What Is Career Development? Meaning and Tips

Meaning 1：Career advancement (Career development)

Career development 🔊

/kəˈrɪr dɪˈvɛləpmənt/

The process of improving your skills and moving forward in your job over time.

Career development diagram: person, laptop, progress chart

Career advancement 🔊

➕

/kəˈrɪr ædˈvænsmənt/

The process of improving skills and progressing in one's professional life.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

'Career' from Latin 'carrus' (wagon); 'development' from Old French 'desveloper' (unwrap).

💡 Mnemonic

Think: 'Career' as a path, 'development' as growth → climbing the career ladder step by step.

📖 Example

Many companies offer training programs to support their employees' career development. 🔊 Many companies offer training programs to support their employees' career development.

🔗 Collocations

career development plan – A structured plan for professional growth

career development opportunities – Chances to advance through learning and experience

🔄 Synonyms

professional growth (n.) – The continuous improvement of skills and career status

🚫 Antonyms

career stagnation (n.) – Lack of progress or advancement in one's professional life

📖 Cultural Story

The concept of career development gained prominence in the mid-20th century with industrialization, emphasizing lifelong learning and professional advancement.