career education plan examples

How To Create A Career Development Plan: Examples + Templates – 2024!

by Deniz Imer March 16, 2024, 10:59 am updated May 8, 2024, 11:05 am 475 Views

Career development plans are more than just aiming to get the next promotion or landing a better job. It demands a strategic effort and an intentional approach to laying out the steps one wishes to take in their professional life.

Career developments bring about serious self-reflection, goal-setting, and continuous learning in the process. Individuals who actively engage in their career development will be better equipped to seize opportunities, deal with challenges, and chart a course toward their success.

Especially in modern-day times where everything is changing at such a fast rate, career development plans are more important than ever and require more attention to detail.

Similar to talent mapping , career development plans are a valuable tool for creating a roadmap for professional growth that helps highlight strengths, weaknesses, and aligned aspirations.

Follow along to see which steps you need to take to implement career growth plans into your professional life to ensure growth and long-term success in your career, and take a look at examples and templates of career growth plans that you can customize!

Table of Contents

Why Should You Have A Career Development Plan?

A career growth plan is a very powerful tool when used right. It helps empower individuals to take control of their career direction and beyond the obvious benefits of goal-setting and skill enhancements, career development plans provide a sense of purpose.

By grasping your short and long-term goals through career planning, you will create yourself with a strategic compass, a career path , that will guide you through a competitive and slippery world. Career growth plans are also important to invest your time and other resources in the right places that will help you succeed the most.

As career growth plans encourage continuous learning, it enhances individuals’ resilience and overall abilities. They create a sense of proactivity in approaching careers as a whole which in return helps individuals become more in tune with talent development opportunities and align better with their career goals.

How Do You Create A Career Development Plan?

Now that we have gone over what career growth plans are and why they are important, let’s take a closer look at how you can design one for yourself and what steps you’ll have to take in the process before we move along to employee development template and examples.

1. Identify Career Goals

The first step is to have a clear understanding of yourself as a professional and your development goals . Once you know more you can start articulating short-term and long-term goals.

One thing to take note of here is to make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). SMART Goals will help you advance in your career in a structured and strategic way that keeps you thriving for more but still rewards you in the process.

Break down your larger goals into smaller and manageable steps to ensure an easier process to track and help you stay focused on your overall objectives as you take your journey day by day.

2. Assess Skills and Competencies

In addition to identifying your goals and objectives, an integral part of individual development plans is knowing your skills and competencies. By assessing and seeing your current status, you’ll have a better idea of what else needs to happen for you to achieve the goals you set.

Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses, values, and interests. At the same time reflect on how they have assisted you in your achievement thus far. This will make it easier to highlight what areas need more growth.

As you see more clearly in this aspect, and as you identify more of what satisfies you professionally, this introspective perspective will provide you with a realistic and strong basis for you to design your career development plan.

3. Action Plan

The next step is to put into words your realizations from the retrospective approach previously, into a step-by-step action plan to follow day-to-day.

This plan can include acquiring new skills or developing existing ones through training or education, seeking mentorship, networking with other professionals in your industry, and actively going after any relevant opportunities for growth.

When thinking about your action plan, don’t forget to include what you believe are potential obstacles on your way and devise strategies to tackle them in case you need to. A well-rounded action plan will help make your goals a reality and keep you organized in your career development journey.

4. Review & Adjust

A career growth plan is not simply one document set in stone and never to be reviewed again. It’s an ever-evolving process as you take steps to grow via your career growth plan. As you evolve, your plan should do the same.

To ensure that you are on track, make sure to review your career growth plan consistently by using tools such as the 9-box review , to keep your steps in check and ensure they still serve a purpose for your growth.

Be open to adjustments when necessary, especially based on new opportunities or discoveries about yourself. Don’t forget to utilize appraisals during the process of employee development plans , to keep motivation high.

If you can implement an adaptable nature into your career growth, then you can truly succeed in the long term. Without fine-tuning your experience in growth as you improve, you can miss out on even better developments.

Regular self-reflection and tweaks here and there are vital if you wish to maintain a dynamic and sustainably effective career growth plan.

Career Development Plan Template

If you’re looking for a way to start yourself out on your own career development plan, we have a template for you that you can download!

You can also create your own career development plan inside Teamflect! Teamflect is an all-in-one solution to performance software.

An app that was designed for M icrosoft Teams , that has all of your needs under one place just a click away. You can use Teamflect to keep yourself or your team accountable for their career growth, create tasks and goals, and evaluate progress through performance reviews.

Career Development Plan Examples

In addition to a set template for a career development action plan, we’ve also taken the liberty to give you examples inside this article so that you can also see an example plan that’s already been filled out. Take a look at the following examples;

Sample Career Development Plan 1: Software Engineer

Set Clear Goals:

• Define short-term and long-term career objectives.
• Short-term goals might include mastering a new programming language or framework.
• Long-term goals could involve becoming a technical lead or software architect.

Assess Current Skills and Interests:

• Reflect on current programming skills and interests.
• Identify areas of strength and weakness, such as programming languages, frameworks, and technologies.

Continuous Learning:

• Enroll in online courses, workshops, or boot camps to enhance technical skills.
• Attend industry conferences and seminars to stay updated on emerging technologies and best practices.
• Consider pursuing certifications relevant to the field, such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Google Cloud Professional Developer.

Gain Experience:

• Seek internships or entry-level positions to gain practical experience.
• Contribute to open-source projects or build personal projects to showcase skills.
• Collaborate with experienced professionals to learn from their expertise.

Networking:

• Join professional organizations and online communities related to software development.
• Attend networking events and meetups to connect with peers and potential mentors.
• Utilize social media platforms like LinkedIn to build a professional network and showcase achievements.

Seek Feedback and Mentorship:

• Solicit feedback from peers, managers, and mentors to identify areas for improvement.
• Establish relationships with experienced professionals who can provide guidance and support in career advancement.

Career Advancement:

• Explore opportunities for advancement within the current organization or consider switching to roles with higher responsibilities.
• Stay proactive in seeking new challenges and responsibilities to further career growth.
• Continuously reassess goals and adjust career development plans accordingly.

Sample Career Development Plan 2: Marketing Manager

Define Career Objectives:

• Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) career goals.
• Short-term goals might include mastering marketing analytics tools or obtaining certifications in digital marketing.
• Long-term goals could involve becoming a marketing director or launching a successful marketing consultancy.

Self-Assessment:

• Evaluate current skills, strengths, and weaknesses in marketing.
• Identify areas of interest within marketing, such as digital marketing, brand management, or market research.

Continuous Education:

• Take courses or pursue a degree in marketing, business administration, or related field to enhance knowledge and skills.
• Stay updated on industry trends and best practices through reading industry publications, attending webinars, and participating in workshops.
• Seek internships, entry-level positions, or freelance projects to gain hands-on experience in various aspects of marketing.
• Volunteer for cross-functional projects within current organization to broaden skills and expertise.
• Build a strong professional network by attending industry events, conferences, and seminars.
• Connect with peers, mentors, and industry leaders through networking platforms like LinkedIn.
• Join professional organizations such as the American Marketing Association (AMA) or Digital Marketing Association (DMA) to expand your network and access resources.

Seek Mentorship and Feedback:

• Identify experienced professionals in the field who can provide guidance and mentorship.
• Seek feedback from supervisors, colleagues, and mentors to identify areas for improvement and development.
• Pursue opportunities for advancement within the current organization or explore roles in other companies that align with career goals.
• Develop leadership and strategic thinking skills necessary for higher-level positions.
• Continuously evaluate and adjust career development plans to align with evolving goals and market trends.

Related Posts:

Written by deniz imer.

Deniz is a content writer at Teamflect. She is obsessed with organizational behavior studies and loves writing/thinking about how a carefully designed people strategy can transform a company.

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How to Develop a 5-Year Career Plan

• Mary McNevin, Ed. D.

Stop setting annual goals, and start thinking longer term.

Having a long-term plan for your career can help you reduce career-related stress, increase your perceived employability, and allow you to connect more deeply with your purpose. But how do you move beyond yearly career goals and create a five-year plan?

• Brainstorm. Start by thinking about how you want your career to develop and what you need to do to get there. This requires self-reflection. You’ll need to identify your primary goal, your passions, how your existing skills contribute to both those things, and your areas for improvement.
• Gather feedback. We’re not aways the best judges of our own capabilities and strengths. That’s why it can be important early in your planning process to gather feedback from your superiors, mentors, and peers. They may help you discover career opportunities you never considered for yourself, clue you into strengths you may be overlooking, and share insights regarding your areas for growth and development.
• Map it out. After doing some self-reflection and gathering feedback, it’s time to organize the information you’ve collected. Consider keeping track of your plan in PowerPoint. For example, slide 1 should outline the career goals you identified in your self-reflection. Slide 2 should list out the skills you already have and the ones you would need to achieve your ultimate career goals. Slide 3 should highlight the development activities you plan to pursue over the next five years to help you achieve your goals. And slide 4 should present all of the possible obstacles that might prevent you from achieving your goal and how to address those challenges.
• Iterate. Unlike year-long goal setting, the process of creating a five-year plan is never complete. One way to ensure you’re keeping your plan updated is to set a quarterly calendar reminder. This will help you address any new developments in your life or career and make changes where necessary.

“Where do you see yourself in five years?”

• MM Mary McNevin, Ed. D. is an executive coach, talent advisor, and former CLO and talent executive. She is a growth-oriented talent management executive with 20+ years of experience in learning, talent management, succession planning, and strategy development. Dr. McNevin earned her doctorate (EdD) from the University of Pennsylvania through an interdisciplinary program between the Graduate School of Education and the Wharton School of Business. Her dissertation focused on Executive Coaching in the C-suite. Dr. McNevin also holds an MBA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and an MS in Education from the University of Pennsylvania.

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How to make a career plan [+templates]

Reading time: about 7 min

Sometimes when we see people with successful careers, we think their career was a result of luck or connections. While that may be true in some cases, often, successful careers are the result of planning. Talk to many executives, and they’ll detail how their career growth took place over a long path that included education, mentorship, challenges, and having an end goal in mind.

While you may have an idea of where you’d like to be, it’s difficult to take action on a general idea. By solidifying what you want exactly, you can take steps in the right direction, and those clear steps can help you feel empowered and motivated. 

What is a career plan?

A career plan is a structured and strategic roadmap that you can use to set and achieve your career goals. This plan outlines the steps, actions, and milestones needed to progress in your career over time. A well-thought-out career plan can help you make informed decisions about your professional development and enable you to work toward your desired career outcomes.

A typical career plan usually includes:

• Goal setting : Clearly define short-term and long-term career goals. These goals may include specific job roles, levels of responsibility, income targets, or personal development objectives.
• Self-assessment : Assess your skills, strengths, weaknesses, interests, values, and personality traits. Understanding yourself is essential for aligning your career choices with your personal preferences and capabilities.
• Research and exploration : Investigate different industries, job sectors, companies, and roles that align with your goals and interests. Gather information about the qualifications, experience, and skills required in your chosen field.
• Skill development : Identify the skills and knowledge you need to acquire or improve to advance in your career. Plan how you will acquire these skills through education, training, or on-the-job experience.
• Networking : Develop a professional network by connecting with colleagues, mentors, and industry professionals. Networking can provide valuable insights, opportunities, and support throughout your career.
• Résumé and personal branding : Create or update your résumé and online profiles to reflect your skills, achievements, and career objectives. Consistency in your personal brand can help you stand out to potential employers.
• Job search and application : If you are actively job hunting, your career plan should include strategies for finding and applying for positions that align with your goals. This might involve using job boards, attending job fairs, or leveraging your network.
• Performance evaluation : Periodically assess your progress toward your career goals. Are you meeting your milestones? Do you need to adjust your plan based on changing circumstances or priorities?
• Adaptability : Be prepared to adapt your career plan as circumstances change, new opportunities arise, or your interests evolve. Flexibility is crucial in navigating a dynamic job market.
• Long-term vision : Consider your ultimate career aspirations. Do you want to be a leader or make a difference in an industry? Maybe you want to start a business. Your long-term vision can guide your decisions and actions over the years.

Let’s be clear: a career plan is far more than just a piece of paper. It can sometimes be the difference between stagnating in a current role (and missing out on promotions, fulfillment, and earlier retirement) or achieving a fulfilling, higher-paying job. 

Career plan examples

With Lucid, you never need to start from scratch. We have a variety of career growth templates to get you started.

Career growth plan

Insert career growth plan template with caption: Career growth plan example (click to use template).

Career path

You may not want to become a project manager, but this career path template is an excellent example of a career path. What’s unique about this template is that it can help guide your research as you determine the steps from your current job to where you’d like to be. The research alone is helpful, but knowing what next steps lie ahead can also be motivating and inspiring. 

Insert career path template with caption: Career path example (click to use template).

Career progression chart

This granular career progression chart template shows the interconnectedness of many job roles, which is helpful for a career progression that can go in multiple directions. It also includes example salary ranges of job grades.

