Theory to practice

Abstract

In technical communication, discussions on how to best prepare graduates to meet workplace challenges range from responding to changing technology and occupational needs to focusing on creating flexible workers. Part of this conversation centers on expertise: what kinds of expertise are most valued and how can graduates be trained to be experts? In this article, we explore our field's understandings of expertise by focusing on a recent master's graduate and practitioner, Megan. As first an intern then a full-time employee at HP Inc, Megan experienced clashes between the classroom and workplace, which she sought to reconcile. In addition, she also had to learn to assert herself as a subject matter expert (SME) while working alongside SMEs. This navigation was not something her education necessarily prepared her for, and when compared to surveyed graduates' experiences, may be something programs could emphasize. We conclude with recommendations for how academic programs can incorporate conversations about expertise and equip students to assert themselves as communication SMEs and build on that expertise after graduation.

Preparing Future Technical Editors for an Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Workplace

“…Prior to the emergence of generative AI, scholars noted the challenges in explaining what editors do because the terminology we may use in the classroom does not always make sense to employers or subject-matter experts in industry (Eaton, 2023). As I have argued (Mallette & Gehrke, 2018), students need to practice communicating their expertise in the classroom because they will be required to do so in the workplace. In defining expertise, Schriver (2012) helpfully distinguished between experience and expertise, with the latter being characterized by experts' willingness to engage in further learning and add emerging technologies to their toolkit.…”

Peer-Led Professional Development: How One Technical Communication Team Learns on the Job

“…They must also make critical adjustments. For instance, Mallette and Gehrke (2018) found that articulating expertise, arguing for time and resources, and responding to confrontations with expertise were among the most difficult challenges for new employees. Other research found that students entering the workplace have knowledge gaps in business operations, problem-solving in industry, and project management (Stanton, 2017; Whiteside, 2003; Wilson & Ford, 2003).…”