What you do with your finances is a very personal choice; however, professional associations offer a multitude of benefits including the opportunity to make connections with others in your profession, attend conferences and other professional development opportunities, and volunteer to gain relevant experience.  

If you are a current learner, check to see if a student membership rate is available as that could reduce your cost. If not, you could ask a board member if you could attend a meeting or two prior to making the membership fee investment.

To find out more about the benefits of professional associations, check out the Industry Information and Professional Associations page.