Insert career progression chart with the caption: Career progression chart example (click to use template).

How to make a career plan

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create a comprehensive career plan:

Self-assessment

• Begin by assessing yourself. Reflect on your interests, values, strengths, weaknesses, and long-term aspirations.
• Identify your short-term and long-term career goals. What specific achievements or positions do you want to reach?

Research and exploration

• Research different career fields, industries, and job roles. Explore job market trends and potential career paths.
• Consider the qualifications, skills, and experience required for your desired roles.

Set SMART goals

• Make your goals specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, instead of a vague goal like "get a better job," aim for something like "secure a project management role with a 20% salary increase within two years."

Identify skills and knowledge gaps

• Determine the skills and knowledge you need to achieve your goals. Be honest about your current skillset and identify any gaps.
• Create a list of the skills you need to develop or improve to reach your objectives.

Plan skill development

• Develop a plan to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge. This may involve taking courses, attending workshops, seeking mentorship, or gaining on-the-job experience.
• Set milestones and deadlines for skill development.

Build a professional network

• Start or expand your professional network.
• Attend networking events, conferences, and workshops relevant to your field.

Update your résumé and online profiles

• Keep your résumé and LinkedIn profile up-to-date. Highlight your skills, achievements, and career objectives.
• Ensure consistency in your personal brand across all professional platforms.

Job search and application strategy

• If you're actively job hunting, create a strategy for finding and applying for positions that align with your goals.
• Tailor your application materials (résumé, cover letter) for each job application.

Performance evaluation

• Regularly assess your progress toward your career goals. Are you meeting your milestones?
• Adjust your plan as needed based on your performance and changing circumstances.

Adaptability and flexibility

• Be open to adjusting your career plan as opportunities and challenges arise.
• Adapt to changes in your interests, the job market, or personal circumstances.

Long-term vision

• Consider your ultimate career aspirations. Where do you see yourself in 10, 20, or 30 years?
• Your long-term vision can guide your choices and priorities over time.

Seek feedback and guidance

• Don't hesitate to seek feedback from mentors, career counselors, or trusted colleagues. They can offer valuable insights and advice.

Document your plan

• Write down your career plan in a document or digital format. This document should serve as a roadmap for your career journey.

Regularly review and revise

• Periodically review and revise your career plan, especially as you achieve goals, encounter new opportunities, or face unexpected challenges.

Remember that a career plan is a dynamic document, so it should evolve as your career evolves. Regularly revisit and adjust your plan to stay on track and align with your changing aspirations and circumstances.

Start planning your career with Lucidchart

If you’re convinced a career plan is the way to go to make your career dreams come true, we’re here to help!

Get started with this career growth plan template in Lucidchart.  

About Lucidchart

Lucidchart, a cloud-based intelligent diagramming application, is a core component of Lucid Software's Visual Collaboration Suite. This intuitive, cloud-based solution empowers teams to collaborate in real-time to build flowcharts, mockups, UML diagrams, customer journey maps, and more. Lucidchart propels teams forward to build the future faster. Lucid is proud to serve top businesses around the world, including customers such as Google, GE, and NBC Universal, and 99% of the Fortune 500. Lucid partners with industry leaders, including Google, Atlassian, and Microsoft. Since its founding, Lucid has received numerous awards for its products, business, and workplace culture. For more information, visit lucidchart.com.

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Career development plan  

Julia Kuzmina

Content Marketing Specialist, Valamis

February 1, 2023 · updated May 24, 2024

14 minute read

The idea of an employee remaining in the same role for the entirety of their career seems less relevant with each passing year.

Employees are now looking for more from their professional lives, and employers see benefits in helping them. Organizations can prevent burnout by introducing career development plans and keeping staff motivated with new and exciting challenges. As a company grows, so should its employees.

What is a career development plan?

• The purpose of a career development plannning

Why career development is important

How organizations can support employee career development, how to create a personalized career development plan for an employee.

• When to start thinking about career development plan
• Career development plan example (template)

A career development plan is a personalized roadmap designed to help employees achieve professional goals. It typically consists of short- and long-term goals related to each employee’s specific strengths and weaknesses, their current role, future ambitions, and the organization’s requirements.

While a career development plan can take several formats, they often incorporate a series of formal and informal steps an employee should undertake to improve their professional skills, increase their workplace value, and progress in their career . This could be by expanding their current role and taking on more responsibility or transitioning to a new position.

The personalized nature of career development plans is crucial to their success. Every employee is unique, with different skills, strengths, and potential within a business and other wants and needs from their professional life. Organizations must work with employees to design a career development plan that benefits both parties.

The following is a generalized approach to creating and maintaining a career development plan:

• Starting point – where the employee is in their career and an assessment of their current skillset, values, and aspirations
• Ideal career – what they want to achieve in their career, defining specific goals and objectives
• The difference – skill gaps they need to overcome to transition from their current role to their ideal role
• The path – a plan to bridge the gap; this defines a written career plan with specific steps the employee needs to accomplish
• Review – as progression occurs, employees and organizations must review and reshape career development plans based on new factors.

The purpose of a career development plan

A career development plan creates a written record of what an employee wants to achieve. This record can have a different purpose for employees and employers.

The purpose for employees

• help them define career goals and organize/plan the steps they need to take to progress. It also helps employees understand the potential for internal mobility and how their goals align with the organization.

The purpose for your company

• career development plans play a critical role in workforce planning and talent management , acting as a tool for HR departments to design future training programs. With a clear understanding of each employee’s career goals, organizations can work with them to achieve their potential and increase the value they generate for the company.

Career development plan template

This template helps employees and leaders plan together for career growth: set goals, assess skills, and make a plan.

The importance for employees

• Career development planning helps employees map out their future, organizing and identifying the steps they should take to achieve their professional goals . This includes connecting longer-term objectives with day-to-day activities, growing professionally, and setting achievable milestones.
• These all help enhance motivation and improve job performance , aiding the likelihood of achieving the long-term aims of the career development plan. Sometimes just having a future goal in mind improves present behaviors to the extent that the goal itself is more attainable. For example, with a clear career development plan in place, employees can focus on their professional development and target the specific skills they need to improve.
• Career development plans show employees what to do to achieve their dream job .
• They also improve transparency between employees and employers . Therefore, when mutually beneficial, organizations can invest in resources (e.g., educational material, external learning opportunities, etc.) to help employees improve themselves and progress in their careers.

The importance of learning opportunities and career planning and development has only increased in recent years.

Glint’s 2021 Employee Well-Being Report ranked “ opportunities to learn and grow ” as the number one driver of excellent workplace culture, up eight spots from the previous year.

In the past, in-person interactions were the primary driver of workplace culture. Team meals, drinks after work, and impromptu chats in the hallway are all examples of interaction significantly reduced with new remote and hybrid work models

The pandemic removed the importance of in-person interactions combined with new technologies and accelerated digital transformation. It created a less certain future, with employees more concerned about job security.

With more significant uncertainty, it is unsurprising that drivers of culture related to employee growth have risen in importance. Employees now want more than a paycheck and a pat from their employer. They want to perform their work while also getting the opportunity to work on themselves, developing into better employees to help reduce job insecurity worries.

Career development plans and associated training programs help staff see their role as more than just a job. It is a path to a more secure or financially rewarding position.

The importance for companies

Unfortunately, many companies neglect career development plans and employee training programs to the detriment of their workforce. Investing in employee development is critical to maintaining a vibrant and effective team. Achievers’ 2020 Engagement & Retention Report found:

• 46% of employees feel only moderately valued by their bosses
• 30% feel “not very” or “not at all” valued
• 26% feel that being undervalued is the most significant barrier to becoming engaged in their work.

One way to dispel these feelings is to invest in employee development , demonstrating that the company values workers. With active L&D programs, organizations can boost employee retention and hold on to their most valuable team members.

LinkedIn found that 94% of employees would continue to work at a company for longer if they invested in their learning and development. For ten years, the Work Institute has ranked career development concerns as the number one reason employees leave organizations .

Employers need to treat and guide their L&D programs with career development plans because it helps attract and retain top talent.

This is before they even consider the potential performance benefits of career development programs and how they can inform upskilling and reskilling initiatives.

Perhaps just as bad as talented employees leaving is unskilled, unmotivated employees remaining at your company. Gallup’s 2022 report on the “State of the Global Workplace” estimates that actively disengaged employees cost the global economy $7.8 trillion, 11% of the world’s GDP . In contrast, the benefits of high employee engagement are startling. By analyzing over one hundred thousand business units and comparing the top quartile to the bottom quartile, Gallup found:

• 23% higher profitability
• 14-18% higher productivity
• 10% higher customer loyalty

Thankfully employee development is a crucial driver of engagement, with previous studies showing that 80% of employees are more engaged when learning new skills .

Employee upskilling programs make people better at their job, boosting engagement and arming staff with the skills needed to enhance company performance.

Career development plans ensure that upskilling targets people with the right skills. With individualized training based on an employee’s long-term goals, companies can build a talented, engaged, and happy workforce capable of delivering success.

Connecting skills and learning

Valamis provides you with skills management and learning tools in the same platform, allowing you to tailor your content to existing needs.

Career development plans benefit both the employer and the employee when implemented correctly. Therefore, you should work with your staff to help them accomplish their goals and become well-rounded, successful employees.

While employees must take responsibility and drive their own career development, organizations can also create an environment conducive to learning new skills. This includes:

• Developing an additive learning ecosystem that can enhance employees’ experience regardless of how they like to learn.
• Providing details about the employee’s strengths and weaknesses, where they need to focus their efforts, and the outcomes they should aim for.
• Considering the full range and potential of career development for a specific employee. This can mean not tunneling on hard skills that produce dramatic transformations in their capabilities but also taking into account soft, interpersonal skills such as communication and organizational abilities.
• Acknowledging progress by linking career development objectives and incorporating new skills to tangible workplace benefits. This could be a higher salary based on their unique contributions or transitioning to a new, more-rewarding role aligned with their career aims.

1. Identify employees ready for a career development plan

Producing a personalized plan for every employee is a significant undertaking, and for many employees, it may yield little value to the organization. It is always beneficial to focus time and resources where they will be most effective; this could be people who:

• Show leadership potential
• Have talent but seem disillusioned in their current role
• Demonstrate the enthusiasm and drive to learn new skills
• Want to take on new challenges
• Are the highest performers in the organization

Discuss with managers and supervisors from each department to identify candidates who would benefit the most from a dedicated career development plan. Reach out to the candidates and gauge their willingness to work closely with the organization and build a new career development plan.

2. Ask them to prepare information about themselves

While it is a team effort between the organization and the employee, ultimately, the individual will drive the success of their career development plan. Therefore, you should ask them to start preparing information about their current role and what they want to achieve in their career.

Essential questions for employees to ask themselves before working on a career development plan include:

• What are your career goals?
• Where do you see yourself in five or ten years?
• What skills or experiences do you need to achieve your goal?
• What is currently holding you back in your professional life?
• What could your employer do to help your career?

Download a Career Development Plan Template [PDF/ DOCX]

To simplify the process, employers should provide a self-assessment form containing all the information they need to start designing their career development plan. This includes questions identifying the specific skills they currently have and what they will need moving forward.

3. Arrange a meeting

The next step is to arrange a meeting between key stakeholders, the employee themselves, their line manager or direct superior, and often a member of the HR department .

During the meeting, the parties should go over the information compiled in step 2 and begin to define critical components of the career development plan.

This includes a clear vision of the employee’s professional interests and long-term career goals .

While it is generally easier to define start and end points, the aim of the meeting should be to begin to understand the various steps along the way. This means breaking down long-term objectives into a series of shorter-term goals and how they can be achieved.

Gather information on how the employee likes to learn and consider what their future L&D program may look like with input from HR personnel.

4. Assess what is achievable

After meeting with the employee, the organization (in particular, the manager involved) needs to determine what they can achieve while working for them.

That means assessing their current skills, the employee potential, and critically what the organization needs from its workforce. For example, only some employees can have a career progressing to the c-suite.

Consult with relevant stakeholders and evaluate career development objectives that are achievable at the organization.

Identify the resources required to help the employee progress towards their career goals and determine whether they are currently present within the organization. In many instances, you will also need to look externally (i.e., external education and learning experiences).

5. Work together to design the career development plan

Discuss with the employee and learn how the organization could best support their career development, including the potential resources available. Then start working together to produce a realistic career development plan that helps them achieve their goals.

While there are many potential forms a career development plan can take, critical factors you should include are:

• The employee’s starting point (a summary statement followed by their current education, training, and job assignment)
• Long-term career goals (over five years)
• Short-term career goals (less than five years)
• The development activities to put them in a position to achieve these goals

Important tips to remember when designing a career development plan include:

• Personalize – Ensure the final plan is tailored to each employee, considering their unique skillset and what they want to achieve.
• Be Flexible – Remember that an employee’s aspirations will likely change during their career, especially early on. While you can design a great initial career development plan, don’t make the mistake of sticking too closely to it. If the employee finds a new passion or stumbles into an area they excel, don’t be afraid to revise the plan to consider new factors.
• Tracking progress – Every plan needs to consider how the employee’s progress will be monitored. This could include incentives, such as a promotion, upon achieving a certain level of performance or demonstrating the value of the L&D investment made in them.

