4 Reasons to Consider Continuing Education
With the economy the way it is and many qualified people out of work, the number of people who have chosen to go back to school has increased considerably. Many people figure that as long as they aren’t working they might as well be furthering their educations. Often, continuing education is a path to advancement in a current career or to beginning a new career entirely. Many people wonder if continuing education is worth the time or money that is required to complete a degree. If you are debating whether or not to continue your education, here are several cases in which it would be worthwhile.
Continuing education can help you to advance in your job or career field. Many professions, such as education, expect their practitioners to attain degrees past a Bachelor’s. In many cases earning advanced degrees helps you to move up the pay scale and earn more money. Depending on your field, your employer may be willing to pay for part or all of your education provided that you meet certain criteria. In general, pursuing education can be an excellent choice for people who want to move up in their career fields or jobs.
In addition to helping you to advance in your career, continuing education can help you to keep your skills current and up to date. In many engineering and technology-based fields, knowledge and skills advance rapidly. Continuing your education in these fields will help to keep your skills on par with what more recent graduates are learning. Many employers find it particularly helpful to keep more experienced workers around provided that they keep their skills up to date.
Besides helping you in your current career, education can be the jump start for finding a new job or career field. Many people are using unemployment as an opportunity to go back to school and pursue an entirely different field. These people may be following a passion that they have always had but never been able to pursue. Continuing education is giving them a second start in the job field by helping them to prepare for a different job or career from the one that they were in.
Lastly, continuing education can be very helpful for people who are simply trying to learn a new skill. Many community colleges offer relatively inexpensive classes that are open to the public. These classes can teach any skill from photography to basic auto maintenance. Taking these types of continuing education classes to learn a new skill can help you to keep your mind sharp and active even if you are not necessarily pursuing an advanced degree or looking for a career change.
Overall, there are many different reasons that people pursue continuing education. Whether they are trying to advance in their current careers, start new careers altogether, or simply learn a new skill, continuing education is an excellent way for people to to make sure that they are constantly learning and growing. The benefits of continuing education extend beyond the workplace and will carry through the rest of your life.