Time for a Career Change: How You Can Benefit From Furthering Your Education
Determining your future career path can be daunting. It may feel as though your decision is the be-all-end-all, however, the wonderful thing about electing to educate yourself beyond high school or college is choosing a specialist course does not restrict opportunities as often thought - it actually opens up more.
If you are still unsure whether it pays to stay in school, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that as a person’s educational attainment rises - from a high school diploma right up to a doctoral degree - their unemployment rate decreases and earnings increase. Pretty neat right?
There are many other benefits to furthering your education, no matter what stage of life or how deep into your current career you may be. Read on to discover what the benefits are and how you can make the most out of enhancing your education.
Increased job opportunity
Expanding your education can lead to an increased number of job opportunities. Businesses are eager to hire employees with higher education levels as they are generally more qualified, have greater knowledge, and are more likely to hit the ground running than those who do not.
Further education can also help you get a job you are interested in, which will pay well. If you are already in the field you want, completing further qualifications can upskill you and help line you up for promotion. For example, if you are in the educational sector, online Ed.D programs can be completed as you continue to work, simultaneously allowing you to work and set yourself up to advance your career. This type of flexibility allows you to fit further education into your busy, existing lifestyle, and there are many more options available for those ready to study.
Higher earning potential
In most cases, those with higher education status will generally have a higher income. The National Centre for Education Statistics shows the average income for every level of education attainment:
- Less than high school completion: $35,500
- High school completion: $41,800
- Some college, no degree: $45,200
- Associate’s degree: $49,500
- Bachelor’s degree: $66,600
- Master’s or higher degree: $80,200
If your goal is to increase your earnings, furthering your education is a great way to attain this.
Improved skillset
Further education will provide you not just with a specific set of skills relevant to the field you are studying, but also a broader skillset including critical thinking, communication, and transferrable skills that can be used across multiple jobs such as problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability.
The moment you begin furthering your education, these skills will develop which will prove beneficial across both your professional and personal life. Critical thinking is relevant in the workplace as well as when solving how to manage unruly children. Good communication is vital when talking with coworkers, as well as when engaging with services you need at home such as a broker, tradesman, or a school administrator, while problem-solving, teamwork, and adaptability are also used daily.
Further study will increase your skillset across the board. Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash.
Better learning
Did you know you need to learn how to learn? Knowing the most effective strategies that work for you to acquire new ideas, concepts, and skills is vital to gaining the information you need, and taking on further learning can help you hone in on these skills.
Some of the key ways you can learn how to learn include:
- Connecting new information with the knowledge you already possess.
- Find ways to boost your memory - for example, create a song or rhyme.
- Use a variety of learning techniques such as active learning, deep learning, experiential learning, interleaving, keyword mnemonic, spaced learning, or retrieval practice.
- Practice teaching the knowledge to someone else.
- Look for opportunities to learn via hands-on experiences.
- Study a little bit every day and test yourself.
- Focus on one thing at a time.
Greater networking opportunities
When starting to further your education you will immediately be surrounded by other like-minded people who will potentially be working in the same industry. This is the ultimate networking opportunity that can help you make connections to benefit both your personal and professional life.
In many cases, professors and other educators are already in the field you may be interested in, and may be able to assist you in getting a foot in the door. Classmates may also already be working in the industry, or will be in the near future - you should never underestimate the importance of connections in the professional world.
Increased confidence
By increasing your knowledge in a particular field, you are likely to gain increased confidence. If you are more confident in your knowledge and abilities, there is a greater likelihood you will be willing to take on new, more exciting, or difficult challenges that could further your career.
You may also find yourself with more confidence while applying for jobs or during the interview process. This can help you achieve better outcomes and more job offers, broadening your choices when entering the workforce.
Do something you love
In today’s modern society where many of us have degrees, a university education may not be enough to have you stand out from the crowd. If you want the chance to work in a field you truly love, furthering your education can be the answer to get you there.
While studying, you can learn what interests you, where your skills are best suited, and what you need to do to get where you want to go. Every essay or test expands your knowledge, and every grading or critical review of your work will become a valuable lesson.
Furthering your education will provide an array of benefits to you both professionally and personally. Whether you are looking to increase your remuneration, change your career path, or kick-start a career in a field you love, further education can help you get the knowledge you need, hone your skillset, and help you stand out from the crowd to secure your dreams.