6. Implement and review

Finally comes the exciting part of implementing the career development plan. Ensure all stakeholders are happy with the program’s current form, then let the development begin.

While you can take steps to support each employee along their career development journey, success has to be driven by the individual.

Make sure to check back with each employee, scheduling regular sessions to determine their progress and review any potential updates to the plan.

Using learning metrics or KPIs, you must also assess employee improvements and training effectiveness. With metrics in place to track behavior, you can determine the return on investment for your L&D efforts.

Read more about metrics in our recent blogs: 10 Valuable Training Metrics to Know How to Measure and Evaluate Training Effectiveness

When to start thinking about a career development plan?

While employees should continuously evaluate their skills, workplace experience, and career progression, there are better times for employers to engage with them to produce a more formal career development program.

Often a good time to start thinking about a career development plan is once an employee begins to impress management . When they have demonstrated their capabilities and become a valuable team member, management and HR should consider working on a personalized career development plan that maximizes an employee’s potential within the organization.

Another good time to start working on a career development plan is after a significant milestone at the company . Perhaps they land a major client or design a new workflow to improve operations. Whatever the specific reason, by setting future development goals, you can keep essential staff motivated and engaged and prevent them from drifting or looking for a new challenge at another company.

Career Development Plan Example (TEMPLATE)

Download our template, which will be a good tool for working on a plan. It helps key stakeholders keep all the data in one place.

You can use the template in different formats.

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Make a Career Plan

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A career plan lists short- and long-term career goals and the actions you can take to achieve them. Career plans can help you make decisions about what classes to take, and identify the extracurricular activities, research, and internships that will make you a strong job candidate. Below are some helpful steps to guide you in creating a career plan customized to your interests and ambitions. Still have questions? We are here to help — set up an appointment  with a Career Advisor to get started or review your plan.

8 Steps to an Effective Career Plan

• Identify Your Career Options.  Develop a refined list of career options by examining your interests, skills, and values through self-assessment . Narrow your career options by reviewing career information, researching companies , and talking to professionals in the field . You can further narrow your list when you take part in experiences such as shadowing, volunteering, and internships.
• Prioritize. It’s not enough to list options. You have to prioritize. What are your top skills? What interests you the most? What’s most important to you? Whether it’s intellectually challenging work, family-friendly benefits, the right location or a big paycheck, it helps to know what matters to you — and what’s a deal-breaker. We provide skills and values assessments — set up an appointment with a Career Advisor to take advantage of this service.
• Make Comparisons.  Compare your most promising career options against your list of prioritized skills, interests and values.
• Consider Other Factors.  You should consider factors beyond personal preferences. What is the current demand for this field? If the demand is low or entry is difficult, are you comfortable with risk? What qualifications are required to enter the field? Will it require additional education or training? How will selecting this option affect you and others in your life? Gather advice from friends, colleagues, and family members. Consider potential outcomes and barriers for each of your final options.
• Make a Choice.  Choose the career paths that are best for you. How many paths you choose depends upon your situation and comfort level. If you’re early in your planning, then identifying multiple options may be best. You may want several paths to increase the number of potential opportunities. Conversely, narrowing to one or two options may better focus your job search or graduate school applications.
• S pecific — Identify your goal clearly and specifically.
• M easureable — Include clear criteria to determine progress and accomplishment.
• A ttainable — The goal should have a 50 percent or greater chance of success.
• R elevant — The goal is important and relevant to you.
• T ime bound — Commit to a specific timeframe.
• Create Your Career Action Plan.  It’s important to be realistic about expectations and timelines. Write down specific action steps to take to achieve your goals and help yourself stay organized. Check them off as you complete them, but feel free to amend your career action plan as needed. Your goals and priorities may change, and that’s perfectly okay.
• Meet with a Career Advisor. Our advisors are here to help you make effective career decisions.  Make an appointment on Handshake to talk about your career options and concerns.

SMART Goals for Career Development with 30 Examples

You want to advance your career, but maybe you struggle with direction. Feeling overwhelmed or unsure about where to focus is common.

Haphazard goals get haphazard results! If you’re tired of spinning your wheels and want real career progress, vague aspirations won’t cut it.

Enter the SMART goal framework . SMART goals for career development provide a roadmap, turning your professional ambitions into concrete, actionable steps. It’s the system that helps you make meaningful progress towards your dream job.

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible."

Basics of SMART Goals for Career Development

If the acronym ‘SMART’ leaves you scratching your head, don’t worry! It’s a simple, yet powerful framework that can transform how you set and achieve goals – especially within your career.

Think of SMART goals like a recipe for career advancement; just as a recipe breaks down a delicious dish into step-by-step instructions, SMART goals give you a clear path to reaching your professional aspirations.

What is the SMART Framework?

SMART is an acronym that helps you set goals that are actually achievable . It stands for:

• S pecific: Clearly define what you want to accomplish. Instead of “get better at my job”, go for something like “learn how to use Excel pivot tables.”
• M easurable: Include a way to track progress. Aim for “increase sales by 10% this quarter” rather than just “boost sales”.
• A chievable: Goals should be challenging but realistic given your resources and skills.
• R elevant: Connect goals to your bigger career picture– why does this matter?
• T ime-Bound: Set deadlines to stay on track and motivated.

VAGUE vs. SMART

• Vague : I want to get promoted.
• SMART: I want to earn a promotion to Senior Analyst within the next 18 months by consistently exceeding my sales targets and completing a project management certification.

See the difference? SMART goals provide a roadmap, making it easier to achieve what you set out to do!

TOP 5 SMART Objectives Benefits

Why should you bother with SMART goals? Here are the top reasons this framework makes achieving your career dreams significantly easier:

• Enhanced Clarity and Focus: SMART goals force you to ditch vague desires and pinpoint what exactly you want to accomplish . This clarity keeps you laser-focused on what matters.
• Trackable Progress: Measurable goals let you track your advancement. Watching yourself move closer to the finish line is incredibly motivating!
• Boosted Motivation: Breaking down goals and adding deadlines creates a sense of urgency and excitement. This helps fight procrastination and makes you more likely to stick with it.
• Greater Achievability: SMART emphasizes realistic goals. Reaching milestones offers those rewarding ‘wins’ that keep you energized for the next challenge.
• Aligned with Bigger Goals: Relevant goals ensure that each step you take serves your overall career vision , preventing efforts that waste time or lead you astray.

People following a structured action plan for their goals are 76% more likely to succeed. (Source: Michigan State University )

30 Examples of Career Development SMART Goals

Now that you understand the power of SMART goals, it’s time for some inspiration!

Below, you’ll find 30 examples to spark your own career goal-setting . Remember, these are just starting points – be sure to personalize them to fit your unique aspirations and situation.

Entry-Level Career Goals

Starting your career journey can be exciting but also filled with questions. SMART goals can give you direction and help you make the most of your early professional years.

• Secure a relevant internship: I will secure a paid summer internship in the marketing department of a tech company by submitting 10 tailored applications before April 1st.
• Expand professional network: I will attend 3 industry networking events within the next quarter and connect with at least 5 new professionals on LinkedIn each month.
• Develop in-demand skills: I will complete an online course on SQL and earn a beginner-level certification by the end of June.
• Gain presentation experience: I will volunteer to present at a team meeting at least twice within the next 6 months.
• Explore career paths: I will conduct 3 informational interviews with professionals in different fields I’m interested in by the end of the year.

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."

Mid-Career Development Goals

At the mid-point in your career, shifting your goals is essential for continued growth.

• Pursue a promotion: I will earn a promotion to Project Manager within the next 12 months by exceeding performance expectations on my current project and taking on leadership roles within my team.
• Enhance expertise: I will complete a professional certification in Agile methodologies by September to increase my value within my organization.
• Build mentorship skills: I will mentor two junior colleagues this year, sharing knowledge and providing guidance to support their development.
• Switch departments or industries: I will research and identify 3 potential roles in the data analytics field that align with my interests and skills. I’ll submit applications by the end of the year.
• Become a thought leader: I will publish 6 well-researched articles on industry trends on my LinkedIn profile over the next year to enhance my visibility and credibility.

Senior-Level Career Goals

When you’ve established yourself in your field, your goals might shift towards bigger-picture impact or entirely new ventures.

• Aim for an executive position: I will secure a Director-level position within the next 2 years by actively networking within my industry and seeking executive development opportunities.
• Lead strategic initiatives: I will propose and lead a cross-functional project to increase customer retention by 5% within the next fiscal year.
• Become a recognized expert: I will submit speaking proposals to 2 major industry conferences and deliver at least one presentation this calendar year.
• Give back through board service: I will research and join the advisory board of a non-profit organization aligned with my values by the end of the year.
• Start your own venture: I will develop a comprehensive business plan for a consulting firm in my niche and secure 3 clients within the first 6 months of launch.

"Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality."

Technical Skills Goals

Technical skills are vital for success in many careers.

• Master a programming language: I will become proficient in Python by completing an online course, building 3 personal projects, and passing an intermediate-level certification exam within 9 months.
• Upgrade data analysis capabilities: I will learn advanced Excel techniques, including macros and VBA, by attending a workshop and applying these skills to streamline 2 work-related reports within the next quarter.
• Enhance design skills: I will improve my graphic design abilities by completing a UI/UX course and redesigning my professional portfolio by the end of the year.
• Tackle cloud computing: I will earn an AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner certification within the next 6 months.
• Stay updated on emerging tech: I will subscribe to 2 industry-leading tech newsletters and set aside 30 minutes weekly to research and experiment with new technologies relevant to my field.

Management and Leadership Goals

Strong leadership skills are essential for driving team success and advancing your career .

• Improve communication: I will solicit feedback from my team on my communication style and implement 2 specific improvements within the next month.
• Develop conflict resolution skills: I will attend a workshop on conflict management and successfully facilitate the resolution of a team issue within the next quarter.
• Master delegation: I will delegate 20% of my current workload to team members by creating clear processes and providing regular support over the next 3 months.
• Enhance coaching abilities: I will complete a coaching skills course and provide monthly one-on-one coaching sessions to 2 team members, focusing on their individual development goals.
• Build a high-performing team: I will increase my team’s performance metrics by 10% within the next 6 months through targeted training initiatives and improved collaboration processes.

Entrepreneurial Goals

Ready to break out on your own? SMART goals can help you launch and grow your own business .

• Validate your business idea: I will conduct market research and survey 50 potential customers to assess the viability of my product/service idea within the next 2 months.
• Develop a minimum viable product (MVP): I will create a basic version of my product/service and secure 5 paying customers within 3 months of launch.
• Build a strong brand: I will develop a brand identity guide, including logo, messaging, and website, within the next 2 months.
• Grow your customer base: I will increase my email subscriber list by 500 within 6 months through targeted content marketing and social media promotion.
• Secure funding (if needed): I will develop a pitch deck and secure $50,000 in seed funding from angel investors within the next year.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."

Steps to Create your SMART Goal

Okay, you’re excited about the benefits of SMART goals and have a bunch of ideas sparked by the examples. Now what? It’s time to turn those ideas into your own personalized career development goals!

Let’s break down a step-by-step process to make creating your SMART goals a breeze.

1. Review Your Career Aspirations

Before crafting specific goals, take a step back and examine your bigger career picture . Consider these questions:

• What excites you about your field? Pinpoint what motivates you – it could be problem-solving, creativity, helping people, etc.
• What are your long-term vision? Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years? (Job title, industry, owning your own business, etc.)
• What skills do you enjoy using? Are there specific tasks you find most satisfying?

SMART goals are most effective when they support your overall career direction. Taking the time for self-reflection ensures you’re setting goals that truly matter to you .

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

2. Set Specific Goals

Once you have a clearer picture of your aspirations, it’s time to start translating them into concrete goals. Specificity is key!

• Ditch the vagueness: Instead of “improve my writing”, aim for “write 3 compelling marketing blog posts per week”.
• Focus on the “what”: Set incremental targets to track your progress. So, instead of “become a better manager,” go for “master the art of giving constructive feedback.”

Tip: Try asking yourself “who, what, where, when, and why?” to refine your goal’s specificity.

3. Make Your Goals Measurable

Specific goals are great, but how do you know if you’re actually achieving them? This is where measurability comes in. Here’s how to ensure your goals are trackable:

• Include numbers: Aim for goals like “increase website traffic by 15%” or “secure 2 new clients this month.”
• Track your progress: Choose metrics that are easy to monitor – sales figures, project milestones, new skills learned, etc.

Measurability helps you see your progress clearly, providing motivation and allowing adjustments if needed.

"What gets measured gets managed."

