Many people have asked me about where to find easy-on-the-wallet continuing education events. This is a worthwhile quest regardless of your industry experience or professional credential status, so following are my suggestions specifically related to virtual endeavors.  

Sources

Below are examples of sources through which I have attended complimentary webinars. Your card issuer is another potential avenue, as some routinely schedule free webinars for clients. I have had the pleasure of fulfilling the speaker role for many such events.

• Commercial Payments International

• CardNotPresent.com

• The AP P2P Network, part of the Institute of Finance and Management (IOFM)

• Mercator Advisory Group

• NAPCP

• PYMNTS.com

In addition, AP Now offers a couple different options. If you participate in their research, you are invited to attend the related webinar. They also have an annual webinar pass available for purchase. Paying for relevant education can be worth it, especially when you know the source delivers good quality content.  

Suggestions

• Most free webinars are sponsored by an industry provider. You might hear a sales pitch, even if this is not the intent of the event host. If it happens, view the pitch as an opportunity because it, too, can be educational.

• Share key points from a webinar with your management and note how you can apply the information to benefit your organization.

• Strive to attend a webinar every month to broaden your knowledge. While job demands can pull us in multiple directions, taking 60 minutes for professional development is time well spent.

If You Hold a Professional Credential...

• Be familiar with the requirements for credential renewal, so you can look for eligible continuing education events. However, do not automatically skip something if it does not qualify. If it interests you, go for it.

• Track what you have completed on an ongoing basis, so you do not need to scramble as your credential expiration draws near.

Related Resource

• Separate yourself from the crowd, a January blog post about strengthening your professional biography

About the Author

Blog post author Lynn Larson, CPCP, is the founder of Recharged Education. With more than 15 years of Commercial Card experience, her mission is to make industry education readily accessible to all. Learn more…

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