“Learning is a process, not an event.” — Elliott Masie
Masie should know — he is an accomplished researcher and educator focused on workplace learning. The message here is that professional training is not a one-and-done matter. It should be an ongoing, career-long experience.
Especially now, when AI is evolving at a record pace and technology is dramatically changing the world of work, it’s essential to keep learning in order to remain a valuable contributor to the organization and succeed in one’s job. Finance professionals are certainly no exception to this trend.
While there will always be those who are content with the status quo and doing things the same way they’ve always been done, we here at IFOL are convinced that those people are in the minority. Continuous learning for finance professionals grows abilities that go beyond career advancement alone. For most financial professionals, regardless of their roles, ongoing learning offers a sense of purpose and motivation to succeed on both a personal and an occupational level.
Personal Development
Let’s first look at how continuous learning can benefit the individual.
Research shows that adults who embrace learning new things not only increase their overall cognitive sharpness — they become more confident in their mental acuity and ability to acquire new skills.
Psychologists and educational specialists are developing new ways to keep adult learners engaged, many of them driven by online technology. This grows the brain’s “neuroplasticity,” the ability to change, reorganize, and even heal itself. The nervous system makes strong connections when the brain is used to acquire new skills. Continuous learning is literally exercise for the brain.
Research also shows that this enhanced mental resilience can even help break bad habits and reduce stress, abilities that are useful in both one’s personal life and career.
Continuous Learning for Finance
From an executive’s point of view, employees who take advantage of continuous learning opportunities are typically more engaged and innovative. These are the character traits of strong contributors who are willing to “think outside the box.” They are able to envision better processes that help the organization financially and enhance workflows for maximum efficiency. In other words, strong lifelong learners tend to be valued resources that are ripe for promotion when the opportunity arises.
From an employee’s standpoint, that certainly offers the potential for higher earnings, career development, and enhanced job security. But neuroplasticity is also useful when having to adjust to organizational change. It helps one remain flexible as technology evolves, or when there are shifts within Finance brought about by changing workflows, software implementations, industry trends, or new management.
This level of mental readiness is empowering. Embracing innovation through enhanced finance skills becomes a way of life and prepares one for whatever the future may hold.
Techniques for Continuous Learning
There are many ways in which Finance professionals can further their training journeys.
Certifications, such as the ones offered by IFOL, are an excellent way to build and maintain one’s career knowledge. These tend to provide in-depth information on a specific career path and require an exam upon completion in order to earn the credential. This accomplishment lends credibility to one’s dedication and expertise in the field.
There are also conferences offered by various organizations throughout the year (including IFOL), both in person and online. These assist the Finance professional in staying up to date with evolving industry trends and technology, and help provide a fresh outlook on one’s career. In-person events can also create opportunities for forging professional connections which can broaden one’s perspective — and may even result in new opportunities down the line.
Webinars are shorter-form, online learning sessions led by industry experts. These provide information on specific topics without requiring the time and travel commitment of full, multi-day conferences. These are usually targeted at specific topics, which allows the individual to choose ones that best address current needs. These events often include opportunities to interact with the presenter or the other attendees, and some even offer a certificate of completion.
In addition, there are online networking groups dedicated to discussions of topics of interest. LinkedIn offers one such platform for professional networking, and there are others that provide information about both in-person or online groups. These can be located through online search.
Remember that professional learning opportunities don’t just help one’s career — they keep the mind sharp, help develop new coping skills, and build confidence, both at work and outside of it.
How IFOL Can Help
IFOL is committed to advancing the success of financial operations professionals and their organizations throughout the UK, US, and Canada. Toward that end, we offer certification training, educational conferences, webinars, and the opportunity to network with like-minded people. We are here to help.
Our upcoming events include:
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The Certified Accounts Payable Professional (CAPP) Walkthrough session that will discuss how IFOL certifications work and help you decide if they’re right for you. This live online session explains the curriculum and certification pathway, and how structured professional development can help build the skills needed in today’s digital finance environment.
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The Enterprise Academy offers organizations an all-in-one comprehensive learning solution for their teams. Included is a skills gap analysis, along with unlimited training and certifications across all jobs in financial operations, which is a more cost effective, enterprise-wide approach than signing up for individual enrollments.
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Upcoming Finance Operations Leadership Conferences (FOLCONs) are scheduled this Fall for London and Toronto. These events provide professionals in AP/P2P, AR/O2C, and Finance Operations with insights from innovators and thought leaders to help you improve your operations, and stay abreast of current and future trends.
If you would like to share a personal experience about continuous learning for finance professionals, please email info@acarp-edu.org and let us know. We’d enjoy hearing about it!