4. Ensure Goals Are Achievable

It’s important to set ambitious goals, but they should also be within reach. Here’s how to strike the right balance:

• Be realistic: Consider your current skills, resources, and time constraints. Aim for challenging but feasible goals .
• Break it down: Large goals can feel daunting. Break them into smaller, achievable steps to build momentum.

Setting overly ambitious goals can lead to discouragement. Achievable goals keep you motivated and build confidence as you progress.

5. Keep Goals Relevant

Ensure that your goals directly support your overall career ambitions. Here’s how to check for goal relevance:

• Align with your aspirations: Does this goal help you get closer to the long-term vision you outlined in step 1?
• Connect to your current role: Does this goal enhance your skills and value within your current position or industry?

Relevant goals give you focus and prevent wasted effort. They ensure each step brings you closer to your desired career path.

6. Set Time-Bound Objectives

Deadlines create a sense of urgency and help you stay on track. Here’s how to make your goals time-bound:

• Short-term deadlines: Break down larger goals into smaller milestones with deadlines in the weeks or months ahead.
• Long-term deadlines: Set a final deadline for achieving your overall goal.

Open-ended goals can easily fall to the bottom of your priority list. Time constraints motivate you to take action and prevent procrastination.

"A goal is a dream with a deadline."

6 Mistakes to Avoid with SMART Goals (Real-Life Examples)

Setting SMART goals is a powerful tool, but it’s not foolproof. Even with the best intentions, some common pitfalls can derail your progress .

Let’s identify the most frequent SMART goal mistakes and learn how to prevent them from sabotaging your career advancement.

Mistake #1: Being Too Vague

Vague goals are the enemy of SMART goals. It’s easy to fall into the trap of using generic terms like “better” , “improve” , or “more” . These leave too much room for interpretation and make it difficult to measure progress.

To combat vagueness , focus on clear and specific outcomes. What exactly does achieving this goal look like? How will you know you’ve been successful?

• Vague goal: I want to be a better leader.
• SMART goal: I want to increase my team’s engagement scores by 15% within the next quarter by implementing a weekly feedback system.

"A goal without a plan is just a wish."

Mistake #2: Setting Unrealistic Expectations

While it’s important to be ambitious, setting unrealistic goals can lead to frustration and discouragement. Be honest about your current abilities, resources, and the time you can realistically dedicate to your goal.

To ensure realistic expectations, start by breaking your goal down into smaller steps. Can you achieve each of these steps with the resources available? If not, either adjust the steps or scale back your overall goal.

• Unrealistic goal: I will triple my client base within the next month without increasing my marketing budget.
• SMART goal: I will increase my client base by 10% this quarter by launching a targeted social media campaign and attending 2 networking events.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Relevance

SMART goals should directly contribute to your long-term career aspirations. If a goal doesn’t align with your overall direction , it might not be worth your time and effort.

Before pursuing a goal, ask yourself: does this bring me closer to where I want to be in my career? Will the skills and experience I gain help me reach my ultimate objectives?

• Irrelevant goal: I will master calligraphy to improve my handwriting. (Unless your career specifically involves calligraphy).
• SMART goal: I will complete a copywriting course and offer my services to 3 clients within the next 6 months to expand my marketing skill set.

Mistake #4: Neglecting Time Frames

Deadlines are essential for creating a sense of urgency and staying on track. Open-ended goals are more likely to fall by the wayside.

To combat this, attach specific dates to your goal. When do you want to achieve the overall goal, and what are the deadlines for smaller milestones along the way?

• Goal without a time frame: I want to learn graphic design.
• SMART goal: I want to complete an online graphic design course and create a new website layout for my portfolio within the next 4 months.

Mistake #5: Overlooking the Importance of Measurability

If you can’t measure your progress, how will you know if you’re on track or achieving your goal? Incorporate a way to track your advancement throughout the process.

Choose a metric that’s relevant to your goal. This could be numbers, percentages, milestones completed, or other quantifiable data .

• Non-measurable goal: I want to increase my network.
• SMART goal: I will attend 2 industry events each month and connect with at least 10 new professionals on LinkedIn.

"If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it."

Mistake #6: Failing to Review and Adapt

Goals aren’t set in stone. Circumstances change, priorities shift, and sometimes you discover new information that requires adjustments.

Regularly review your SMART goals and assess your progress. Are you on track? Do you need to modify the smaller steps or adjust the overall timeframe? Be flexible and adapt as needed.

• Rigid goal: I will secure a promotion within the next 12 months.
• SMART goal: I will secure a promotion within the next 12 months. I will meet with my manager monthly to discuss my progress and identify opportunities to take on greater responsibility.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Final Thoughts

Remember, the SMART goal framework is a tool, and like any tool, it’s most effective when used correctly.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you significantly increase your chances of setting goals that truly lead to career growth. The key is to be intentional with your goal-setting.

With self-awareness and a willingness to adapt, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your career dreams!

• Rework existing goals: Take one of your current goals and analyze it. Is it truly SMART? If not, rework it to incorporate the principles and avoid the mistakes we’ve discussed.
• Create a new SMART goal: Think about a specific area of your career you want to develop. Draft a brand new goal guided by the SMART framework.
• Start small: If the SMART process feels overwhelming, choose one aspect to focus on at first (making your goal measurable, for example).

"The future depends on what you do today."

Frequently Asked Questions

How many career goals are too many.

While there’s no single “right” number, focus is key. Aim for around 3-5 primary career goals for a given year. This allows you to dedicate enough time and attention to each without becoming overwhelmed.

Remember, you can always set more goals once you’ve made progress on your initial ones.

What should I put down for my annual goals?

Your annual goals should tie directly to your long-term career plan and your company’s overall objectives. Review your SMART career goals and identify those that can be achieved or significantly advanced within the next year.

Discuss these with your manager to ensure alignment with your role and department priorities.

How do I write a SMART career plan?

A SMART career plan starts by breaking down your long-term vision into smaller, actionable goals. Begin by reflecting on where you want to be in the next 5 or 10 years.

Then, identify specific skills, experiences, or knowledge gaps you need to bridge to reach that destination. Next, use the SMART framework to turn these needs into goals with measurable outcomes and deadlines.

What is SMART in career planning?

SMART is an acronym (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) that offers a framework for creating effective goals for your career.

It helps you move away from vague ambitions and translate your aspirations into a step-by-step plan marked by clarity and built-in measures of success.

How to use SMART goals to prepare a plan for a job or career?

Start by analyzing your current situation – your skills, experience, and interests. Next, consider where you want to go – your dream job, desired industry, etc.

Use the SMART framework to create goals that help you fill in the gaps between your current status and your goals. Those goals become the building blocks of your career plan.

What is an example of a SMART career goal?

Instead of a vague goal like “get a promotion” , a SMART goal might be: “I will secure a promotion to Senior Analyst within the next 18 months by consistently exceeding my sales targets and completing a project management certification”.

Notice how this goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant to the person’s current career, and has a clear timeframe.

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What is a career path? Definition, examples, and steps for paving yours

A career path is the sequence of jobs or positions through which an individual progresses in their professional life. It represents the various stages and positions that a person may move through as they advance in their career.

Why does having a career path matter? One of the best ways to prepare for your dream job is to create and follow a career path. A career path is a specific set of jobs that prepare you for upward growth in your industry. 

Imagine this — you’re thinking about your career goals and how fulfilled you’d be in your dream job. Think about what success looks like for you and how you’ll feel on the first day of your ideal role.

Have you ever mapped out the steps you need to take to prepare yourself for that job? What qualifications will you need before applying for that position? What types of companies need that position? Knowing these requirements ahead of time will help you prepare for that job. This may include a college degree, a special certification, or on-the-job experience. Here you’ll find the definition of a career path, along with examples and the skills you need to map out your own career journey.

What is a career path?

A career path is defined as a long-term plan that includes specific steps or tasks that help you advance to a desirable occupation or new role. It typically involves a series of related jobs or roles that provide increasing levels of responsibility, skill development, and possibly higher levels of compensation.

Key stages or elements of a career path may include:

• Entry-level positions : These are the initial roles someone takes on when starting their career in a particular field . They often require less experience and expertise.
• Mid-level positions : As individuals gain experience and skills, they may move into mid-level positions that involve more responsibility and may require specialized knowledge.
• Senior-level or management positions : With further experience, individuals may progress to senior or management roles , where they are responsible for decision-making, leadership, and overseeing teams or departments.
• Executive or leadership roles : At the top of the career path are executive or leadership roles, where individuals have significant responsibility for the overall direction and success of an organization.
• Specialization or expert roles : Some career paths involve becoming a specialist or expert in a specific area , where individuals focus on developing deep expertise in a particular skill or domain.
• Entrepreneurship : Some individuals choose to follow a career path that involves starting and running their own businesses .

Within these areas, there are two common kinds of career paths—an organizational career path and a personal career path.

Organizational career path

An organizational career path (also known as a career ladder or vertical career plan) is a career path that you create with your direct manager. The goal is to climb a career ladder within a company. 

While many career paths lead to management positions, there are several for those who don't aspire to management.

Many organizations have already developed a career path framework for their employees . Here's what the process may look like: You create a career path with your manager. Together, you will establish career goals for you to meet. These goals will prepare you for the next step in your career path, including:

• Helping with special projects
• Taking an online course
• Earning a certification
• Mentoring colleagues
• Shadowing a colleague for a day 

To stay on track with your career path, you should review your milestones and goals often. You also need to review your career path with your direct manager at least quarterly. 

Personal career path

A personal career path is one that you create for yourself. It's based on a self-assessment of your skills , interests, hobbies, values, and passions. A personal career path can lay the foundation of your career without being restricted to one organization. 

If you’re ready to create your career path, start by making a list of the skills you’re good at , followed by your interests and hobbies. Then write down the things that matter most to you. 

Look at everything on your list and think about the industries that could benefit from your talent. For example, if you’re great with children, consider a career path in education. If you prefer healthcare more than teaching, look into a career path for pediatric nurses or doctors.

You can also take a career path quiz or a personality assessment to find out the best careers for you.

With a personal career path, you have complete control of your career development . A personal career path may require more work, but it can be very rewarding. You have to take the initiative with research, planning, and networking. 

Why is a career path so important?

Companies that offer that career clear career paths are much more attractive to employees. This is especially true now that the workforce is shifting to more remote work. 

Employee turnover can be pretty expensive, too . When you factor in the costs of recruiting, hiring, training, and onboarding, replacing an employee can be costly. One study found that career development programs will save companies a significant amount of time and resources . 

• Increased employee engagement and satisfaction : Employees are more likely to stay with a company when a well-defined career path is in place. Employees are also motivated to grow within a company when there's a well-understood career path. 
• Improved retention rates : When employees see opportunities for advancement within their organization, they're less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. This can significantly reduce turnover rates, saving companies the time and expense of hiring and training new employees.
• Better succession planning : A well-defined career path can help organizations identify and prepare future leaders. This ensures a smooth transition when key employees leave or retire.
• Enhanced employer brand : Companies that offer clear career pathways can attract top talent. These companies are often seen as more employee-centric, which can improve their reputation and make them more appealing to job seekers.
• More effective talent management : With a clear career path, HR and management can more effectively identify gaps in skills and experience, allowing them to strategically invest in employee development . This can lead to a more skilled and capable workforce.
• Reduced employee turnover : A Glassdoor study found that having a lack of career growth leads to employee turnover . Employees who don't receive a pay increase or change in title after a few years are more likely to resign.

The importance of career pathing for individuals

As you can see, establishing different career paths is critical to organizations. But what about individuals? Creating a career plan for yourself is a strategic move that can have numerous benefits. Here are 10 benefits of creating a personal career plan:

• Direction and focus : A career plan helps you set clear goals and objectives, providing you with a sense of direction and focus in your professional life.
• More targeted decision-making : When you have a clear career path, it becomes easier to make decisions that align with your long-term career goals .
• Skill development : Identifying your career goals helps you understand the skills and qualifications you need to achieve them. This guides your professional development and continuous learning.
• Motivation and confidence : Having a career plan boosts your motivation and confidence as you see a clear pathway to your desired career.
• Career satisfaction : A career plan can lead to greater job satisfaction as it allows you to pursue roles that align with your interests and values.
• Financial planning : By planning your career, you can also plan your finances better. You'll know when to expect promotions or job changes that might increase your income.
• Adaptability : Career planning makes you more adaptable to changes in the job market . You'll be prepared to acquire new skills or shift your career focus if needed.
• Work-life balance : Career planning enables you to consider and strive for a balance between your work and personal life .
• Long-term success : Career planning sets you up for long-term success by helping you strategically build your career over time.
• Control over your career : Ultimately, a career plan gives you control over your career rather than leaving it to chance. You become proactive in shaping your professional destiny.

Remember, a career plan is not set in stone. It should be flexible and adaptable, changing as you grow and as the job market evolves.

4 types of career paths

There are four types of career paths—knowledge-based, skill-based, entrepreneur-based, and freelance. Every kind of career path caters to a specific set of qualifications that help you perform your job.

