“There’s Gold In The Groups”: How Adult Education Professionals Can Unlock The Power Of LinkedIn

By Samantha Smith

When I joined LinkedIn years ago, I thought it was simply an online résumé, a place to update my job title, to occasionally congratulate someone on a promotion, and a place where people could “humble brag” about their accomplishments.

I was wrong.

Today, LinkedIn has become one of the most valuable professional development tools I use as an adult education leader. It has connected me with practitioners across the country and around the world, introduced me to innovative ideas, helped me discover funding opportunities, provided free professional learning, and expanded my understanding of what’s possible for adult learners. It has also helped me to rethink and reimagine my role in adult education.

As a homegrown Georgia peach now embracing Hoosier life in Indiana (year 3 y’all), I’m also using LinkedIn to rebuild my community and expand my professional network. It’s allowing me to learn my new landscape, connect with workforce and education leaders, and quickly become part of conversations that are shaping our field.

If you’re an adult education administrator, instructor, transition specialist, career pathways navigator, data specialist, support staff member or even an adult learner, you should be using LinkedIn as more than a social media platform. You should be using it as a professional growth strategy.

Start by Building Your Professional Presence

You don’t have to be looking for a new job to benefit from LinkedIn.

A complete profile tells your professional story. It can highlight your passion for adult education, your skills, your accomplishments, and the impact you make every day. Every class you teach, every student you encourage, every partnership you build contributes to a larger movement that deserves to be seen.

Your profile becomes your digital introduction before you ever walk into a conference, attend a meeting, or apply for an opportunity.

Make LinkedIn Work for You

One of the best things about LinkedIn is that your experience becomes more personalized the more you use it.

Think of LinkedIn as your professional newspaper. Follow topics that interest you. Connect with people whose work inspires you. Engage with posts that spark ideas. Join conversations. Celebrate the successes of others. Before long, your feed will begin reflecting the people, organizations, industries, and ideas that matter most to you.

Don’t be afraid to be intentional. Don’t be afraid to engage. If you’re passionate about adult education, workforce development, digital literacy, career pathways, re-entry, English language learning, apprenticeships, project management, artificial intelligence, or leadership, seek out those communities. Your LinkedIn experience should support both your professional and personal goals and feed your curiosity.

The more intentional you are, the more valuable the platform becomes.

There’s Gold in the Groups

One of LinkedIn’s most underused features is Groups.  This is where the real conversations happen.

Groups allow you to connect with educators, workforce professionals, nonprofit leaders, literacy advocates, employers, grant professionals, instructional designers, and career coaches who willingly share ideas, resources, templates, challenges, and successes.

I’ve discovered webinars, curriculum resources, grant opportunities, research reports, and innovative program models simply because someone shared them in a LinkedIn Group.

Sometimes the answer to a problem you’re trying to solve has already been posted by someone halfway across the country or halfway around the world.

There’s gold in the Groups, you just have to start digging.

Learn Without Spending Your Professional Development Budget

Professional development doesn’t always require travel or expensive conference registration.

LinkedIn offers an incredible collection of learning opportunities through LinkedIn Learning, and many public libraries, employers, colleges, and organizations provide free access.

Whether you want to improve your leadership skills, strengthen your project management knowledge, become more proficient in Microsoft Excel, learn artificial intelligence tools, improve public speaking, or explore instructional technology, chances are there’s a course available.

Continuous learning is one of the greatest investments we can make in ourselves and ultimately model for our students.

“Feed Your Feed” and Follow Organizations That Inspire You

Adult education is constantly evolving. We should be too.

Follow state associations, national organizations, workforce agencies, community colleges, foundations, employers, and education nonprofits. Their posts often include research, policy updates, grant announcements, success stories, and innovative practices.

You’ll begin to notice trends before they become common practice.

More importantly, you’ll discover ideas you can adapt to serve learners in your own community.

Learn From Adult Education Around the World

One of my favorite things about LinkedIn is the global perspective it offers.  Adult education isn’t just happening in Georgia, Indiana or the United States.

Programs across Canada, Australia, Europe, Africa, and Asia are addressing literacy, workforce preparation, digital skills, English language learning, and career advancement in creative ways.

While every community is different, innovation has no ZIP code.

Some of the best ideas come from simply asking, “How are they solving this challenge?”

Tell Your Story

One of the unexpected joys I’ve found on LinkedIn has been sharing my own professional journey.

Through my “Samantha ‘Round Tha Region” series, I’ve been able to highlight the incredible people, partnerships, conferences, employers, educators, and workforce initiatives happening across Northwest Indiana and beyond. What started as a way to document my experiences has become a way to celebrate our field, amplify great work, and introduce others to organizations they may never have discovered otherwise.

You don’t have to be an influencer to make an impact. Share what you’re learning from a conference. Spotlight a successful classroom activity. Celebrate a student’s achievement. Recognize a community partner. Reflect on a lesson learned.

Your story may be exactly what someone else needs to read today.

Students Belong on LinkedIn Too

Many people assume LinkedIn is only for professionals.

I disagree.

Our students deserve to learn how to build a professional online presence before they graduate from our programs.  Whether they’re earning a high school equivalency diploma, learning English, entering college, or preparing for employment, LinkedIn can help them:

• Build a professional network.
• Showcase certificates and credentials.
• Highlight volunteer experiences and transferable skills.
• Connect with employers.
• Explore career pathways.
• Research industries and companies.
• Discover learning opportunities.
• Learn how to positively position themselves online.

Teaching students how to leverage LinkedIn is another form of digital literacy and one that can pay dividends throughout their careers.

Share the Great Work You’re Already Doing

Adult education professionals are humble by nature. We celebrate our students far more than ourselves.

But our work deserves visibility.

Share photos from graduation ceremonies (with permission). Celebrate student success stories. Highlight employer partnerships. Recognize staff accomplishments. Promote community events. Showcase innovative instructional strategies.

Every post helps educate the public about the life-changing impact of adult education.

Collectively, our voices strengthen advocacy for our programs.

Final Thoughts

One lesson I’ve carried from Georgia to Indiana is that relationships create opportunities. LinkedIn helps those relationships travel farther than geography ever could.

Whether you’re new to adult education or have dedicated decades to serving learners, I encourage you to log in with fresh eyes.

Personalize your experience.

Build your network.

Position yourself as a thought-leader.

Join the conversations.

Ask questions.

Share ideas.

Celebrate others.

Keep learning.

Because somewhere in your next connection may be your next partnership, your next grant opportunity, your next innovative idea, or the inspiration that changes the trajectory of a student’s life.

 

About the Author

Samantha Smith is the Director of Adult Literacy & Training Centers at the Center of Workforce Innovations in Northwest Indiana. With more than 20 years of experience in adult education, workforce development, and public sector leadership, she builds systems that expand educational access, strengthen workforce pathways, and create economic mobility for adult learners. Through her “Samantha ‘Round Tha Region” LinkedIn series, she spotlights innovative education, workforce, and community initiatives while connecting professionals across sectors.