Professional Pathways Summit
A commitment to working together to support and embed ALIA’s Professional Pathways initiative was the key outcome of the Professional Pathways Summit on 16 February. The initiative aims to ensure that Australia has a diverse, skilled, valued and supported library and information workforce delivering quality library and information services that anticipate and meet the needs of the population.
The virtual summit provided the opportunity for educators, subject specialists, new graduates and key library leaders from across the sector, to engage in a robust discussion about the library and information profession and its future pathways.
Inspired by a quote from Alan Kay that ‘the best way to predict the future is to invent it’, participants were asked to consider the provocation ‘by creating a strong, diverse and futureready workforce we are inventing the future’, and consider what success might look like in their sectors, and the steps needed to mitigate risks and achieve this outcome.
There was agreement that we need to work together as a sector to support the initiative, including supporting and exploring new opportunities with our education partners in the TAFE and university sector. Gaps in current professional development and training offerings were identified, as well as a need to review and renew the skills, knowledge and ethical practice that form the core of the library and information profession. Solutions were discussed across a range of sectors and locations, and while this was only the start of the work to finalize the plan, it was inspiring to see the willingness and enthusiasm in the room.
While there was excitement in the room, several groups pointed to the need to ensure that that excitement is shared more widely. Lack of understanding about what people who work in library and information services actually do was a common refrain, and with that, concerns that skills were undervalued or not best utilised. Stereotypes were identified as a barrier to understanding, as were the words used to describe library and information services. A strong and engaging communications campaign that promotes the skills, value and opportunity of a career in library and information services was seen as essential.
The summit followed months of consultation on the draft plan, released late in 2020, including a series of open Town Hall meetings attended by hundreds of people with a keen interest in the future pathways. These Town Halls were supplemented with one-on-one conversations with people who contacted ALIA directly with ideas, concerns and opportunities.
Now that the consultation has wrapped, the hard work of developing and implementing all the component parts of the plan starts. The next public release will be a summary of the consultations, so people can see all the good – and critical – feedback that we have received over the last few months. This feedback will be worked into the final plan design.