T&D+Life

Why Training & Development?

Early in my career when my wife, my son, and I had our first home, we lived in a somewhat modest part of town. It was at that time that I started to notice something quite dismal. In my neighborhood and beyond, I noticed that fewer and fewer Americans seemed to take advantage of career development and adult learning opportunities available to them. I saw far too many people just “settling” for their current job and their current status in life. I imagined that one of the primary reasons for this was that by the time folks get out of high school (or even college), that they are “done” with school. And I have since talked to many people who have indeed had bad experiences with the education system. And now, as adults, they have a “bad taste in their mouth” for learning. How unfortunate.

I can still visualize the day that initial, depressing thought struck me, and it was that day when I discovered my passion. I resolved to dedicate my life to getting adults, if not excited about lifelong learning and career development, to at least get them to realize the great importance of it.

While it was not yet my “passion” per se, I had in fact witnessed this same sad phenomenon about adults and education years earlier. While serving in the military I realized that I was in a distinct minority when I took advantage of the GI Bill to complete my college degree both during my service and soon afterward. The majority of GIs let that free tuition money go to waste. Thousands of dollars, if not tens of thousands, go unused. And why? Equally sad is the fact that one of the most unused benefits offered to employees is the free tuition offered by corporate tuition assistance programs.

It seems to me that many adults are either just disinterested, or lack the motivation, to further their careers through outside resources or corporate educational opportunities.

So this sad reality is why I have dedicated my life to training and development. This road I’ve chosen is my part in making adult learning more engaging and meaningful, at least for those who are making the effort to move their careers forward.