Knowledge-based career paths allow you to use the knowledge you acquired over time to do your job. Employees in human resources, marketing, and accounting all follow a knowledge-based career path. Other examples include IT professionals and engineers.

Skill-based professions need an understanding of how a specific job function operates. These are often physical, hands-on, or service skills. Many of these roles fall in the construction industry, as well as performers, artists, and restaurant chefs.

You may notice that many positions are cross-functional. Your job may need a combination of knowledge-based and skills-based work. This is the case with lawyers, doctors, and administrative personnel.

Entrepreneurs

An entrepreneur solves a problem or a specific need by selling their own product or service. An entrepreneur can work independently or start a company and hire employees. Many startups, including BetterUp, began with an entrepreneur solving a problem for consumers.

Freelance 

People hire independent contractors ( or freelancers ) to perform a specific job or project. Freelancers offer many services, including graphic design, consulting, home repair, and photography.

16 examples of career paths

The key to having a solid career path is identifying the skills and experience needed for the positions in your career path. You won’t be guaranteed a senior manager role just because you’ve been a manager for two years. You have to demonstrate specific skills that show that you’re ready for the next step in your career.

Knowing what lies ahead in your career path can help you focus on the right skills. 

Job responsibilities, qualifications, and a company's needs change so much in today's workforce. You can't set a career path and expect your career to just run on autopilot. Keep an open mind and adapt to changes where necessary. 

The current work climate requires employees to be flexible in their roles. An Executive Assistant may need the skills of a project manager to do their job. Upper management across industries needs to have a basic understanding of Human Resources. 

It's important to stay on top of your industry trends and adapt to these changes. Stay proactive. Talk to others in your field to learn about how your career path is evolving. 

Here are some examples of career paths that you can explore.

Accounting: Staff Accountant > Senior Accountant > Accounting Manager > Senior Accounting Manager > Firm Partner

Administrative: Administrative Assistant > Executive Assistant > Office Manager > Event and Conference Planner > Event Manager > Director of Events

Advertising: Advertising Sales Agent > Advertising Sales Manager > Account Manager  > Account Executive > VP of Advertising

Construction: Constructive Services Associate > Site Manager > Construction Manager > Facilities Manager > Project Manager 

Customer Service: Associate > Team Lead > Manager > Senior Manager > Director > Chief Operating Officer

Writer/Editor: Staff Writer or Journalist > Associate Editor > Editor > Senior Editor > Editor-in-Chief

Education: Para-professional > Classroom Teacher > Curriculum Administrator > Assistant Principal > Principal > District Superintendent

Engineering: Junior Engineer > Senior Engineer > Project Manager > Senior Project Manager > Engineering Consultant

Human Resources: HR Coordinator > HR Manager > HR Director > VP of HR > Chief of HR  

Lawyer: Summer Associate > Junior Associate > Senior Associate > Partner > Managing Partner

Marketing: Marketing Coordinator or Marketing Specialist > Marketing Manager > Director of Marketing > VP of Marketing > Chief Marketing Officer

Nursing: CNA > IPN > ADN-RN > BSN-RN > MSN > DNP

Restaurant: Host/Hostess, Prep Cook, Server > Service Manager > Assistant General Manager > General Manager

Retail: Sales Associate > Team Lead > Assistant Manager > Store Manager > District Manager > Regional Manager 

Salesperson: Sales Rep > Territory Manager > District Manager > Regional Manager 

Alternative path: Sales Rep > Account Manager > Key Account Manager > Director of Business Development > VP of Sales or Client Success

How to create a career path in 12 steps

Creating a successful career path within or outside of an organization involves careful planning, self-assessment, and proactive engagement. Here are steps to develop and advance your career through career planning.

1. Start with self-assessment

Begin by identifying your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This self-evaluation will help you understand your current skill set. Also, clarify what aspects of your work bring you the most satisfaction and align with your personal values.

2. Research the career paths that interest you

Familiarize yourself with the organizational structure and the various departments. If building a personal career plan, research the growth opportunities and levels that exist in this new realm. Seek insights from colleagues and friends who have advanced in their careers in a similar way to understand potential pathways.

3. Set clear goals

Next, define your short-term and long-term career objectives. It's important to ensure that these goals align with your personal values and aspirations.

4. Identify and develop new skills

Identify the skills required for your desired career path and invest in continuous learning to acquire and enhance these skills.

5. Expand your network

Building relationships with colleagues, mentors, and leaders within and outside your department is crucial. Don't hesitate to seek advice from experienced professionals in your field.

6. Speak with your manager or coach

Have open and honest discussions with your supervisor or coach about your career aspirations. Make your interest in career development known to relevant stakeholders.

7. Leverage existing training and development programs

Utilize resources offered by your organization, such as training programs, workshops, and courses. These opportunities can enhance both your technical and soft skills. Additionally, you can explore online or in-person courses to level up your skills and fill any gaps.

8. Identify opportunities

Regularly check for internal or external job postings and volunteer for projects or tasks that align with your career goals.

9. Seek out mentors

Find mentors within or outside of the organization who can provide guidance and share their experiences. Learning from others who have successfully navigated similar career paths can be invaluable.

10. Remain adaptable and flexible

Embrace changes in the organization and industry, and be willing to take on challenging assignments that broaden your skill set.

11. Evaluate and adjust

Periodically evaluate your progress against your career goals and be willing to adjust your goals based on changing circumstances and personal growth.

12. Advocate for yourself

Lastly, communicate your achievements and contributions to relevant stakeholders. When the time is right, be prepared to negotiate for promotions as well as new and advancement opportunities.

5 skills to cultivate your career path 

As you progress through your career path, you will develop specific skills that prepare you for the next role . Some skills will be industry-specific, while other skills will be more common across all industries.

The following skills will contribute to the success of your professional development.

Adaptability

As mentioned before, every job during your career path may not be a step up on the career ladder. Sometimes a lateral move will be just as impactful as a vertical movement will be. It’s vital to remain adaptive and open to changes in the trajectory of your career.

Communication

Communication is a vital skill for anyone on their career path, no matter the industry. When you grow in your career, you won’t just communicate with your teammates anymore. You may be communicating with C-level executives, external clients, potential employees, partners, etc.

Effective communication will prove that you’re not only ready for the next role in your career, but you’re also able to communicate as a strong leader. 

There may come a time in your career when you evolve into a position that requires you to lead a team. Having strong leadership skills will help you cultivate your career path. Think about the managers and mentors that you’ve had. What qualities did those leaders have that made the most significant impact on you? What leadership styles do you want to adopt for the teams that you’ll lead?

Problem-solving

As you will find in most career paths, the work you do will evolve from task-based work into strategy-based solutions. Problem-solving skills will help you with that transition.

Take the problem of high turnover for example. A Human Resources Coordinator may solve this by recruiting two new Marketing Associates. The Director of Human Resources will suggest strategies that the coordinator will execute. Developing strategies that solve problems will be essential through your career path development. 

Time management

Time management won’t always be about how much work you can get done in a day or a week. Employers also evaluate the results that you produce within a given amount of time. The way you prioritize and delegate tasks will be an example of your time management skills.

There are several online resources that help with time management . You can check out the dozens of books about time management too. 

Start working on your career path today

It’s never too early to start thinking about your career path. It’s never too late either! If you’re excited about growing in your career, creating a career path is the perfect first step. You can also learn more about career paths from career books . 

Start by assessing your current skills, interests, and experience. Then think about your ideal career. The jobs and skills that you need to move from your current position to your ideal role will make up the steps in your career path.

Pave your career path today

Explore tailored coaching and map a strategic career journey with expert guidance.

Caroline Jefferson

Build the career you want. these 12 books will show you how, 9 high-income skills to learn in 2024, 8 examples for setting professional development goals at work, what is networking and why is it so important, career pathing for employees at all levels, what is management consulting, and how do you become a consultant, a roadmap for career development: how to set your course, vocational skills: what they are and how to develop them, are you being passed over for a promotion here’s what to do, similar articles, delegation for the win 6 steps to empower and get more done, the best jobs for introverts and how to find your path, discover the difference between director versus vice president roles, what are work values identify yours and learn what they mean, in manager vs. supervisor, find out which differences matter, what is career growth how to move forward in your career, managers vs. senior managers: become the boss you want to be, the only guide you’ll ever need for career planning, navigating a career choice in eight steps, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

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50 Inspiring Examples of Career Goal Statements

By Status.net Editorial Team on February 7, 2024 — 12 minutes to read

A career goal statement is a clear and concise description of your professional aspirations: it outlines what you aim to achieve in your career path, providing direction and serving as a guide for your professional decisions. Crafting this statement requires self-reflection to identify what truly matters to you in your career.

Think of your career goal statement as a compass. It helps you navigate through opportunities and choices, aligning them with your long-term objectives. A well-defined goal statement includes specific job titles or roles, industry preferences, skills you want to acquire or use, and the values that matter to you in a work environment.

For example, your statement might be, “I aim to become a Senior Software Developer at a tech company that values innovation, in the next five years.” This statement is direct, time-bound, and reflects personal and professional values.

When writing your own career goal statement, start by asking yourself some questions:

• What am I passionate about?
• Where do I see myself in five, ten, or fifteen years?
• What skills do I need to develop to reach my goals?

Your statement can evolve as your career advances and your goals change. Remember, it’s a living document meant to grow along with you. Keep it precise, make it inspiring for yourself, and let it reflect who you are and who you want to become professionally. By doing so, you’ll create a powerful tool to steer your career decisions and help achieve your ambitions.

Components of a Strong Career Goal Statement

A strong career goal statement effectively communicates where you see yourself in the future and how you plan to get there. The keys to crafting this include clarity in your aspirations and how your current path aligns with your long-term objectives.

Clarity and Specificity

Your career goal statement should clearly articulate the position you’re aiming for and the steps you plan to take to achieve it. For example, instead of saying “I want to grow in the tech industry,” specify “My goal is to become a Senior Software Engineer at a renowned tech firm within the next five years by honing my skills in mobile applications development and leadership.”

Alignment with Career Objectives

Ensure that your statement aligns with your broader career objectives. For instance, if you’re determined to enter the field of environmental sustainability, your goal statement could specify, “I will secure a role as a Sustainability Project Manager by gaining expertise in renewable energy solutions and contributing to conservation projects.”

Brevity and Conciseness

Keep your statement concise; it shouldn’t be longer than a short paragraph. A crisp, well-worded statement would look like, “Within three years, I aim to advance to a Lead Graphic Designer position by consistently delivering innovative designs and taking on more strategic projects.”

Personal Motivation

Include a sentence about what drives you towards this goal, which gives a personal touch to your career goal statement. You might say, “I am committed to becoming an industry-recognized financial analyst by developing cutting-edge quantitative models, fueled by my passion for data-driven decision making.”

The Purpose of Career Goal Statements

A career goal statement helps you and others understand where you’re aiming in your professional life. It serves as both a guide and a benchmark for your career progression.

Professional Development

Your career goal statement is a powerful tool for professional development. It’s a declaration of your ambitions, which often falls into specific categories like acquiring new skills, achieving certifications, or reaching a new position. For example, you might aim to become a certified project manager within the next two years, highlighting the steps and skills you’ll need to get there.

Job Search Focus

When you’re on the job hunt, having a career goal statement gives you a lens to evaluate potential job opportunities. Imagine you’re an engineer seeking roles in renewable energy projects; your career goal statement would specify this preference, allowing you to target your job search and tailor your applications to match your aspirations.

Performance Management

During performance evaluations, your career goal statement offers a clear outline of what success looks like for you. It can act as a communication tool between you and your supervisor, ensuring that you’re both aligned on your targets. If your goal is to lead a team, your performance metrics might include leadership training and successful project outcomes.

Personal Reflection and Growth

Your career statement doubles as a checkpoint for personal reflection and growth. By setting specific goals like enhancing your public speaking skills or learning a new programming language, you create a framework for personal progress, tying these improvements back to your broader career objectives.

Writing Your Career Goal Statement

A career goal statement is a clear and concise description of your professional aspirations. It’s important to chart a course for your career by setting strategic goals and outlining the steps you plan to take to achieve them.

Self-Assessment

Start by evaluating your interests, strengths, weaknesses, and values. This step helps you align your career trajectory with your personal attributes and ambitions.

• If you enjoy creative problem-solving, you might aim for a role in strategic development.
• Someone with a natural talent for communication might target a career in public relations.

Research and Exploration

Learn about the industries and positions that align with your interests and skills. Find out what qualifications you may need and what career advancement may look like in those roles.

• Researching the field of data science might show you the importance of skills like programming and data analysis.
• Exploring the healthcare industry could lead you to consider roles ranging from a health administrator to a nurse practitioner.

Articulating Your Goals

Clearly state your short-term and long-term career objectives. Make them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

• Short-term goal: Completing a professional certification in digital marketing within the next year.
• Long-term goal: Becoming a chief marketing officer at a technology company within the next ten years.

Revising and Refining

Your career goals are not set in stone. Periodically review and adjust them to reflect your growing skills, changes in the industry, and personal life changes.

