From Laurie - member since 2018

     I joined ATD Detroit less than a year ago, selecting the Top Trainer Throwdown as my first event. I had been an ATD National member for two years, reading the magazines and taking some of the courses offered. I was slow to join the local group because of my work hours, but thankfully I have a supportive boss who is working with me to attend meetings and events when possible.

     My first reason for joining was to increase my network in the TD field because I am pursuing a career change from a sales rep who trains, to training and development work full-time. The second reason was for the content and topics offered and what I can learn from them. Both the network and content have added value to my professional development. On top of that, attending the meetings has been fun and energizing, and there is always good food to satisfy my inner "foodie."

     The personal connections that I have formed in this short period of time have inspired me to grow. By actively following up with people that I met at the first meeting through LinkedIn, I was able to develop some relationships and continue communication between my first event in June and the next in September. In January, after some conversations and advice from more experienced professionals in the group, I signed up for a free trial of Storyline and set a goal to develop a new hire orientation course by the end of February. Two members provided very helpful and constructive feedback, and several others cheered me in my goal. This was a significant step in gaining instructional design experience and it would not have happened without ATD Detroit connections. After our most recent meeting, I was able to share that experience to help someone else who is working towards a career transition. It is reward to both receive help and to give it.

     The energy of being with people, live and in person, who share your interests and values to learn something new makes being involved with ATD Detroit a "must" for me.

From Laura, member since 2012

ATD Detroit has influenced almost every aspect of my 20+ year career as an instructional designer, project manager, and performance consultant.

Starting at the very beginning as a senior at Oakland University, a professor suggested I check out the local professional associations as part of my job search. I took his advice and met an ATD Detroit Member after the “Wants and Needs” portion of the program. I was brave enough to stand up and say I was looking for a job. Let’s just say the rest is history.

My continued involvement in the chapter as a member has helped solve countless work challenges through the topics presented, tools offered, or just brainstorming with colleagues over dinner. I always feel refreshed and energized about the industry and leave with new ideas in hand after a chapter event.

I have also had the privilege of serving on the ATD Detroit Board of Directors as the VP of Membership, President Elect, President, and Past President, respectively. This experience took my personal professional development into overdrive. I worked hand-in-hand with colleagues I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to work with otherwise. I met and networked with a wider sampling of our membership by being at every event during that time period. And I expanded my network nationally and internationally by attending the ATD Chapter Leader conferences and the ATD International Conference and Exposition events. These are experiences I cherish and would not have been able to have without my involvement in ATD Detroit.

It wasn’t until I sat down to write my story that I am truly realizing how influential this organization has been in my career. Thank you for this opportunity and continued opportunities to promote the growth of workplace learning and performance through ATD Detroit professional development opportunities, targeted services, and relevant events that impact business goals. I do truly live the mission!

From Tony

Five years ago, I decided to change careers from teaching to the training and development field. Looking for additional ways to learn more about the field, I decided to become a member of the ATD South Florida chapter. Thanks to the different programs that the South Florida chapter offered, I was able to find help in many ways. In addition to attending the webinars and live events, I was able to get involved in eLearning projects, where I created storyboards and eLearning modules that I included in my portfolio to find a job. 

I became the Social Media Director for the chapter and I was very active in promoting programs and events and made connections with employees and managers from several companies. The impact of expanding my professional network was immense.  The training manager at a local property management company gave me the opportunity to do my internship in his organization, where I became involved in the creation and implementation of a training program. When the project finished, he recommended me to someone from his network, and thanks to him I landed my first job only one month after graduating.

When the contract for my first job expired, I was able to find another opportunity through the ATD South Florida job board. I obtained the job largely thanks to the good advice and recommendations I received from other members, which contributed to making the application process successful.

Although most of my activity has been related to local chapters, the national organization has also provided great value. As a Power Member, I have found excellent information in the form of books, research papers and annual reports that have contributed to my professional development. I have also attended wonderful webinars covering current information in several areas of learning and development.

I relocated to the Detroit area in 2018, and I was delighted to find out that the local chapter here was also very active and successful. Being involved with ATD Detroit has given me the opportunity to meet professionals from local companies and to obtain job interviews. I have also received coaching and mentoring from several members. Undoubtedly, ATD has played a fundamental role in my professional development.