Professional Development refers to specific skill sets as well as knowledge bases used to help one advance within their own career. There are many ways one can develop themselves on a professional level, anything from talking extra curricular courses relevant to ones field, or attaining higher education in certain relevant subjects, can help one develop professionally. One can also provide volunteer services at public institutions, be a mentor, coach, consultant, teacher or supervisor. Whatever it is you choose to do, there are simply no shortage of elaborate and interesting options.

    Engaging in professional development is essentially a practice in continued or even lifelong learning. Not all careers require that one engage in professional development, but there a many that certainly make it mandatory, such is the case for ever changing and advancing fields such as medicine and computer technology. Professionals like teachers, lawyers, engineers, accountant, health care professionals are all apt to engage in professional development activities to ensure that they are constantly on top of their game in an ever changing work environment where competence and the most up to date knowledge is crucial for satisfactory performance in their line of work and will help result in the better service of those who need them most.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_development

http://www.apegga.org/members/ProfDev/toc_map.html

http://www.cmctraining.org/

http://www.workingatmcmaster.ca/link.php?link=professional-development%3Amain

http://www.pdc.utoronto.ca/site11.aspx

http://www.histori.ca/prodev/default.do;jsessionid=CD7EC874FDFF2B37ED84E770D10C8C33.tomcat2?page=.index