Learning in the workplace - 70%

On-the-job experience or "learning by doing" is the main way you can extend your competencies.  By taking on and mastering new tasks as part of your daily work, you will find yourself in a position to observe, absorb, analyse, understand and then implement new skills. The competency matrix provides you with an opportunity to work with your Manager to identify tasks that will extend your competency and expertise in specific areas.

 

Performance Development

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• Set goals and targets with your Manager.

• What internal and external training and/or study compliments those goals and targets.

• Meet regularly with your Manager to review your performance to ensure you are on track.

 

Secondments - drive your own development

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• Put your hand up for involvement in team projects and assignments in areas you want to learn more about.

• Look for opportunities to be seconded across departments or externally to other like organisations.

• Taking part in secondments will broaden your experience, skill and knowledge and provides you with the opportunity to try out other roles you may have an interest in.

 

Management material?

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• Want to be a manager? - talk to your Manager or supervisor about taking on a supervisory role.

• This could be in the form of mentoring junior employees or managing people on work experience.

• These experiences will put you in line to develop your career and become a manager.

 

Learning from others - 20%

 

Coaching and Mentor – learn off the best around you!

 

Coaching is a partnership, where the coach inspires and coaches to maximise potential through self-awareness and self-discovery.

  

Mentoring involves an expert providing advice, wisdom and guidance based on experience. Mentors are usually an expert in the same field as the mentoree.

 

• Some businesses have in-house mentoring programmes.

• If not, nothing is stopping you from identifying an experienced manager you respect and admire and asking them to be your Mentor.

• Meet with them regularly to reflect on your work and decision making processes you have followed.

• Have them peer-review your work to give you pointers on how to improve.

• Put your learnings into practice!

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Professional membership

 

Professional memberships may be required as part of a qualified role, i.e. Chartered Accountants.  However, there are many other associations which provide members with opportunities to network and build industry relationships.  It usually includes providing the member with education, information, resources, assets, and/or the encouragement that can assist them in reaching their own goals. As part of your development, discuss membership options with your Manager.

 

Formal learning - 10%

 

Study and training – Internal and External

 

• Explore what in-house training opportunities are there at work.

• Explore what training and studying opportunity are there outside of work.

• Talk to your Manager on how the business can support your training goals.

 

Leadership programmes

 

You don’t have to be a manager to be a good leader.  Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act toward achieving a common goal. In a business setting, this can mean directing workers and colleagues with a strategy to meet the company's needs.  Put even more simply, the leader is the inspiration for and director of the action.

 

• Large organisations tend to have in-house leadership training programmes which are specific to their business.

• There are also several leadership training programmes available in the Cook Islands through the Cook Islands Tertiary Training Institute (CITTI).

• As part of your development discussion with your Manager, look into those opportunities as part of your development plan.

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