The transformative value of professional development. Research into consultants’ perspectives regarding training and consultancy

This study is based on an analysis of a professional development programme proposed by a training centre in the North of Italy. Twenty-four trainers and/or consultants were involved in a 24-hour training programme in an outdoor setting based on methods and techniques inspired by Experiential Learning. This research connects the literature on and practice of Organizational Development in the field of training and consultancy with the Transformative Learning theory. Within this framework, 14 participants were interviewed to collect qualitative data on their training/consultancy perspectives in order to develop and administer a Training Perspectives Questionnaire to a wider sample, according to a mixed methods approach. This paper presents the results of the first qualitative part.