Helping engineers help themselves: Although largely an individual responsibility, professional development affects a company's ability to retain top-notch professionals

In the computer department of a public utility in the western United States, programmers were hired to work on three projects involving systems design and development. Although each project required specialized training, many of the programmers' skills were transferable across projects. When several of the employees expressed an interest in transferring to other projects to broaden their experience, the supervisors refused. The result? Morale dropped, and turnover among the programmers increased dramatically as they left to go elsewhere and expand their careers.