The timeline for an employee’s professional development plan depends on their goals. For example, a new lawyer who wants to become a Supreme Court judge may have a more extensive professional development plan than someone who wants to be a sales manager.
Their plan can aim as far into the future as they would like. However, if their plan aims very far into the future, they should have small goals along the way to help them stay on track. While it’s good to think about where they want to be in 20 years, they should also plan steps for the next several years.