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About Professional Development
You'll become
Average Salaries
Professional Development workers may earn between $54,000 and $160,000 per year
Take your career to new heights and build relevant new skills by studying a professional development course.
You’re a natural leader and want to excel. Turn your talents into a rewarding career and take your next professional step by studying a challenging and exciting professional development course.
Specifically tailored for busy working professionals, professional development courses are concise, effective and recognised qualifications that show your development in a wide range of areas. Whether you’re undertaking continuous professional development required by your profession, or just seeking new skills without the commitment of a degree course, a professional development course is for you.
In an increasingly crowded business world, employers are urgently seeking the skilled, decisive leaders who can adapt to changing pressures and trends, make sound decisions, and successfully guide teams to success. By studying a professional development course, you’ll build the skills and knowledge required to stand out in a competitive market and steer teams and businesses to success.
You may study a professional development course at a range of levels, including as a short course or certificate, graduate certificate or diploma level course.
As a graduate of a professional development course, you’ll have the skills, abilities and insights to shape the success of a wide range of businesses and organisations, and unlock the potential of people to achieve their goals. You’ll be able to apply the skills learnt in a professional development course in whatever role and industry you’re working in.
After completing your course, you may work in a range of leadership, management, operational roles, and may work as a chief executive officer, executive director, business manager, general manager, team leader or operations manager in the public, private or not-for-profit sectors.
If you’re seeking a rewarding, dynamic and exciting career and want to build your own skillset, studying a professional development course is for you.
What do professional development graduates do?
Graduates of professional development courses may seek or continue employment in a wide variety of roles in a diverse range of industries, which means your day-to-day duties will vary. However, you may elevate your role to a leadership or management position by completing a professional development course, and may include tasks such as:
- Identifying and organising key organisational goals and strategic priorities;
- Developing plans, policies and procedures relating to the operation and objectives of a business or organisation;
- Monitoring and advising on projects;
- Authorising the allocation and movement of resources, including financial and human resources;
- Leading teams and training and managing staff members;
- Providing day-to-day guidance and direction to achieve organisational objectives;
- Assessing changing situations, managing conflict and responding accordingly;
- Conducting meetings;
- Preparing reports, submissions and notes;
- Conducting monitoring and evaluation activities of business projects and activities;
- Representing a business or organisation in public; and
- Ensuring a business’s ongoing compliance with relevant regulations.
Career Outcomes
Career Outcomes
After completing a professional course, you may advance your career path and seek promotion within your field, or apply the specialised leadership skills you’ve learnt to a new management role, including working as a:
Is professional development right for you?
You’ll be suited to studying professional development if you:
- Enjoy a challenge
- Are a natural leader
- Enjoy problem-solving
- Thrive when working with people
- Have big ideas
- Are highly motivated
- Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Are highly organised and efficient
- Are proactive and can work independently
- Can think strategically and exercise sound judgment
- Can speak confidently in public
- Enjoy fast-paced work
- Want to invest in yourself
- Are committed
- Want to make a real difference in your work
Job opportunities
The Australian Government’s Job Outlook predicts strong growth in job opportunities for people working in management roles over the next decade, predicting the management profession will grow to employ an additional 7,900 people by 2020. Currently employing approximately 51,000 people, the profession is considered large, and roles are available in most areas of Australia.
Similarly, job opportunities at the highest levels of management are increasing, Job Outlook reporting that approximately 67,700 people will be employed as chief executive officers and managing directors by 2020. Currently, approximately 58,900 people are employed in these competitive leadership roles.
Average Salaries
According to PayScale, a general manager can expect to earn a salary between $54,000 and $160,000 per year, with an average annual salary of approximately $92,000. An operations manager can expect to earn between $35,000 and $90,000 per year, and entry-level managers may enjoy earning a competitive average salary of approximately $50,000 per year.
According to Job Outlook, chief executive officers and chief financial officers can take home base salaries in excess of $300,000, and may also hold stock in a company or share profits with shareholders in addition to receiving a wage.