• Revising your goal to include leadership skills if you’re aiming for management positions.
• Refining your goals to focus more on work-life balance if personal circumstances change.

Examples of Career Goal Statements

When crafting your career goal statement, be specific and align your goals with your desired career path. This section will provide examples for different career stages to guide you.

For Recent Graduates

As a recent graduate, your goal statement should reflect your eagerness to apply your education in a practical setting and grow professionally. For example:

• “My goal is to secure a role as a software developer at a forward-thinking tech company where I can contribute to innovative projects and hone my coding skills in real-world applications.”

For Mid-Career Professionals

For you in mid-career, a statement should focus on advancing your current skills and taking on larger responsibilities. For instance:

• “I aim to elevate my expertise in digital marketing to become a marketing manager, where I can lead strategic campaigns and impact the company’s growth directly.”

For Career Changers

As someone looking to change careers, your statement needs to leverage your transferable skills and express your commitment to the new field. Consider this example:

• “I intend to transition into the field of data analysis, leveraging my extensive background in market research to deliver actionable insights and drive decision-making processes.”

For Executive-Level Positions

Your executive career goal statement needs to showcase your vision for leadership and your ability to steer the company to new heights. An example could be:

• “I am determined to apply my 15 years of managerial experience to a Chief Operations Officer role, focusing on optimizing company-wide operations to boost profitability and efficiency.”

50 Examples of Career Goal Statements

• 1. “To secure a challenging position in a reputable organization to expand my learnings, knowledge, and skills.”
• 2. “Seeking a role at (…) Company where I can contribute to the team’s success while developing my skills as an accountant.”
• 3. “To achieve a lead position in software development that allows me to design innovative solutions and manage a dynamic team.”
• 4. “To become a primary school teacher that inspires young minds and fosters a love of learning.”
• 5. “Aiming to leverage my experience in customer service to become a leading sales representative within the next five years.”
• 6. “To grow into a senior role within the marketing department, contributing to the company’s strategic goals and brand development.”
• 7. “Seeking a position as a clinical practice assistant for a health organization that focuses on the development of innovative medical treatments.”
• 8. “To secure a position as a human resources manager and contribute to an organization’s employee engagement and professional development strategies.”
• 9. “My goal is to become a project manager within a progressive tech company, leading innovative projects to successful completion.”
• 10. “Aspiring to be a top journalist within a major media outlet, reporting on significant global events that shape our world.”
• 11. “To develop a career in finance, eventually becoming a chief financial officer for a well-established corporation.”
• 12. “To obtain a managerial position in the hospitality industry, providing exceptional guest experiences and leading a successful team.”
• 13. “Looking to apply my graphic design skills in a dynamic advertising agency, producing high-quality work for a variety of clients.”
• 14. “To establish myself as a leading real estate agent within the community, known for diligently serving clients and achieving their property dreams.”
• 15. “To become a senior software engineer, specializing in machine learning and artificial intelligence, contributing to cutting-edge technology advancements.”
• 16. “Aspire to join an international non-profit organization, focusing on human rights advocacy and contributing to meaningful change.”
• 17. “To earn a position as a lead researcher in a top-tier biotech firm, focusing on the development of life-saving pharmaceuticals.”
• 18. “To be recognized as an expert in environmental law, working to protect natural resources and promote sustainability.”
• 19. “To secure a role as an art director within a prestigious agency, driving creative strategy and inspiring a team of designers.”
• 20. “Aiming to become a chief operations officer, optimizing organizational processes and enhancing overall efficiency.”
• 21. “To advance my career in the field of education technology, developing innovative tools that facilitate learning and growth.”
• 22. “Seeking to become a master electrician, overseeing complex projects and mentoring apprentices in the trade.”
• 23. “To climb the ranks to a senior data analyst role, transforming data into actionable insights that drive business strategy.”
• 24. “To become a leading figure in digital marketing, known for crafting high-impact strategies that generate measurable results.”
• 25. “Aspiring to be an executive chef in a Michelin-starred restaurant, creating world-class cuisine and leading a top-tier culinary team.”
• 26. “To secure a position as a cybersecurity expert, protecting sensitive information from threats and vulnerabilities.”
• 27. “Aiming to be a respected leader in the field of public health, influencing policy and improving community health outcomes.”
• 28. “To establish a career as a professional musician, performing internationally and sharing my passion for music with diverse audiences.”
• 29. “Seeking a role as an aerospace engineer with a focus on sustainable design and innovation in air travel.”
• 30. “To become a leading architect, known for designing eco-friendly and innovative structures that enhance the urban landscape.”
• 31. “To grow into a senior role in supply chain management, optimizing logistics and contributing to the company’s profitability.”
• 32. “Aspiring to become a senior content creator, producing engaging and informative content that resonates with a wide audience.”
• 33. “To secure a position as a labor and delivery nurse, providing compassionate care and supporting families during a pivotal life event.”
• 34. “To become a principal consultant, offering expert advice and solutions to businesses in my area of expertise.”
• 35. “Aiming to be a top sales manager, driving team performance and exceeding company sales targets consistently.”
• 36. “To secure a leadership position within the field of environmental science, contributing to research and advocacy for climate change mitigation.”
• 37. “To become a recognized expert in user experience design, creating intuitive and user-friendly digital products.”
• 38. “Seeking a role as a professional event planner, executing unforgettable events that exceed client expectations.”
• 39. “To advance to a senior technical writer position, producing clear and concise documentation that supports product development.”
• 40. “Aspiring to be a chief diversity officer, fostering an inclusive workplace culture where all employees can thrive.”
• 41. “To become a lead mechanical engineer in the automotive industry, contributing to the development of innovative and efficient vehicles.”
• 42. “To secure a position as a business analyst, helping organizations to improve processes and systems for better performance.”
• 43. “Aiming to become a senior environmental consultant, providing actionable strategies for sustainable business practices.”
• 44. “To establish myself as a professional photographer, capturing moments and stories through my lens for global publications.”
• 45. “Seeking a role as an investment banker, helping companies to grow and investors to achieve their financial goals.”
• 46. “To become a thought leader in digital transformation, guiding enterprises through the integration of new technologies.”
• 47. “Aspiring to be a senior policy advisor, influencing legislation and policy decisions that impact the public sector.”
• 48. “To secure a position as a professional interpreter, facilitating communication in multiple languages for international organizations.”
• 49. “Aiming to become a leading expert in nutritional science, contributing to healthier lifestyles and dietary choices.”
• 50. “To establish a career as a professional speaker and author, sharing my expertise and inspiring others in my field.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you write an effective career goal statement for your resume.

When you write a career goal statement for your resume, start by reflecting on your strengths, skills, and experiences. Then, identify the kind of position you’re aiming for and how your career path aligns with the goals of the company. Use action words and quantify achievements where possible.

What are some examples of short-term career goals in professional development?

Short-term career goals might include obtaining a professional certification, improving specific job-related skills such as public speaking or technical proficiency, or networking to connect with industry leaders. These goals are typically achievable within a few months to two years.

What should be included in a personal career goal statement?

Your personal career goal statement should include your career interests, the competencies you wish to utilize, the type of environment you thrive in, and how you see your career progressing. It gives employers a glimpse into your aspirations and professional philosophy.

Can you give examples of comprehensive goal statements for students?

An example for a student might be: “Graduate with a degree in Environmental Science and secure an internship with a leading sustainability organization, to contribute to effective climate change solutions.” This states the education aim and the practical, immediate objective after graduation.

How do you frame a career goal statement for entry into graduate school?

A career goal statement for graduate school should express your academic interests, how the program aligns with your career plans, and what you intend to accomplish professionally with the advanced degree. This could be working towards a specific research field or role in academia.

What elements make up a compelling and succinct one-sentence career goal?

A compelling one-sentence career goal is specific, mentioning the desired industry or role, is realistic, and includes a timeframe. For example, “To become a certified project manager within the next year and lead technology-related projects in a Fortune 500 company.”

• Career Goals Examples [Professional Advancement]
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Career education in year 10: I plan

​Year 10 students focus on planning their pathway to achieve broad career goals that offer a range of options. Students use their increased self-knowledge and deeper understanding of education and training requirements to inform these decisions.

Students investigate national and global economic, social, technological and environment changes on the type and availability of work and examine the trends that may impact on their chosen career pathway. They focus on the need to be flexible and the importance of networks to create and make opportunities.

In their career action plan students identify their preferred future pathway and explore a range of scenarios that will provide optional pathways.

Year 10 career education program

Learning outcome: self development, 1. understand the importance of allies (friends, family and supporters) to maintaining a positive self-concept, 2. assess how personal characteristics and behaviour are reflected in your life, learning and work goals, 3. discover personal and professional benefits of developing a positive self-concept and the consequences of developing a negative one., links to the australian blueprint for career development.

Area A: Personal management

• Competency 1: Build and maintain a positive self-image
• Competency 2: Interact positively and effectively with others
• Competency 3: Change and grow throughout life

Teacher planning questions

• How well do I know what my students’ career goals are?
• Am I current with my knowledge of the ways in which the subject I teach fits into the world of work?
• Am I aware of the subject combinations my students are taking? What are the reasons for their choices? How can I assist and at what stage do they need my help?
• Am I providing opportunities for my students to reflect on what they have learned and how they can implement that learning after they leave school?
• Have I laid a strong enough emphasis on how personal characteristics and behaviour reflect on students’ life, learning and work goals and that negative attitudes have consequences?
• Are there ways in which I can communicate with parents through events in school?

Additional activity

Demonstrate in your preferred learning style how a friend, a family or community member has had a positive impact on you. Describe their special skills and abilities that have inspired you to improve your learning skills.

Learning outcome: career exploration

4. demonstrate skills and attitudes towards learning that will help you to achieve your life and career goals., 5. understand the relationship between work, community and the economy., 6. explore the education and training requirements of various work roles in your preferred future occupation or work sectors., links to the australian blueprint for career development.

Area B: Learning and Work Exploration

• Competency 4: Participate in lifelong learning
• Competency 5: Locate and effectively use career information
• Competency 6: Understand the relationship between work, society and the economy
• Have I discussed with my students that acquiring the maximum amount of varied skills and knowledge will open up a wide range of careers and jobs to choose from?
• Am I providing information on how to explore education and training requirements of various work roles?
• Have I helped my students begin to understand the ways in which work contributes to family life and the community and the effect work has on their lifestyles?
• Have I discussed with the students that their career journey would include paid, unpaid, volunteer work and that there would be periods of unemployment as well?
• What is the best way to keep parents informed of their children’s career choices? How is the family affected by those choices?

Make a list of some interesting documents you would like to have in your career portfolio which demonstrate your strengths, talents and attributes. Now, match your list to possible future occupations in at least one of the following industries: Health Services, Education, Business, Spatial and Planning, Finance, Retail, Environmental, Transport, Sport, The Arts.

Learning outcome: career management

7. use career information effectively in the management of your career action plan., learning outcome 7, 8. understand the importance of developing a range of scenarios for future career choices., learning outcome 8, 9. examine the concept that every decision is a career decision by creating and maintaining your career portfolio., learning outcome 9.

Area C: Career building

• Competency 7: Secure/create and maintain work
• Competency 8: Make career-enhancing decisions
• Competency 9: Maintain balanced life and work roles
• Competency 10: Understand the changing nature of life and work roles
• Competency 11: Understand, engage in and manage the career-building process
• Have I given them leads to collect information through networks, the internet, television and the newspaper for their career information resources?
• Have I discussed with them the importance of working out a range of scenarios for future career and work choices?
• Did I provide suggestions on how to update and maintain a career portfolio?
• Have I emphasised the importance of developing short-term action plans that are flexible and adaptable?
• Have I informed them of how personal goals can be achieved through combining work, community, social and family roles?

From your Career Expo research choose a career that interests you and list all the subjects and courses you will need to work on to take up that career in the future. Identify both a vocational and academic pathway that can lead to this career choice.

Career a​​​ction plans

The framework focuses the student’s attention on recognising and creating opportunities to make informed career choices by defining their career goals in an annual career action plan. In each year of their career education program, students develop a career action plan that reflects their increased learning, identifies future actions and builds on previous planning.

For sample templates, see: 

• Year 10 career action plan (Word - 155Kb) (doc - 174kb)
• Year 10 career action plan - Koorie (Word - 490Kb) (doc - 508.5kb)
• Year 10 career action plan - EAL (Word - 87Kb) (doc - 106kb)
• Year 10 career action plan - low SES (Word - 74Kb) (doc - 93kb)
• Year 10 career action plan - young people with disabilities (Word - 64Kb) (doc - 83kb)

Teacher ad​vice

When preparing to implement the framework it is important that teachers reflect on the following questions:

• Do l have students from diverse backgrounds? If so, am l coordinating with their families, support agencies and their communities?
• Do l have any Koorie students? If so, am l coordinating effectively with Koorie education support officers, Koorie transition officers, Koorie families and the Koorie community?
• How do my own attitudes affect the way l assist students with their career goals/planning?
• Do l have high enough expectations of all my students in relation to their career planning?

