One to Watch: Danielle Buscher
Association for Talent Development | by ATD Staff
Title: Learning and Development Manager
Company: West Community Credit Union
Location: O'Fallon, Missouri
Education: Bachelor's degree in journalism (Eastern Illinois University); pursuing a master's degree in HR and organization development with a concentration in workplace learning (University of Louisville)
Twitter Handle: @dbuscher29
At West Community Credit Union, Buscher is a department of one. She designs and delivers training for the entire credit union, manages the learning management system, works with subject matter experts, and evaluates training effectiveness. That's in addition to running a volunteer professional development group for employees who want to develop outside of the opportunities they have based on their job title.
What advice do you have for new talent development professionals?
Never stop learning. We are so focused on the professional development of others that it can be easy to forget about developing ourselves. Get involved with your local ATD chapter. Join a community of practice. Keep developing your skill set because, at the end of the day, it will make you more equipped to develop others.
The profession's future
While there will always be a need for formal training, I see the role of the talent development professional shifting to more of a content curator that creates learning environments to support more autonomous and social learning experiences. I look at how people learn outside of work or school. They are not signing up to attend formal training programs; they are getting their information from resources like Twitter or YouTube. With our ever-changing environment, TD professionals need to start emulating the social tools that people are already using for learning.
Greatest achievement
I was a 2015 Top 5 Finalist for Next Top Credit Union Executive, which is an international competition for young credit union professionals that requires nominees to develop and implement a project that they believe will advance the credit union industry.
My project was a voluntary professional development program for employees who wanted to engage, grow, and develop outside of the opportunities afforded to them by their job title.
Qualities for success
Passion, determination, and confidence.
Extracurricular activities
I am a runner and like to use that as a tool to raise funds for charities like St. Jude's.
Favorite quote
"Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." —Ralph Waldo Emerson