Career Path for Aspiring Associate Directors of Professional Learning
To break into the field of professional learning, Lauren suggests gaining initial classroom experience in diverse school settings—"a New York City public school and then...a charter"—to build credibility. Then, entry-level positions often exist within larger organizations' talent development teams, allowing one to gain internal experience and transition to roles like Lauren's, emphasizing the importance of networking and showcasing interest in professional learning.
Entry-Level Positions, School-Based Experience, Charter Schools, Internal Hiring, Networking
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lauren Keough
Associate Director of Professional Learning
Rocketship Public Schools
UCLA - 2008
Lehman College - CUNY (2010) - Masters of Arts in Social Studies Education & Stanford University (2019) - Masters in Policy, Organization & Leadership Studies
History, Art History
Education
Education
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Gain practical classroom experience: Lauren emphasizes the importance of initial classroom experience (a few years in diverse settings) to build credibility and understanding of the educational landscape before moving into professional learning roles.
2. Explore related fields for entry points: She suggests that roles in talent development or other areas within a charter organization can serve as entry points. These may offer transferable skills and enable networking opportunities within the organization.
3. Internal hiring is common: Lauren points out that many large charter management organizations prioritize internal hiring, making it crucial to find a way to get your foot in the door, even in a less-than-ideal role, to build connections and demonstrate your capabilities before aiming for a professional learning position.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate college student might consider?
I think the first thing is that it's hard to move into a position like this without actual experience in a school-based role. You probably need to do that first. If you're interested in supporting educators, for credibility, you need to be in the classroom for a couple of years.
Ideally, you should be in a couple of different contexts. I started in a New York City public school, then moved into a charter, then a charter independent, and then a large charter network. I learned a lot by being in those different environments. It's very easy to be in a bubble if you only know one.
I would really suggest doing that. Depending on what you want to do, you might also want to get some sort of coaching or school leadership experience. Even if it's not an official admin position, that's fine.
After that, large charter management organizations really like to hire internally. It's hard to get a role from the outside. My rule was a bit more senior, so they were more open to it, but often they are not.
I would say look for a way to get a foot in the door, even if it's not the function or team you actually want to do. If there's an organization you believe in and people doing cool work you'd like to do, ask yourself what teams are hiring that you have some qualifications for. Maybe it's data or recruiting.
Just get in the door. Learn the organizational culture and new skills from that role. Then, start talking to people doing the type of work you want to do and make yourself known as someone interested in it.
One team with skill sets similar, but not identical, to professional learning is talent development. They tend to hire people a bit more junior. If I were looking for someone internally for my team, I'd ask who's in talent and has instructional experience. I'd also look for someone interested in delving deeper into role-based work. That's kind of what I would be looking for.