Exploring Careers

Continuing Education Links

Just because you have a job doesn't mean that your career education is over. To be valuable in your position, promotable in the eyes of your supervisor, and available for opportunities with other employers, it's up to you to continue to upgrade your skills and knowledge. Education is necessary to simply keep up with the evolution of the workplace.

Factors in the New Workplace
Many factors contribute to a constantly changing workplace, including the following:

  • Technology - Advances in technology change the way work is done, from inventory and record keeping to research, sales, and marketing. Even the smallest businesses rely on computers, and the Internet has allowed small companies to have the same reach as large companies. As technology advances, a business must remain competitive.
  • Diversity - Workplaces change with the shifts in ethnic, cultural, age-related, and gender-related markets and populations, and workers need to adjust positively to these transformations. Individuals must learn how to thrive within a diverse workforce, cooperating with others and learning form their different backgrounds.
  • Globalization - Advances in transportation, improved technology, such as the Internet, and other factors have resulted in an increasingly global job market with new opportunities and challenges. Businesses are finding themselves face-to-face with different partners, customers, and competitors. To succeed, a business must understand its new role as well as its market in new countries and cultures.

Continuing Education Strategies
How does one keep up with so much change? There are several strategies to use, from everyday activities to annual events. Consider the following resources:

  • Communication and Networking - At the very least, talk to your coworkers. Compare how you perform your duties, what you've learned, and where you want to go with your job. Colleagues in your position are probably experiencing similar transitions and challenges, and you can learn and gain from each other's experiences.
  • Classes - If you work for a larger company, your employer may allow for time and compensation for your classes. Trade schools, colleges, community colleges, and university extensions on all levels offer classes for professionals who want to stay current with business trends. This is also an excellent way to network with your peers. If you don't have time to attend classes, consider books on tape or the growing variety of online distance learning opportunities.
  • Trade Shows and Journals - Most trades have conferences that address the major issues and latest trends in business. Notable speakers provide motivational speeches. Seminars are given on particular subjects. Convention booths may also provide ways for you to investigate specific businesses.

As the 21st century progresses, the workplace will continue to change, and employees will need to adjust. To survive and to thrive with success, remain curious, take initiative to learn, and grow.

Visit these Web sites for more information on continuing education:
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE
http://adulted.about.com
http://www.advanced-career-education-directory.com

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