7 non-conference staff development opportunities for VPEMs on a budget
Every admissions conference season, I love seeing the photos from regional ACAC conferences. The group photos, badges, and packed sessions are a reminder of how much enrollment professionals give to this work and to one another.
These opportunities matter. Having served on two regional ACAC boards, I am especially appreciative of the conference committees who volunteer their time and energy to support the profession. Conferences create space for colleagues to reconnect, share ideas, and return to campus with fresh perspective.
They also raise an important question for VPs of enrollment management: how do we support our teams’ professional development when budgets are lean? Conference attendance is valuable, but it should not be our only definition of staff development. For many enrollment teams, travel budgets are limited, staffing is tight, and only a few people can attend any given event. That makes it even more important to find other ways to build learning into the work itself.
Here are seven cost-effective staff development opportunities (beyond conferences) that VPEMs can use to support their team’s growth.
1. Start a monthly “coffee and conversation”
A recurring “coffee and conversation” can give staff a low-pressure way to step back from day-to-day work and engage with a timely topic. Ground the conversation in a research briefing, article, or trend affecting enrollment strategy (hint: we share these often via EAB Briefing! Subscribe to our daily or weekly edition here). The format can be simple, so long as you create a regular rhythm for shared learning.
2. Ask each team member to bring one takeaway
Invite staff to share one insight from a source they already follow, like Today’s News from NASFAA or National Student Clearinghouse research. This gives the whole team exposure to new ideas without requiring anyone to prepare a formal presentation. It also helps staff build the habit of scanning for what matters most.
3. Create a shared space for articles, podcasts, and insights
A shared Teams or Slack channel can make learning more visible across the team. Encourage staff to post useful reads, podcast episodes, webinars, or blog posts they think colleagues would benefit from. Over time, this creates an easy way to surface patterns, spark discussion, and keep professional development part of the team culture.
4. Rotate topic leads
Professional development becomes more meaningful when staff have ownership over what they explore. Rotating topic leads gives team members the chance to go deeper on issues tied to their role and share what they learn with colleagues. One person might focus on financial aid policy updates, while another tracks communication trends, or parent engagement.
5. Build a shared calendar of free webinars
Many professional organizations and partners already offer free webinars and virtual learning opportunities, like these by EAB. Encourage a “watch and report back” approach. Building a shared calendar helps staff find sessions that match their interests and responsibilities without adding cost. It also signals that ongoing learning matters, even when conference travel is not possible. When one team member attends a webinar or virtual session, ask them to report back with two or three takeaways during a staff meeting.
6. Lean on partners for targeted training
Take advantage of your partnerships, especially the opportunities available from your friends at EAB! Ask for yield training, a communication workshop, or targeted sessions aligned to your team’s needs.
7. Look for development opportunities on campus
Some of the best staff development opportunities are already happening close to home. Encourage team members to shadow colleagues in other offices, take part in informal knowledge-sharing, or attend campus events like lectures, poster sessions, performances, or competitions. These experiences can deepen staff understanding of the institution and give them richer context for conversations with students and families.
What makes these approaches work is their accessibility. They are readily available, relevant to individual roles, and easier to build into team routines than a once-a-year conference trip. They also help create a broader culture of learning, one where development is not reserved for a few travelers but shared across the team.
That matters for more than staff morale. It matters for retention, adaptability, and team effectiveness. Enrollment leaders are asking staff to respond to changing student behavior, evolving policies, and constant pressure on time and resources. In that environment, professional development is not an extra. It is part of how teams stay informed, engaged, and ready to adapt.
Conference season is still worth celebrating. But for VPEMs on a budget, the bigger opportunity is to make sure staff development does not begin and end with conference travel.
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