Usually abbreviated (APA), it is a professional organization in the United States of America, representing a vast number of psychologists in the country, whose members estimates to around 150,000. According to its guidelines, psychologists includes counselors, clinicians, specialists a etc, with doctoral or masters degree in psychology from accredited university, or other institution of professional learning. This association is aimed at advancing the psychology profession and science through the promotion of health, human wellbeing as well as education. The organization embarks on communicating and applying psychological knowledge for the overall benefit to the society, while improving the lives of people (Anderson, 2009).
Contributions of APA to professional knowledge and abilities
Professional in all fields requires a certain level of knowledge, skills and values in order to gain the ability to perform their duties or jobs to the perfection. The APA through its mission and vision helps to promote research within the psychology field, as well improving research techniques and standards. Research is a core requirement in any profession, and through it APA, contributes much in developing professionalism in knowledge and abilities of psychologist. The association’s involvement in instilling high standards of ethics and conducts (professional) among its members contributes much in enhancing psychologists’ abilities in undertaking their professional jobs (Anderson, 2009).
APA organization ensures that all member psychologists are fully qualified and are able to undertake activities professionally as prescribed by the psychology profession.
The association goes further to make sure that the standards are well maintained. Members’ knowledge and abilities are further enhanced by regularly updating their psychological knowledge by means of meetings, reports, publications among others (Anderson, 2009). Other professions should therefore follow in the footsteps of the APA by ensuring that students provided with the relevant opportunities to develop their knowledge and abilities in regard to the professional requirements in the field.
Impact of knowledge and abilities on career success
A successful career is one which helps individuals attain the overall goal in a certain field of professionalism. Having the necessary knowledge and abilities in a certain profession highly influences people’s values and attitudes towards the profession, hence influencing the success of their careers. For instance, students’ ability and knowledge will be developed greatly through research, a factor which impacts heavily on shaping one attitude in a certain profession, which dictates the success of the individual’s career. Having acquired the necessary and relevant skills, knowledge and abilities, an individual becomes keener and a critical thinker while executing duties as per the requirements of the profession (Carter, Bishop & Kravits, 2007).
Through studying, students acquire knowledge and abilities which helps in enhancing active thinking capabilities among students, with a long-term effect of success on student’s career (Carter, Bishop & Kravits, 2007). These abilities and knowledge triggers individual’s perfection in job performance; hence the set objectives and goals are perfectly achieved translating to a successful career. Deficiency in knowledge and abilities can lead to unsuccessful career, as the practitioner will find it difficult to achieve or attain the required goals in the profession (Carter et al, 2007).
References
Anderson, B, N. (2009). About APA. Web.
Carter, C., Bishop, J., & Kravits, S. (2007). Keys to college studying: Becoming an active thinker (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.