This paper establishes the determinants of professionals' postgraduate training needs. A quantitative survey of a sample of 492 professionals from Valle del Cauca, Colombia was conducted. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to verify the research hypotheses. The results show that the factors affecting the need for…

In the last eight months, Europe's recovery agenda has become clearer. The focus on digitalisation is sharper and other developments already in train have accelerated. Questions of training and qualification are back into the spotlight -- in an EU labour market now smaller as a result of Brexit. As usual in times of labour market disruption,…

Michael Emslie argues that the time is right for youth work in Australia to be professionalised in line with other human service practices such as nursing, education and psychology. He identifies a groundswell of activities that support the professionalisation of youth work and a concurrent growth in high-level interest in strengthening social and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relevance of human resource development (HRD) for law firms in the UK. It examines how the characteristics of legal professional practice in the UK, including the partnership structure, long established methods of targeting solicitors and the law society, may act as barriers to the…

Whilst professional development (PD) is an activity required by many regulatory authorities, the value that enterprises obtain from PD is often unknown, particularly when it involves development of knowledge. This paper discusses measurement techniques and processes and provides a review of established evaluation techniques, highlighting…

This paper builds on earlier reviews by the author of the changing roles and identities of contemporary professional staff in UK higher education (Whitchurch, 2004; 2006a; 2006b), and describes an empirical study that was undertaken between 2004 and 2007. It progresses the argument that the generic terms "administration" and…

Starting with the question "why do we need professional public service interpreters?" this paper offers an overview of the present situation regarding the provision of public service interpreters (PSIs) in the UK to public service clients and touches on the main obstacles to the professionalisation of public service interpreting so far…

This article explores how contemporary professional associations employ discourses of knowledge as a means of promoting professionalism. By analysing policy documents from the Norwegian associations for teachers, nurses, engineers and accountants, we reveal dominant knowledge discourses and discuss how they serve to position the associations in…

In study 1, human resource consultants collaborated on knowledge productive learning. In study 2, teacher researchers collaborated in inquiry. The projects demonstrated how professionals use authentic ways of developing expertise to renew their knowledge base and become knowledge productive learners. (JOW)

A survey of 70 professional women returning to work after updating courses found that their jobs were not necessarily commensurate with qualifications, experience, or professional area. However, 58% still considered their careers had progressed, and many attributed successful reentry to the updating course. Flexibility was an important factor in…

If a key purpose of higher education is the development of students into "critical lifelong learners" then first destination employment for graduates choosing professionally-oriented careers provides the initial "testing ground" for its application/practice through ongoing "professional development". It is principally the workplace that provides…

That the quest for a general theory of educational administration has been a misdirection of effort and that the advancement of professionalism within this field would represent a more sensible endeavor for the production of useful knowledge is the focus of this essay. The advancement of professionalism would entail a reorientation of research…

The nature of professional expertise has been widely debated in the literature. However it has been examined primarily from a dichotomy of perspectives--either from an experiential or a cognitive focus, without the attempt to integrate these, and other aspects of expertise into an integrated and coherent model. This article presents the…

This paper examines action research that has been carried out in organizations consisting of predominantly highly educated personnel. The paper revolves around discussion of the Scandinavian model of action research, asking to what degree this model, which has been developed within the framework of industrial democracy, might also serve as a…

School counselors refer to themselves as professionals who provide services to clients. Nonetheless, a critical examination of perceptions and roles is necessary before this assertion can be accepted. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to examine the extent to which school counseling in Queensland, Australia is considered a profession, and…