Psychology Week 10 Assignment: Applying Theory to Practice

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Professional Development Plan for an I/O Psychology Learning and Development

Consultant Role

Gabrielle McNeely

Capella University

PSY6710

Michael Gontarz

8/25/2026

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Introduction

The continued learning, self-assessment, and application of psychological knowledge

and experience to workplace challenges are all a part of becoming a professional Industrial and

Organizational (I/O) Psychologist. Upon reading the SIOP I/O Job Network, the role chosen for

this professional development plan is the Learning and Development Consultant (Remote)

position with Penske Truck Leasing Co., L.P. in Reading, Pennsylvania. The job description

emphasizes learning and development initiatives to build associates and leaders within Penske's

Talent and Organization Development Team. This role is especially relevant for I/O psychology,

due to the adult learning, instructional design, performance consulting, facilitation, program

evaluation, leadership development, and organizational collaboration aspects of the position

(Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2026).

Job Description and Required Competencies

The Learning and Development Consultant is responsible for consulting with Penske

Collision and developing and facilitating programs that address talent-development needs. This

position includes key duties in the areas of instructor-led virtual and on-site training, program

support, learning technologies maintenance, completion reporting and learning metrics,

instructional content development, eLearning module creation, working with subject matter

experts, and involvement in strategic projects. The job demands three years of related work

experience and three years of adult learning and development experience, in addition to

instructional design and facilitation experience (Society for Industrial and Organizational

Psychology, 2026).

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Based on the job description, there are six important competencies, including

facilitation, instructional design, performance consulting, project management, communication

and influencing, and learning technology proficiency. Other skills include creativity, attention to

detail, collaborative working, self-direction, knowledge of adult learning, and collaborative

working with operational teams. The position specifically notes that relevant technical skills

include Articulate 360, Storyline 360, Rise 360, Zoom, Excel, Teams, Adobe, and learning

management systems (Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2026). These skills

show that interpersonal and technical skills are needed in this position.

Current Competencies and Development Needs

My current professional strengths will support this position, including but not limited to

the areas of communication, leadership, collaboration, problem-solving, and working with

diverse individuals. However, I would have to improve on some skills to be a viable applicant.

The areas I would like to strengthen in my development are instructional design, Articulate 360,

learning analytics, formal performance consulting, and systematic program evaluation. I would

also strengthen virtual facilitation and presentation skills, as this role involves both virtual and

face-to-face training

To fill the gaps, I would design a learning plan that would cover 6 months. I would take

courses in instructional design and Articulate 360, and develop examples of participant guides,

facilitator guides, presentations, job aids, and eLearning modules for a professional portfolio. I

would also have to practice using Excel to monitor and analyze learning metrics. I would also

look for opportunities to do training sessions and presentations in order to gain more

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confidence in virtual and face-to-face. The activities would enable me to show my skills instead

of just having them on my résumé.

Coaching and Mentoring

I would consult a developmental coach who has a background in I/O psychology or in

learning and development. The coach would support me to determine my competency gaps, set

measurable professional goals, practice my communication skills and facilitation skills, and

assess my growth. I would look for a mentor in SIOP, through professional networking events,

via university contacts, and professional networking sites. I would introduce myself and talk

about my career aspirations and my specific areas of focus in terms of skills and abilities. It

would make it accountable and have me get some constructive feedback from a professional.

Research supports coaching as an effective professional-development strategy. Jones et

al. (2025) discovered that coaching in the workplace has a positive impact on learning and

performance. Positive associations between workplace coaching and organizational results.

Thus, coaching would not just be a source of generic career-related guidance, but it could also

be a means of giving structured feedback and an opportunity to put development plans into

action within the workplace.

Developing Diversity Competencies

An I/O professional's competency in diversity is especially critical as learning and

development initiatives need to be accessible and relevant to employees from diverse

backgrounds and experiences, as well as diverse perspectives and learning needs. I would take

evidence-based diversity and inclusion training, read about multicultural work practices, and

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would gain knowledge of how to integrate inclusive concepts into instructional design to

enhance my diversity competencies. I would also consult other people to get their opinion, and

look to see if training is inadvertently excluding and disadvantaging groups.

Research has shown that diversity training is not just about the presentation of

information. The findings from Bezrukova et al. (2024) indicate that it is better to build both

awareness and skills in the context of diversity training, and when diversity training is reinforced

by other organizational diversity initiatives. There is also a need for cross-cultural work

psychologies to grasp diversity, and attention to the ways differences affect workplace

interactions. These results would make me more likely to view diversity management as a

continuous process of an organization and not as a one-off training.

Evaluating Six Months of Progress

I would measure my progress after 6 months according to measurable criteria. I would

benchmark the competency assessment with another assessment to determine growth in

instructional design, facilitation, technology, project management, and diversity practices. I will

keep records of courses completed, eLearning projects, presentations, training sessions,

coaching, and mentoring meetings. My coach, mentor, peers, and supervisors would give me

feedback that would support my growth. I would also look at my work portfolio and see if the

skills listed in the Penske job description apply to my work. I will make adjustments to my

professional development plan and set new goals if there are still any areas I am lacking. This

method would keep my development as an I/O professional focused, quantifiable, and reflective

of real industry demands.

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References

Bezrukova, K., Spell, C., & Perry, J. (2024). Organizational diversity training programs. Current

Opinion in Psychology, 60, 101907. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2024.101907

Jones, J., Lundgren, H., & Poell, R. (2025). “I love and dream of a future where we're all

coaches”–an analysis of multiple perspectives on managerial coaching. European Journal

of Training and Development, 49(5-6), 451-474.

https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-11-2023-0181

Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. (2026). Senior learning and development

consultant. SIOP Career Center. SIOP Career Center job posting.

https://jobs.siop.org/job/senior-learning-and-development-consultant/85408703/