Putting the PD back into CCPD!

In a climate when economic 'wellbeing' (or indeed 'recovery'!) is an understandable priority, I would like to reflect on a comment made by a colleague in a recent meeting.  In a discussion about what we intend to achieve at the Centre of Career and Personal Development, I was heartened to hear her proclaim that she would like to see more focus on the PD in CCPD.  We (as a society that is 'spoken to' by the media and political agenda), can sometimes buy into the potrayed hype of 'career', to be self sufficient and to change the dynamic of 'agent' and 'state'. These may indeed impact upon our personal development - in terms of a sense of achievement and perhaps even, success.


At this time we may be consumed with thoughts of 'recession', 'debt' and 'redundancy', so perhaps now more than ever, a little more attention to personal development is in order? Perhaps career decisions motivated by engagement with our personal aspirations will lead us to more fulfilling resolutions, perhaps encouraging people to discover, to explore and to respond to their 'calling' - as contested as this may be in some forums - is the path to real 'recovery'? Furthermore, in reflecting on the PD in CCPD, there is the opportunity to attend to the role of learning (in its many forms) as potential transitional spaces for growth and change, rather than as a means to an end. As an educator, personal development and the role of transitional space is the process that complements the content of the programmes I deliver and I for one, am happy to be reminded of its significance.

Jo Oliver