Wednesday, July 20, 2011

How To Toolbox

How to choose a program for continuing education

Is now the time to go back to school?

“The time is now because there are so few jobs out there,” said Robert Hansen, CEO and executive director of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association. “Once the economy is robust, the incentive to go back is not so strong.”

Younger workers, especially those without children, should also consider enriching their skills, said Hansen.

“Always, the earlier the better,” he said. “It gives you a longer time frame to realize the value of your investment.”

Top Tips for Continuing Education

• Analyze your career situation. Ask yourself why you want to go back to school. Is it for personal enlightenment or professional gain? Do you need to learn academic theory, or more practical skills?

• Explore non-traditional education options. Lessons can be taken in a classroom, online, or in “blended” fashion — some combination of the two.

• Develop flexible skills. Adult workers should enhance their education in new skill areas to stay in demand.

For Jay Halfond, the dean of Boston University’s Metropolitan College, and Gregg Mazzola, director of marketing and communications at Southern New Hampshire University, the homework should start long before a student sits down in a classroom. Knowing what kind of program a school offers from the people involved — current students and faculty — can be really helpful. They share some tips below:

• Talk to people already in the program of study that you are interested in. By talking to current students, potential students can get a feel for the quality and style of the program that course catalogs may not reveal.

• Speak directly with faculty in the program, and audit a course. Talking to faculty directly is important. They can listen to your needs and help you determine what courses you should pursue and if the school’s program is a good fit. To really get a feel for a program, students should consider sitting in on a course. In interactively taught courses, students can discover the quality of fellow students and the style of learning. For students hesitant to commit to a complete program, auditing a course is a way to get a feel for the program and the school.

• Check out your employer’s tuition reimbursement programs. Employees often make the mistake of not taking advantage of reimbursement programs.

• Don’t assume that taking courses will result in a promotion. Also, don’t take on too much of a workload. The results for both errors can be disappointment and failure.

• Look to your local economic development agency for help in choosing the right continuing education program.

• Check what local community colleges offer; in general, community colleges have become more receptive to the needs of the business community.

• If your field requires formal relicensing or training, make sure the program or school is accredited by a legitimate body such as the International Association for Continuing Education and Training.

The website TheSavvyStudent.com offers tips about continuing education during a tough economy, and agrees with Hansen’s point about skill sets.

• Employers like extra skills, so if you can afford to, staying in school will be advantageous in the long run.

• Consider advanced degrees: If the job market is bad for degrees in your area, consider staying in school even longer to work on a masters degree or use technical classes within your college to gain additional experience.