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7 Employee Development Plan Examples to Help Your Team Succeed

Why do you need employee development plans, let alone employee development plan examples? No employee can ever (or would ever want to) stand still. There is almost always room for improvement, ways in which you can apply learning and development concepts to build new skills and help your employees meet their career goals.

But that process doesn’t happen magically. You need a strategic employee development program to achieve professional growth and optimize your performance management.

According to a 2022 Society of Human Resources Management report, 48% of employees call training opportunities a significant factor in choosing their job. Meanwhile, more than three-quarters are more likely to stay in their current role and organization if they get that opportunity.

But building strategic development opportunities can still be a struggle. Sure, you can put a mentoring program in place. But ultimately, modern L&D needs to be customized to each employee to truly build their competency.

Getting there means building roadmaps for your employee training program. Those roadmaps, in turn, are exactly why you need an employee development plan.

What is a professional development plan?

As we’ll highlight in this article, employee development plan examples can diverge quite heavily from one another. But they all tend to fall under a general definition we can use to get us started:

A professional or employee development plan is a written document that outlines how your employees, both individually and as a team, can meet their professional goals. It pulls from and builds toward performance reviews, making them more relevant and actionable to help team members improve and meet both short-term and long-term goals.

5 key features that the best employee development plan examples tend to share

Not all professional development plans are created equal. Some may focus on leadership skills, while others are designed for onboarding. Some lead to formal certifications, while others are closer connected to more informal mentorship programs. But all of them tend to share a few key features designed to make them effective:

• Time-bound. While some employee development plan examples focus on it more than others, all plans should have at least some specific time frame attached to evaluate initiatives after their completion.
• Milestones. In addition to an ending time, regular milestones help employees and supervisors check in on their progress and ensure a higher chance of success.
• Evaluation of current skills. Establishing a baseline of your employees’ skills allows you to perform a skills gap analysis and makes it easier to measure the growth in your employees’ skill sets.
• Action-oriented. Any effective employee development plan should have actionable steps specifically designed to build that above-mentioned roadmap. Those steps help to create a more intentional training plan.
• Measurable. Whether they’re designed for career growth or to help achieve company goals, development plans should be specific and include the right metrics to easily measure learning effectiveness .

The employee development plan examples shared below all include these components. As you build your own development plans and templates, keep these factors in mind to maximize your chances of success.

How does the right plan help you meet your business goals?

Put simply, a development plan makes the process of development initiatives more concrete. By outlining exactly what should be achieved and how it can be achieved, this type of growth plan can go a long way in helping your individual employees and your team meet crucial development goals.

Just as importantly, the right plan can also drive employee engagement . Especially when focusing on skill development related to an employee’s career or leadership development, telling your team members how they can get there and providing the support to do so has a significant impact on job satisfaction and employee retention.

Seven employee development plan examples you can implement right now

That’s it for the generalities. Now, it’s time to jump into the employee development plan examples specifically designed to nurture more high-performing employees.

1. Time-based individual development plan

As its name suggests, this plan orients itself around a timeline on which to achieve crucial employee goals. It’s typically based around a twelve-month calendar to align with annual employee performance reviews.

This type of plan can be built on individual goals or skills to be developed as the core variable. It should define an outcome for either of those variables, along with the timeframe at which it can be achieved. That ties the goals of the plan directly to the timeline, shown in a calendar view or Gantt chart to keep a visual overview.

2. Team-based action plan for development

Employee development plan examples don’t have to be limited to individual team members. This option creates an action plan for the entire team, helping to build core competencies as you look to improve performance and cohesion across the operation.

This plan starts with an assessment, often in the form of a SWOT analysis of where the team currently is. The insights gained help create a roadmap to fix weaknesses and build on strengths. In addition to overarching team goals, each team member should also have specific goals and objectives to achieve that lead to those larger goals.

3. Career development plan for team members

It’s time to think broadly. Ultimately, a successful career is as beneficial for the company as it is for the employee in question. It’s why career development is a leading factor not just for employee engagement but also for improving the productivity of your workforce.

A career development plan should begin with an outline of the employee’s career goals. These goals are then compared to current skills via skill gap analysis. The outcome of that analysis, in turn, can lead to a more specific plan on what skills to prioritize and develop.

Unlike some of the other employee development plan examples on this list, a career development plan can stretch over multiple years. Still, attaching specific timelines—like a three-year or five-year time frame—can help employees and managers alike keep track of their success.

4. Skills-based development plan for new employees

Training is a core piece of onboarding, and the right plan can help you make sure that every new employee is well-prepared for success. This type of plan helps your newest team members develop soft skills like communication skills, connecting typical onboarding lessons and seminars to a results-oriented plan for productivity.

Any skills-based development plan begins with establishing exactly what skills should be addressed. From there, it’s about establishing the employees’ current level of proficiency in the skill set and a timeline for how they can close the gap.

The best part about this type of plan is that it can easily be standardized. Because every new hire must go through the same steps, you can easily build a new employee development plan template that applies each time someone starts working in a given team.

5. Succession planning and development plan

In an ideal organizational flow, junior employees strategically learn the skills needed to move into more responsibility and ultimately into leadership roles. A strategic succession plan can help you get there.

Similar to the above onboarding plan, this version outlines the key skills needed to succeed in leadership. It then establishes exactly how proficient junior, manager, and senior leadership employees should be in those specific skills. That outline then establishes a roadmap you can easily apply to more specific, time-based plans for each employee.

6. Professional development and upskilling plan

Professional development, of course, can also go beyond specific succession or career planning. Upskilling remains one of the most underinvested types of L&D, and this type of plan can help you prioritize it.

The core idea is building a development plan based on skills your employees can benefit from. Think of it less as career growth and more as internal growth. For instance, any employee can benefit from better communication or organizational skills, regardless of their specific roles or career paths.

7. Self-evaluation and development plan

Finally, don’t underestimate the potential power of engaged employees looking to evaluate and track their own progress. Especially for self-motivated employees, this can become an important part of employee growth. For your organization, supporting these self-starter employees can lead to significant benefits.

This is the least structured of the employee development plan examples mentioned in this guide. It should provide general guidelines to your employees, like a suggested timeline or fields to enter goals and skills to be developed. Other than that, it’s up to your employees to complete, which makes it a powerful plan, especially in combination with some of the more structured options above.

From examples to implementation: How to get started

Regardless of the exact type(s) you implement, employee development plans can be invaluable to successful L&D. They structure the entire process, helping managers and employees understand exactly where to focus, what to work toward, and how to evaluate success.

But, of course, a plan is just the beginning. You also need the means to implement it, which is where the right LMS system comes into play.

How are your employees training their skills? How can you ensure that the plan’s implementation goes as well as its planning? Why not turn to the #1 global learning platform? Book your demo with Docebo today to learn how you can make the most out of your employee and team development plans.

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Navigating the Path to Social Work Careers

Published: May 24, 2024

Social work is a deeply rewarding field where you can make a significant impact on individual lives and communities. You might be drawn to social work because it provides a tangible way to help others, or perhaps you want to be on the front lines of social change. Let’s take a closer look at the profession below.

Social Work Careers

Social work is a field with a wide range of career opportunities, each offering the chance to make a significant difference in the lives of others. Whether through direct client interaction or community-wide programs, social workers play a crucial role in improving societal well-being.

The core values of social work are service, social justice, dignity, and integrity. These four values guide practitioners in their professional actions and their commitment to serving individuals and communities effectively. 

Social workers fill roles in a variety of sectors, including healthcare, education, community, nonprofit, and government. The best career in social work is different for each person and depends on that person’s strengths along with the type of work they are passionate about. Below are some of the most popular careers in social work.

Clinical Social Work Therapist

Clinical social work therapists specialize in diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders.

Medical Social Worker

Medical social workers work in healthcare settings to help patients navigate the emotional and practical challenges associated with acute, chronic, or terminal illnesses.

School Social Worker

School support workers support student success by addressing social, emotional, and behavioral problems that interfere with education.

Hospice Social Worker

Hospice social workers provide end-of-life support to patients and their families, helping them manage psychological and logistical challenges.

Substance Use and Recovery Treatment Counselor

Substance use and recovery treatment counselors assist individuals recovering from addiction, providing counseling and support to help them reclaim control of their lives.

Mental Health Counselor

Mental health counselors offer therapy and support for individuals dealing with mental health issues.

Community Service Manager

Community service managers oversee programs and staff that provide social services to the public.

Health Educator

Health educators focus on community-wide health education and intervention to promote wellness and healthy living.

Child and Family Social Worker

Child and family social workers work with children and families to improve situations in cases of abuse, neglect, or parental incapacity.

Social Research Scientist

Social research scientists research to evaluate and improve social services systems.

What Does a Social Worker Do?

Social workers fulfill a variety of critical functions in their daily roles. These tasks demonstrate the comprehensive nature of social work, requiring a blend of empathy, problem-solving skills , and practical knowledge of social services. Here’s a more detailed look at a social worker’s typical tasks.

Client Assessment

Social workers begin their intervention with a thorough assessment of the client’s needs, strengths, and challenges. This process includes interviewing clients, and possibly their families, to gather detailed social, economic, and psychological information.

Developing Plans 

Based on their assessments, social workers develop tailored intervention plans to address the client’s specific circumstances. This might involve setting goals, outlining steps to meet those goals, and identifying appropriate resources.

Resource Connection

A key task is to connect clients with community resources and services. This can include mental health services, healthcare, housing, job training, and more, depending on what the client needs to improve their situation.

Social workers often act as advocates for their clients to access services and resources. They may work to change policies or access resources that are not readily available, ensuring that clients receive necessary services, such as healthcare or legal aid.

Crisis Intervention

In urgent situations, such as cases of abuse or mental health crises, social workers intervene to provide immediate support and safety. They are trained to handle emergencies and can provide critical support services during crises.

Counseling and Support

Counseling is a fundamental part of social work. This includes therapeutic interventions aimed at helping individuals cope with their circumstances and improving their emotional and psychological well-being.

Monitoring and Evaluation

After implementing intervention plans, social workers monitor the progress of their clients and evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. Adjustments to the plan may be made to better meet the client’s needs.

Documentation

Accurate documentation is crucial in social work. Social workers keep detailed records of assessments, plans, client progress, and sessions. This documentation ensures continuity of care and accountability.

What are the Benefits of Being a Social Worker?

The field of social work comes with a variety of benefits, including the ability to help others, a diverse working environment, and personal growth. One of the most fulfilling aspects of being a social worker is the opportunity to make a positive impact on individuals, families, and communities. Social workers play a crucial role in mental health care, crisis intervention, and employment counseling, often seeing firsthand how their efforts improve the lives of those they help. This aspect of the job provides a deep sense of purpose and accomplishment, which is a significant source of job satisfaction.

In addition to personal fulfillment, social work offers a diverse work environment where professionals can interact with people from various backgrounds and experiences. This diversity enriches the job experience, fostering a broader understanding and appreciation of different perspectives and needs. Social work also supports professional development through ongoing training and educational opportunities, allowing practitioners to stay current in their field and advance in their careers. 

How to Become a Social Worker?

The path to becoming a social worker typically begins with obtaining a bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field such as psychology, sociology, or health sciences. This foundational step provides the essential knowledge and skills needed in the profession, including an understanding of social welfare policy, human behavior, and ethical practice. 

UoPeople offers a comprehensive bachelor of science in health science program, with an opportunity to earn a certificate in behavioral health . This program offers a curriculum in human development, psychopathology and mental health, community health, biology, and bioethics. You will gain an in-depth understanding of how social, cultural, and biological factors contribute to mental health and will prepare you for the next career step.

Besides offering a top-notch education, UoPeople’s courses are taught completely online , making our programs a great fit for students who are working or juggling family responsibilities. Because of our flexible model, our courses contain a diverse mix of students from around the world, providing unique perspectives and networking opportunities unmatched by in-person programs.

Once you have completed a bachelor’s degree, aspiring social workers who wish to enter clinical practice or advance in their careers typically pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. An MSW not only broadens their knowledge and expertise but also meets the educational requirements for licensure, which is mandatory for clinical social workers in most states. 

After earning an MSW, candidates must complete a period of supervised clinical experience, often two to three years, before they can apply for licensure. The final steps include passing a professional state licensing exam and fulfilling any additional state-specific requirements.

Choosing a career in social work offers an exceptional opportunity to positively impact the lives of individuals, families, and entire communities. Social workers stand at the forefront of addressing societal challenges, from advocating for social justice to providing critical mental health support. 

This profession is not just a job; it’s a calling that attracts those who wish to make a meaningful difference. The role of a social worker extends beyond mere occupation—it’s about fostering change, supporting resilience, and empowering the most vulnerable to achieve their full potential. It’s a career that embodies the spirit of service, making it deeply fulfilling for those who pursue it.

