Benefits of Continuing Education for Everyone
Continuing Education is a very trendy expression in our modern society, where high value is placed on formal certification. In North America, there are mainly two types of Continuing Education, which are the one for professionals and the general kind.
Professional Continuing Education is a specific learning activity generally characterized by the issuance of a certificate for the purpose of documenting attendance at a designated seminar or course of instruction. Licensing bodies in a number of fields impose Continuing Education requirements on members who hold licenses to practice within a particular profession. These requirements are intended to encourage professionals to expand their foundations of knowledge and stay up-to-date on new developments.
General Continuing Education is similar to adult education, at least in being intended for adult learners, especially those beyond traditional undergraduate, college or university age. However, it is not normally considered to include basic instruction. Instead, it is assumed that the student already has a college education and is simply continuing it.
In this article, we will focus on General Continuing Education, and how it can be beneficial in many ways to people from all generations, be it «C», «Y», «X», «Baby Boomers», and beyond, as well as from all professional fields.
General Continuing Education is everywhere. It is dispensed in traditional institutions, such as University of Montreal, HEC, Concordia University, JMSB, McGill University, Dawson College, John Abbott College, Vanier College, and Herzing Institute. And it is also dispensed in a very large number of specialized schools and training programs, in such varied fields as natural medicines, business, martial arts, IT, personal development, languages, cooking, music, and animal care, just to name very few.
«Demand for continuing education for adults aged 35 or older should grow by 7 percent until 2016.»
– U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics
Contrary to popular belief, people enroll in Continuing Education programs in higher numbers during recessions. Economic conditions constitute the foremost reason motivating demand for Continuing Education, because many employees need to improve skills to remain hired or find new job / business opportunities.
Many people feel trapped, insecure, under-motivated, under-appreciated, under-paid, under-promoted, over-worked, bored, lacking challenge, stressed, or just plain fed-up with their current occupation. If any of this sounds familiar to you, there are still opportunities to make a professional transition and pursue the career you’ve always wanted.
To reorient your professional path, you might have to obtain more education or training. Whether you are simply passionate about learning or seek increased revenue, Continuing Education can be acquired at anytime in life and open new doors previously inaccessible.
Maybe you feel hesitant to «go back to school» since you have a full-time job or formal education program, family obligations, or other constraints on your time and energy. There are simple solutions to this; online programs and evening trainings.
The most important aspects to consider in choosing a training program in your field of interest are the schedule, the length of the program, the time-commitment, and above all the time-frame in which your financial investment will yield concrete profitable results.
But the benefits of Continuing Education are well worth the investment at all levels:
- Create your own first professional experience by launching a business
- Develop new skills and knowledge necessary for a career reorientation
- Enhance self-image
- Have positive effects on many other aspects of your life
- Have something professionally motivating to do during your maternity leave
- Find something you are passionate about that will yield revenues for retirement
- Give a positive example to your children
- Give yourself a second stream of income
- Give yourself the opportunity to own your own business instead of seeking employment
- Improve promotion opportunities
- Improve your image in family and social settings
- Increase your marketability in the job market
- Learn about subjects of personal interest
- Qualify for higher wages
- Qualify for management or administration positions
- Start fresh with a new career path when immigrating to a foreign country
You can «go back to school» at any age, and improve your overall quality of life. Take advantage of the opportunities provided by the multitudes of Continuing Education trainings and allow yourself to achieve your dreams.
I invite you to visit this page of our website to find out more about the three components of Phoenix Alliance’s 12-week hands-on Business Training, leading to a profitable business in 3 months.
For more in depth and detailed information, Phoenix Alliance offers a FREE specialized «How to improve your financial compensation through Continuing Education» seminar to its registered members.
Interesting outside link: « Continuing Education, Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd Edition »
