A Message from the President and CEO, March 2022

However informed we think we are, it never ceases to surprise me (even after several decades of practice!) what life can throw up next. Who would have thought we would face a global pandemic that continues for two years or more, conflict disrupting trade and leading to humanitarian disasters, and flooding… or drought… from climate change? And that is just at a global scale! Regional, national, industry, or sector events also come along and affect us as well. Ultimately, our own personal circumstances can change overnight, often through no fault of our own. Not all of this is negative. Sometimes positive change comes along and disrupts our comfortable living just as much. Technology is a classic example of that and in each case, if we are open to it, change brings opportunity. The fact is this is an uncertain and unpredictable world and in that context, trying to plan a career as a professional can be bewildering. How can you plan for the next year, let alone the next 20+ years?

I wonder if we might look to risk management disciplines for some ideas. Pursuing a career is risky in the sense that certain risks can be perceived or imagined; others, as we have learned in the last two years, cannot. In either case, risk management tools can help us on a personal level prepare for these eventualities.

There are various risk management methodologies, such as food safety risk management, health and safety risk management, environmental risk management, and chemical risk management to name but four that many of us will be familiar with. What they all have in common, by the same or different names, is that having identified risks and assessed their likelihood, you then plan to eliminate them (if you can) or at least reduce them through management. You then mitigate the residual risk as best you can.

So, what does that mean when we think about our careers? Imagine any of the above scenarios and how they might affect our work and career. In every case, having a plan to be prepared for the future would stand us in good stead. Investing in yourself through career planning, personal professional development, community networking, and keeping aware of your industry developments and opportunities will arm you to better face any eventualities and, in the absence of disastrous risk, positively plan an alternative future.

This might all sound fine but how can you mitigate career risk like this? Well, at Exemplar Global, that is what we have been doing to support you and our industry for several years now. Building a community of like-minded, similar-interest professionals who care about their careers is one of our primary points of focus. We do this through personal certification and e-badging to recognize and promote your achievements, allowing you to build your own professional profile, opportunities to attend events like our Expos and webinars, and numerous other professional development opportunities and connections to others such as training providers or prospective employers. If you are looking for new work opportunities, we have our Jobs Board, a service which we will be building and improving in the near future. In fact, we are investing in developing further products and services to assist you in many ways.

Sometimes, just being part of a community that understands you and the challenges you face can itself be a tremendous support. So, come and partner with Exemplar Global, a reputable organization driven by purpose, not profit, that can bring you community, learning opportunities, and various other levels of support on every step along your professional journey. Now more than ever, as one of our team phrased it recently, Exemplar Global is your rock in a churning river of change.