The ProDev Paradox

Welcome back!

The past 6 weeks or so have been a whirlwind and now that I'm almost out of it, I can come up for a bit of air. There won't be a ton of PhD stuff in this post - I'm heading to Italy in a week or so to the spring seminar and will plan to debrief that and my next steps some time in April. Instead, I want to write out my thoughts on something that has been bouncing around my brain for quite a number of years. It's not new, it's not unknown, and it's still a conundrum. It's....the ProDev Paradox! 

​Not that kind of paradox.

To get things started, I'll lay out the paradox as clearly as possible:

1. International Ed experiences a medium-to-high level of staff turnover, particularly among "Coordinator" and "Advisor" positions
2. Institutions and organizations regularly state commitments to professional development and their desire/need to increase retention
3. Early career professionals are infrequently given opportunities to attend conference, certification programs, and site visits (though I DO NOT consider site visits as a "professional development opportunity" for many international ed professionals)
4. The lack of these opportunities is often cited as one of many factors which influence new professionals to leave the field

So, plainly put: The field values professional development and champions its value while also gatekeeping (intentionally or otherwise) those opportunities from early career professionals.

Okay sure - there's definitely a valid argument about funding and the value to the institution/organization in terms of allocating resources to folks that may not work for you beyond 18-24 months. BUT, that's a real chicken and egg scenario. The 2023 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report highlights that "Job-seeking motivation varies across age groups. The youngest workers (age 18 to 34) are most likely to value opportunities for career growth, learning, and skill building."
​

https://learning.linkedin.com/content/dam/me/learning/en-us/pdfs/workplace-learning-report/LinkedIn-Learning_Workplace-Learning-Report-2023-EN.pdf

If we accept that job seekers ages 18-34 value these things as they look for a new job, we have to also accept that they probably don't just stop valuing these things once they're hired. For young professionals, there are going to be ample opportunities for growth just in the day-to-day work, and ask just about anyone working in international ed - they'll tell you that they are always learning new things. Once they get through their first year though, many folks will start wanting a little bit more.

We're spoiled in terms of prodev opportunities these days. More online courses and certificates that you can count, and in-person conferences are back! Shoutout to anyone attending Forum this week!  State-level conferences, NAFSA regionals and the national conference, Forum, EAIE, etc... the list goes on and on. 

Now, back to the money question. It's true that many of the national-level conferences come with a big price tag. It can easily cost a few thousand dollars to send a single staff person to NAFSA's annual conference, and even a regional conference can be pricey, especially for small or single-person offices. While online options are often affordable (though not always) and more convenient, relationships are the beating heart of our field. Just as virtual exchange won't ever be able to replace mobility, we can't expect online prodev to meet the entire need. I humbly submit to you...state-level conferences. 

I've just wrapped up a couple of days at my state-level conference here in Michigan, and it was great! While it may not have all the glitz and glamour of a national conference, the Michigan Association of International Educators team puts on one heck of a little conference.

Over a hundred international ed professionals converged at Hope College, attending sessions, networking, learning new things, and having that ever-critical face time with their colleagues. It was a fantastic time, and as with past years, the keynote presentation was fantastic - this year, it was delivered by Latitudes writer Karin Fischer.

And yet, in a state with a robust population of people working in our field, there were some notable gaps. Most discouraging for me in particular was the lack of education abroad folks. In a state with such a strong education abroad culture, only a handful of folks were in attendance. Michigan isn't an outlier - we've seen broad turnover, especially in early-to-mid-level positions. What better way to develop a sense of belonging as a new hire or seasoned veteran than to attend a conference entirely full of peers within your state? Even more enticing is the price tag - full registration is under $150 and hotel rooms can be had for even less. 

Regardless, we struggled to find ed abroad presenters. No sessions, no draw for attendees. Bupkis.

​I guess my question is: 

I suppose that, to bring this one home, what I'm trying to say is:

1. Employers, your early career folks want prodev opportunities. Encourage them to attend and/or propose sessions at  your state-level conference if you have one
2. Fund their attendance and give them the leeway to fully participate rather than expect them to be watching their email the entire time. Give them space to learn.
3. Early career professionals of the world unite! Attend your state-level conference and fully participate!
4. These conferences exist for YOU! Build your professional network, flex your presenting muscles, and learn tons of new things.

P.S. These state associations are usually run by a small team of volunteers. It's a FANTASTIC way to get to know new people and get your name out there. Consider joining them when they have open positions!