The purpose of professional development is to create an outstanding learning environment that increases the development, growth, and success of each person involved.
Professional development often refers to verbal and tactile skills required for maintaining a specific career path or to general skills offered through continuing education, including the more general skills area of personal development. It can be seen as training to keep current with changing technology and practices in a profession or in the concept of lifelong learning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_development
