing in a multi-day conference, we’ve got something for everyone. 

Maybe you have team members who only have an hour to dedicate to developing their career skills. We understand and offer lunchtime webinars to meet this need. Each lunchtime webinar is designed to provide attendees with a brief overview of a specific topic in the animal health field so they can boost their understanding and enhance their skills. 

If you have team members who are able to dedicate an afternoon to a workshop or seminar or who are interested in attending a conference, we offer these options, as well. Longer sessions and conferences mean more hands-on learning and an even deeper dive into the topic at hand. 

Our team also is available to develop customized trainings specifically focused on your company and employees' needs. We'll meet with you to discuss your goals, timeline, intended audience and program details. From there, we will develop an engaging and effective training with our subject matter experts to deliver a program worth your time and investment. 

Why does professional development matter?  

When employers consider the changing needs of their team members, employees feel seen and understood. Perhaps most important, they feel empowered to continue growing and moving forward in their careers. 

“When you invest in your employees, they feel respected and valued,” said Debbie Kirchhoff, executive director of strategic initiatives at K-State Olathe. “When employers take time to consider the needs of their employees, including their professional goals, it shows each team member that the employer not only values them, but their future contributions to the company.” 

We understand that employees have limited time when it comes to pursuing professional development, so we aim to produce programming that meets the needs of working professionals. Instead of forcing employees to bend their schedules to meet available opportunities for learning, we strategically plan our offerings to ensure that employees can attend classes, events, workshops and summits that meet what they’re looking for — and that fits with their schedules. 

As you set your professional development goals, keep us in mind. Visit olathe.k-state.edu/talent to learn more.