With so many options available, choosing the right professional development program can be a daunting task. The following considerations can help prospective participants evaluate various enrichment opportunities.
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Determine your professional lifelong learning goals
Where are you in your career and where do you hope to be? What knowledge gaps prevent you from turning your goals into reality? Ask yourself these questions to find the right program. At Darden, participants can earn certificates and micro credentials that signal specific skills to employers.
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Reflect on your learning objectives
Has a recent promotion highlighted the need for a hard skill such as financial management, negotiation, or digital transformation? Perhaps you need a deep dive into personal leadership or business strategy to set you up for advancement into a higher management position. Darden’s Executive Education portfolio offers a variety of topics that will help you develop hard skills or polish soft skills.
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Choose the best learning format and timeframe to fit your schedule
How much time are you able to carve out of your calendar for development? Do you learn better alongside other professionals in a dynamic classroom environment, or would you prefer an online model? Darden offers three formats to meet the needs of its diverse learner:
- In-person immersive: 3–5-day programs on-Grounds in the DC Metro area or Charlottesville that enable participants to unplug from their day-to-day responsibilities, connect with and learn from peers in learning teams, and develop relationships with fellow participants.
- Live virtual: A combination of interactive simulations and live discussions that provide a collaborative classroom experience, this hybrid option allows students to participate from the comfort of their own home or office.
- Online: Through a self-paced model that still allows participants to engage with world-class faculty and peers through discussion boards, projects and peer review/feedback.
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Personalize the learning journey
Be sure to find a program provider that allows you to design your own learning journey to meet your goals.
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Take the next step
Darden Executive Education offers a complimentary consultation with a dedicated Lifelong Learning director. Schedule a time to share your goals and find the best program to advance your career.
Connect with the Lifelong Learning Team
Allison Stratton
Associate Director of Lifelong Learning
StrattonA@darden.virginia.edu
Lauren Shifflett
Associate Director of Lifelong Learning
ShifflettL@darden.virginia.edu
Allison and Lauren work closely with learners to compare and select the right open programs to build development journeys and certificate paths to meet each individual’s career goals.
