Since the financial crash of 2008, various factors have impacted significantly on the early career phases of professionals: changes in client expectations, new technologies enabling greater automation of more commoditised tasks, and changes to the overall business models of firms.
Prior to these fundamental changes, career paths in professional firms typically progressed in a linear format, from trainee/consultant to partner, via a series of transitions, usually within the same firm.
The external influences described above, together with increasing demands for more flexible career paths from new entrants, are disrupting that linear progression. The old-style career ladder is being converted to something akin to a jungle gym or a 'career lattice.'
In this paper, we examine the drivers of change affecting early career pathways and present case studies on how professional firms can best equip, and retain, their talent through strategic learning and development.