A few decades ago, education was limited to traditional classroom environments. With the rise of advanced technologies, concepts of education have changed. E-learning removes geographical boundaries, providing greater flexibility, connectivity, and career advancement opportunities. Online learning is projected to grow in the next few years, growing up to $325 billion by 2025.
Here is how to leverage online education to enhance your career.
1. Providing Greater Flexibility
In the past, people needed to quit their job to get back to school. Their hectic work schedules did not allow them to attend all-day courses. In traditional classroom environments, class meeting times are strictly defined. Students cannot customize them, meaning they need to work their schedules around these dates and times.
Online education lets you adapt classes to your busy schedule and balance your private and professional life. Online classes are delivered via cloud-based learning platforms and applications. That way, you can learn from multiple locations, whenever you want.
2. Increasing Networking Opportunities
Networking is critical for career growth. Online courses make you more noticeable and put you in front of your potential coworkers, employers, or clients. Most online courses allow participants to communicate in real-time via email, chat, audio, or video calls. Augmented reality and artificial intelligence enhance students’ collaboration and relationships, regardless of their location.
By building relationships with professionals in your industry, you will be able to find out faster about the hottest professional opportunities. Above all, you may gain valuable endorsements that can help you find your dream job.
3. Applying New Skills to your Current Job
Online courses are all about practical knowledge. Say you are a healthcare professional wanting to learn to provide assistance in cardiovascular emergencies. Once you enroll in an ACLS online course and get the right certification, you can start applying your new skills in your medical career. Or as an alternative, you can get Pergion Method certified by BEM.
4. Opening Up Leadership Positions
To grow your career and take on more responsibility at work, you need additional qualifications to prove your expertise. Fortunately, you do not have to quit your job to get a university-level degree anymore. Instead, you can choose a reliable online course that meets the requirements of your organization. Most importantly, you can enroll in employee management and project management courses to prepare for a leadership role.
The good news is that many companies are starting to recognize the significance of employee education. They often use employee education and career improvement to boost employee performance.
5. Boosting your Job Search
Every relevant course you take is a powerful addition to your resume. It proves you are committed to learning and diversifying your skills. Apart from improving technical skills related to your industry, you can also work on improving your soft skills, such as peer mediation or communication, which also play a fundamental role in the hiring process.
6. Accessibility
Studies show that the average total price for a four-year degree is approximately $122,000. The lack of affordability of university-level courses leads to massive college dropouts. The same report found that only 39% of students finish college in four years.
That is where, again, online education helps. It minimizes the expenses associated with traditional education models, such as commute and accommodation. The study materials, such as PDF files, eBooks, and PowerPoint presentations, are online and eliminate the need for purchasing pricey coursebooks.
How to Choose the Right Online Education to Boost your Career?
There are several factors to consider when choosing an online education program. Here are some of them:
- Accreditation: Check whether the institution you are exploring is accredited. If it is not, that may mean that your degree does not meet academic requirements.
- The structure of the course: The curriculum should be organized strategically to adapt to learners’ needs and actively involve them in the learning process.
- Means and methods of communication: Effective communication is the nerve center of any online course. As mentioned above, there are usually two types of classes – synchronous and asynchronous. While the first type requires students and tutors to participate simultaneously, the latter lets learners choose the time convenient for them to learn.
- Support: One of the major challenges of online education is the lack of face-to-face contact. Therefore, ask how students can get assistance from their instructors. Choose courses that offer multi-channel support via email, chat rooms, online support, dedicated forums, online groups, etc.
Over to You
With the rise of video conferencing tools, real-time communication software, and online learning platforms, online education is growing. E-learning benefits your professional career in multiple ways, from letting you balance your private and professional life to helping you develop your career faster. You just need to choose a reliable and accredited course that meets your needs and adapts to your learning pace.
How do you use online education to boost your career?
Eve Anderson is a marketing specialist turned blogger who is interested in sports and exciting travel destinations. She loves to share content that informs people