Learning today involves online as well as face-to-face learning. It combines various techniques from the theory with role-play and more active engagement from participants to shape their own learning experiences. Compared to 30 years ago, careers were a straight line; after completing education, you secure a job and, years later, retire.

By Emile Fakhoury
Today, our careers have become loops of continuous development. We should embrace lifelong learning and stay flexible to thrive in this cycle.

I attended a training session last week about effective business communication in Dubai. Although it was not my first training in business communication, I learned the skills to bridge my gaps and connect with and develop my professional networks.

Networking with like-minded individuals and other influencers in your industry will give you valuable insight into your industry and can help inspire and motivate you. Conversing with people from varying industry backgrounds can provide refreshingly different insight, help educate you on areas outside of yours that may still be relevant and bring new tools and resources to your table.

Networking introduces you to like-minded professionals who may also share your common interests, goals, and aspirations. Providing advice to others and helping them succeed can boost your emotional well-being. Relationship building requires several soft skills, such as communication and teamwork, that strengthen each time you network.

Get involved:
Stay connected with your corporate learning program will boost your engagement with the company and refresh you by improving your learning skills.

Learning and developing skills are essential; as we grow, we must keep our appetite for learning active. In some cases, you may need to unlearn and relearn to maintain yourself and your profile well-maintained and remain an asset to your business and career.

Plan your Learning:
Start planning your learning at the beginning of your corporate year, which could be at the end of the calendar year or depending on your organisation's year.

This will help you brainstorm about your gaps and areas of development and plan where you want to develop to grow and move to the next level. Engaging with your business (manager and HR) is necessary to support your training plan.

Don’t ignore the small stuff:
Don’t focus only on the significant learning program and advanced training; we also need to keep our current skills up to date. Don’t ignore the small stuff of primary and intermediate learning, depending on your level, as it will always bring you something new to learn and explore regarding methods, content, and networking.

Surround yourself with fellow learners:
It is an old Spanish saying that you can predict a person's behaviour by analysing the people they hang out with. Others impact not only your behaviour but also your personality and your learning and development. While you stay connected with the new learning and development trends, surround yourself with fellow learners who could inspire you and bring you new ideas for learning.

Reflect on your learning and share your knowledge:
Learning doesn’t finish when you leave the classroom or virtual classroom. It is similar to muscle training exercises; its effect lasts long hours after the session.

Consider developing your action plan and reflecting on your completed training module for a lasting, sustainable effect. This will boost your thinking and add tremendous value to your skills and performance.

Sharing your knowledge and what you’ve learned with your colleagues and networking will also help you retain and share the knowledge with others, as we must give back what we have learned to our community and groups.

The best way to learn a concept (and demonstrate your knowledge) is to teach something you’ve learned to other people. The purpose is to blend the new information into your existing knowledge system by putting it in your own words.

As a Fellow member and Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) of the Association of Project Management (APM), I need to complete 35 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) annually. This is something that I enjoy the most, and it helps me not only with my achievements but also with my professional recognition, which can boost my career.