This article describes the process for creating an evidence-based professional learning (PL) competency framework for people working in the informal science learning field. The project reviewed PL literature, models, and frameworks. Applying what we found to a field which lacks any unified career pathways, we determined a career stage approach…

Women make up almost half of the workforce, but only a small percentage are ever promoted above middle management (Zarya). Although more women are working now than ever before, the numbers of high-level management positions still are primarily occupied by men, and the reason for this imbalance is still unclear. Why are women not able to break that…

Through a systematic review of the literature, we draw attention to factors associated with burnout and the effects on the military with a special focus on the US Air Force. Our review consists of the military and human resource development (HRD) literature on burnout. We integrate insights from the review of both literature on burnout and develop…

The United States military is one of the most notable developers of civilian workforce talent. Yet, approximately one third of post 9/11 veterans retain a personal narrative of military identity that they often find conflicts with civilian society--and as a result, with a civilian career. Earlier studies on veteran career transition have…

At the 2017 meeting of the Academy of Human Resource Development Annual Town Hall, four scholars discussed their diverse outlooks on the research and practice of career development in the Human Resource Development field. What follows in this curated collection of voices is a look into the perspective of each person who spoke at the 2017 Town Hall…

Economic inequality--the income gap between the wealthy and the poor--is increasing. Educational inequity has also increased with low-income students less likely to complete college than their wealthier counterparts. As the gap widens between the education "haves" and "have-nots," those with inadequate education are faced with…

This article focuses on how HRD research can better address some of the barriers to inclusive career development and secure employment. Beginning with the concept of decent work, we suggest expanding the scope of studies on workplace inequities, encouraging HRD to push further into disparities facing under-represented identity groups and including…

A relatively small amount of HRD research has focused on issues for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The majority that does exist tends to focus on issues assumed to cut across the entire LGBT community. However, a need exists for research that identifies and articulates the varied experiences of each of these identity…

Workers, both paid employees and volunteers, contribute in multiple ways to an organization's output, its culture, and its internal environment. Employees also play a critical role in the organization's impact upon its community. Career development involves the full understanding of worker contributions to the organization, as well as…

Mentoring programs are gaining traction as human resource development initiatives that can support women to advance in their careers in organizations. However, some of these programs are falling short of delivering on this promise due to particular inherent flaws. This case study considers the following three potential flaws of formal mentoring…

After 20 years I was back in school faced with an assignment to research an adult education scholar, leader, or practitioner. After a quick review of the list we were provided I was drawn to Dr. Johnson-Bailey as the focus of my paper primarily because our lives paralleled in so many ways. She was on staff at my Alma Mater, The University of…

The purpose of this research was to investigate the motivational orientations of non-traditional adult students to enroll in a degree-seeking program based on their academic goal. The Education Participation Scale (EPS) was used to measure the motivational orientations of participants. Professional advancement, cognitive interest, and educational…

Scholarly conferences are one mechanism by which doctoral students can enter into their profession as practitioners and scholars. Unfortunately, research about the effectiveness of this career development strategy is limited. This paper explores learning experiences of doctoral students at a scholarly conference. Theories about learning…

John Henschke is a lifelong learner who studied with Malcolm Knowles and who interviewed and knew such adult educators as Cyril Houle and his contemporaries. John has devoted his life to service both in the ministry and in education; he has traveled the globe with a view to encouraging lifelong learning and the concepts of andragogy for all. His…

Changes in the career landscape require commensurate revisions in career development (CD) to ensure it meets the needs of both employees and employers in this era of multidimensional career paths. Drawing on a model from the past, we propose building a strong career culture based on the relational approach to CD. Implementing a relational strategy…