Meaning & use
professionalization
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountable
The process of making an activity, job, or organization more professional in standards, training, or status.
Grammar: Uncountable, so it is not used with 'a' or in the plural; say 'the professionalization of teaching', not 'a professionalization'.
Patterns
- the professionalization of something
- professionalization in something
The professionalization of nursing led to better training and higher pay.
Critics worry that the professionalization of politics keeps ordinary people out.
The report examines professionalization in sports coaching over the last twenty years.
Common combinations
- the professionalization of teaching
- The professionalization of teaching raised entry requirements for new teachers.
- rapid professionalization
- Rapid professionalization changed how the industry hired and trained staff.
- drive professionalization
- New laws helped drive professionalization in financial advice.
- professionalization process
- The professionalization process took several decades to complete.
Synonyms and how they differ
- specialization
- Focuses on becoming an expert in a narrow area, while professionalization is about meeting the standards and status of a profession as a whole.
- formalization
- Emphasizes making rules and procedures official, whereas professionalization also includes training, qualifications, and public recognition.
Opposites
Word family
- professional adjective
- Relating to a job that needs special training, or showing high standards.
- professionalize verb
- To make an activity or organization more professional.
- professionalism noun
- The conduct, skill, or qualities expected of a trained professional.
- professionally adverb
- In a way that shows the standards of a trained professional.
Commonly confused: professionalization or professionalism?
professionalization vs professionalism
Professionalism is the quality of behaving like a professional; professionalization is the process of becoming more professional.
Practice
The ___ of medicine took many years, as doctors fought for proper training and licensing.
Choose one answer.
The sentence describes a process over time, so the noun 'professionalization' fits. 'Professionalism' is the quality of behaving professionally, not the process, and 'professionally' is an adverb that cannot be the subject.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “professionalization”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.