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• Handwashing
• Hand Hygiene as a Family Activity
• Hand Hygiene FAQs
• Handwashing Facts
• Publications, Data, & Statistics
• Health Promotion Materials
• Global Handwashing Day
• Clean Hands and Spaces: Handwashing and Cleaning in Educational Facilities
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About Hand Hygiene for Patients in Healthcare Settings

• Patients in healthcare settings are at risk of getting infections while receiving treatment for other conditions.
• Cleaning your hands can prevent the spread of germs, including those that are resistant to antibiotics, and protects healthcare personnel and patients.
• Patients and their loved ones can play a role in asking and reminding healthcare personnel to clean their hands.

Your hands can spread germs.

• Hands have good germs that your body needs to stay healthy. Hands can also have bad germs on them that make you sick.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer kills most of the bad germs that make you sick.

• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers kill the good and bad germs, but the good germs quickly come back on your hands.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer does not create antimicrobial-resistant germs.

• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers kill germs quickly and in a different way than antibiotics.
• Using alcohol-based hand sanitizers to clean your hands does not cause antimicrobial resistance.

Steps to take

When patients and visitors should clean their hands.

• Before preparing or eating food.
• Before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Before and after changing wound dressings or bandages.
• After using the restroom.
• After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• After touching hospital surfaces such as bed rails, bedside tables, doorknobs, remote controls, or the phone.

How to clean hands

With an alcohol-based hand sanitizer:.

• Put product on hands and rub hands together.
• Cover all surfaces until hands feel dry.
• This should take around 20 seconds.

With soap and water:

• Wet your hands with warm water. Use liquid soap if possible. Apply a nickel- or quarter-sized amount of soap to your hands.
• Rub your hands together until the soap forms a lather and then rub all over the top of your hands, in between your fingers and the area around and under the fingernails.
• Continue rubbing your hands for at least 15 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing the "Happy Birthday" song twice.
• Rinse your hands well under running water.
• Dry your hands using a paper towel if possible. Then use your paper towel to turn off the faucet and to open the door if needed.

Clean Hands Count Campaign Materials‎

Ask your healthcare provider to clean their hands.

• Wearing gloves alone is not enough for your healthcare provider to prevent the spread of infection.
• "Before you start the exam, would you mind cleaning your hands again?"
• "Would it be alright if you cleaned your hands before changing my bandages?"
• "I didn't see you clean your hands when you came in, would you mind cleaning them again before you examine me?"
• "I'm worried about germs spreading in the hospital. Will you please clean your hands once more before you start my treatment?"

Speak up for clean hands in healthcare settings

• Clean your own hands and ask those around you to do the same.
• Don't be afraid to use your voice: it's okay to ask your healthcare provider to clean their hands.
• "I saw you clean your hands when you arrived some time ago, but would you mind cleaning them again?"

Frequently asked questions

Is there such a thing as too clean.

• Germs are everywhere. They are within and on our bodies and on every surface you touch. But not all germs are bad. We need some of these germs to keep us healthy and our immune system strong.
• Your hands have good germs on them that your body needs to stay healthy. These germs live under the deeper layers of the skin.
• Your hands can also have bad germs on them that make you sick. These germs live on the surface and are easily killed/wiped away by the alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is the preferred way for to keep your hands clean.

Washing with soap and water: 15 versus 20 seconds

• Wash your hands for more than 15 seconds, not exactly 15 seconds.
• The time it takes is less important than making sure you clean all areas of your hands.
• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are the preferred way to clean your hands in healthcare facilities.

Which one? Soap and water versus alcohol-based hand sanitizer

An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is the preferred method for cleaning your hands when they are not visibly dirty because it:

• Is more effective at killing potentially deadly germs on hands than soap.
• when moving from soiled to clean activities with the same patient or resident.
• when moving between patients or residents in shared rooms or common areas.
• Improves skin condition with less irritation and dryness than soap and water.

Guidelines for Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings Published 2002

Core Infection Prevention and Control Practices for Safe Healthcare Delivery in All Settings

What CDC is doing

CDC's Clean Hands Count campaign offers posters, factsheets, and brochures for healthcare providers and patients.

Keep reading: Clean Hands Count materials

Healthcare personnel

When and how to practice hand hygiene. Learn more .

New Training and Education Resources available for Healthcare Professionals.

Hand Hygiene in Healthcare Settings Video Series link: Education Courses | Hand Hygiene | CDC

Clean Hands

Having clean hands is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and prevent the spread of germs to others.

For Everyone

Health care providers.

General election latest: Diane Abbott claims Labour to block her from standing - as Labour extends vast poll lead

Veteran MP Diane Abbott has told Sky News that although she was given the Labour whip back, the party doesn't want her to stand at this election. It comes as an exclusive Sky News/YouGov poll puts Labour on a 27 point lead.

Wednesday 29 May 2024 07:18, UK

• General Election 2024

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Election news

• Abbott given back Labour whip - but claims party to bar her from standing at election
• Labour extends lead over Tories in exclusive poll for Sky News
• Police drop Rayner investigation | Labour deputy hits out at Tories
• Explained: What Starmer's deputy was being investigated for
• Live reporting by  Ben Bloch

Expert analysis

• Gurpreet Narwan: Farage already has eyes on elections to come
• Adam Boulton: What makes this election particularly exciting
• Sam Coates: Labour could have difficult decisions to make

Election essentials

• Trackers: Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
• Campaign Heritage: Memorable moments from elections gone by
• Follow Sky's politics podcasts: Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's
• Read more: What happens next? | Which MPs are standing down? | Key seats to watch | How to register to vote | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency's changing | Sky's coverage plans

Veteran MP Diane Abbott has told Sky News that reports she is due to be barred from standing as a Labour candidate at this election are true.

The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington was suspended by the party more than a year ago after suggesting Jewish people did not experience racism, but rather prejudice similar to red heads.

She swiftly apologised and withdrew her remarks.

While a Labour investigation into her comments ended in December, she was made to wait for the outcome.

A report in The Times yesterday suggested she'd been banned from standing for the party at the election on 4 July.

Ms Abbott has told Sky News this morning that that report is correct.

She added: "As of yesterday evening, I have not heard from the party directly."

It's not yet been confirmed whether she will stand for election again - Labour's deadline for picking candidates is 4 June.

The party has been contacted for comment.

By Sam Coates , deputy political editor

The Labour Party has extended its lead over the Conservatives, according to the first exclusive YouGov poll of the campaign for Sky News.

One week into the race for Number 10, Labour is 27 points ahead of the Tories - erasing a small drop in the lead recorded at the end of last week.

The Great Britain poll - conducted on Monday and Tuesday this week - puts Labour on 47%, the Tories on 20%, Reform on 12%, the Liberal Democrats on 9% and Greens on 7%.

This suggests that the Tories have not yet had a bounce from Rishi Sunak's surprise decision to go to the country on 4 July, rather than waiting until the autumn.

See the full poll breakdown here:

By  Jennifer Scott , political reporter

Labour will pledge to clear the backlog of patients waiting more than 18 weeks for NHS treatment within five years of government, if the party gets into power.

Making the announcement in the West Midlands on Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer will promise to "take the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS so patients in every part of the country can be treated on time".

Measures will include doubling the number of scanners to diagnose patients sooner, using spare capacity in the private sector without charging patients, and delivering what Labour claims will be "the biggest expansion of NHS staff in history".

The party says the plan will cost £1.3bn, paid for by "clamping down on tax dodgers and closing non-dom tax loopholes".

Labour says the 18-week promise of treatment in the NHS constitution has been missed every month since February 2016.

Read more here:

By Jennifer Scott , political reporter

The Conservatives will promise to replace "rip-off degrees" with 100,000 apprenticeships each year by the end of the next parliament if they win the general election.

Rishi Sunak will outline the plan on Wednesday to replace the "worst performing" courses with high-skilled apprenticeships, which they say will provide "more opportunities and greater financial security".

Making the announcement, Mr Sunak will say: "Improving education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet for boosting life chances. So, it's not fair that some university courses are ripping young people off.

"Thanks to our plan, apprenticeships are much higher quality than they were under Labour. And now we will create 100,000 more, by putting an end to rip-off degrees and offering our young people the employment opportunities and financial security they need to thrive."

Read more from the plan here:

Good morning!

The date is set - and the tooth-and-nail fight for the keys to Number 10 accelerates today as the first full week of the general election campaign continues.

This six-week race ahead of polling day on 4 July is well under way, with political parties spreading out across the country to get their message out.

Here's what you need to know about the election today:

• The Conservatives are announcing a pledge to replace "rip-off degrees" with 100,000 apprenticeships each year by the end of the next parliament if they win the general election;
• Rishi Sunak will be out and about campaigning in the south west of England, and we are expecting to hear from him this morning;
• Meanwhile, Labour is announcing a pledge to clear the backlog of patients waiting more than 18 weeks for NHS treatment within five years of government, if the party gets into power;
• Sir Keir Starmer and his shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, will be out on the campaign trail in the West Midlands promoting the pledge, and we are expecting to hear from the both later today;
• The SNP is continuing to put pressure on Labour - who it is primarily fighting at this election - and is calling on Sir Keir Starmer to "follow Scotland's lead by bringing railway services into public ownership";
• First minister John Swinney will be on visits in the Fife area today, and we will no doubt hear from him this morning;
• And the Lib Dems are launching their campaign in Wales today, with party leader Sir Ed Davey set to condemn the Conservatives' "legacy of failure" as he sets out his party's plan to rescue British farming.

And in other news...

• Former PM Liz Truss is due to be interviewed on a platform called Lotus Eaters, which has been described as "far right" by campaign group Hope Not Hate, who is also calling for her suspension from the Tory party;
• Ahead of parliament's dissolution tomorrow, the Public Accounts Committee is due to publish a report on the Rwanda scheme and asylum accommodation in the UK.

We'll be discussing all this and more with:

• Damian Hinds, schools minister, at 7.15am;
• Wes Streeting, shadow health secretary, at 9.15am.

Stick with us for all the latest political news throughout the day.

Thanks for joining us as the general election campaign kicked into full swing - with just over a month to go until Britons head to the polls on 4 July.

You can catch up with the latest in our 10pm bulletin - or click here .

We'll be back in the morning with live updates.

Iain Dale, the LBC radio presenter, has announced he is quitting to run as a candidate in the general election on 4 July.

Sky News understands Dale will be trying to become the Tory candidate in Tunbridge Wells

Dale, 61, previously tried to enter parliament at the 2005 election but lost in Norfolk North.

He announced his decision live on LBC on Tuesday evening, saying: "I am putting my hat in the ring again to be a candidate at the general election.

"Whatever the result, I feel I can play a role in restoring trust and honesty in politics.

"There are no guarantees I will be selected, let alone elected, but I know that I would forever kick myself if I didn't at least have a go."

With the general election campaign officially under way, what better time to keep a close eye on the latest polling?

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

In her first major campaign speech, Rachel Reeves has pitched herself as the UK's next chancellor to an audience of company bosses, promising the "most pro-growth Treasury in our country's history" if Labour wins the election. 

 But after pledging not to announce any new tax hikes and that Labour policies would be fully funded and costed, how she intends to pay for Labour's plan for the UK remains unclear. 

Today on the Sky News Daily, Sophy Ridge speaks with our deputy political editor Sam Coates to discuss the woman hoping to be in charge of the public finances, and whether Labour will be able to please workers and businesses while delivering on a promise of "economic stability" at the same time.  

It's 10pm - here's your late night run-down.

We're still in the early days of the election campaign, but there has been plenty of divisive policy announcements, clashes and political stunts making a splash here in the Politics Hub.

Let us get you up to speed on everything you may have missed...

• Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, has been handed back the Labour whip today, Sky News understands;
• She was suspended by the party more than a year ago after suggesting Jewish people did not experience racism, but rather prejudice similar to red heads. The MP swiftly apologised and withdrew her remarks;
• The Tories have lost a key attack line after news that Labour's deputy leader  Angela Rayner  will face no further action in an investigation over her living arrangements;
• The Labour frontbencher criticised the Tories for "reporting political opponents to the police during election campaigns to distract from their dire record". As a reminder, the investigation was launched after Tory MP James Daly complained about her to police;
• Rishi Sunak  was in the East Midlands, where he defended a Conservative plan to introduce the "triple lock plus". This will essentially result in a tax cut for pensioners by raising their tax-free allowance by either average earnings, inflation or by 2.5% - whichever is higher;
• However, it should be noted it was the decision of a previous Tory government to freeze income tax thresholds, bringing more people into paying the tax, including on income from pensions;
• Labour have been busy outlining their economic plans, but challenged by our deputy political editor Sam Coates , would-be chancellor Rachel Reeves refused to rule out further tax rises if Labour finds a black hole in the public finances;
• Meanwhile, over in the Liberal Democrat camp, the party's leader Sir Ed Davey fell off a paddleboard numerous times in Windermere today - but has admitted one of the plunges was intentional.

If you've got a bit more time on your hands, you can read more of some of the stories above in greater detail:

Stick with us for all the latest throughout the evening.

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