The importance of continuing education is one of the main points to consider if you want to build a better career. It is true that the number of graduates has increased, and this raises the fear that the market may already be saturated, so those who undertake graduate continuing education put themselves ahead of the pack.
Sure, it is possible to find some examples of well-known people who do not have a college degree and did well in their careers. But this is an exception, not the rule. In some areas, academic training may not be the main requirement, but a professional with a higher continuing education certainly has a strong competitive edge. That is why in the post-covid economy, there has been an increase of people seeking further continuing education, helped by the ease of studying via online or hybrid courses, and also the ease of applying online for graduate student loans.
Even if you think your current career is rock solid, don’t forget that every year there is another wave of young, switched-on people hitting the professional market, and they are keen to advance their own careers — and very competitive about it!
Advantages of continuing education
- be more valued by companies;
- find a higher rate of employability;
- access to better salary levels;
- have a better curriculum vitae that allows more professional opportunities.
So, you can see that the importance of continuing education for professional life is unquestionable. In addition, there are more perks of continuing education beyond the career. Your personal evolution will also be noticed throughout your professional journey.
Importance of continuing education
Do you still have doubts about how important continuing educationis for your development? So, read below the list of the main bonuses that continuing education brings to your professional success.
Better salary
Research shows that 60% of workers survive on a monthly income of less than the minimum wage. If we consider the basic expenses, this amount is well below the necessary.
This shows how the possibilities of having better salaries after continuing education increase. And the employability rate also increases. The professional who has an undergraduate degree has more opportunities to get a place in the market, and graduates who undertake continuing education get an even better chance.
On the other hand, those candidates who have only completed basic education have a much greater risk of increasing the number of unemployed. For example, if you dropped out of school in your last year of elementary school, it will be even harder to find a job with a good salary. In practice, this means that those who invest in a higher or continuing education course know that this is the best way to obtain good personal and professional returns.
Differentiation in the job market
The focus on continuing education can also guarantee a differential in the search for a placement in the market. And that’s as much for academic knowledge as for the weight of the degree on your resume. As far as specific knowledge is concerned, we can use the following example.
In a competition for a vacancy as an administrative accountant, the candidate with a high school education can present experience in the area and participate in the selection process. But the candidate who has a degree and who is studying a continuing education degree will have a theoretical and technical basis much more valued by recruiters.
It is also important to remember that developing extracurricular activities during continuing education further enrich the curriculum and expand your knowledge base. So, be sure to take advantage of growth opportunities and participate in as many projects as you can.
Another point that can guarantee even more credibility to your professional profile is the reputation of the chosen educational institution. This is because the concept of college is important for the appreciation of the higher degree, and helps to convey the initial information that you are well prepared to practice your profession.
Experience
If you’ve come this far, you must have already understood the importance of continuing education for professional development, right? But personal evolution during continuing education is also easy to notice. You experience a significant change in the way you see the world and interpret information. This means that continuing education will allow you to open your mind, develop a more flexible vision and overcome your own limitations.
Another advantage of continuing education is improving skills such as responsibility, discipline, and problem-solving skills. For example, those who choose a distance learning or blended teaching model also develop other characteristics, such as autonomy, flexibility, time management and initiative. And all this will contribute to your growth as a person, in addition to forming an outstanding professional.
More opportunities
The professional or graduate who undertakes continuing education increases their chances of walking a safer and more stable professional path. And this potential already appears at the beginning of graduation, in contact with other students and professors. After all, they are professionals with experience in their field of training. And this interaction will be essential to create your networking, a network of professional contacts. And with that, your chances of getting an internship or job increase.
Conclusion
As we have seen, the importance of continuing education in your career goes far beyond preparing to work in the profession you choose. And even if you decide to change your path after graduation, you will have the support to develop in the direction you want.
So, this shows how education is the main step to start your trajectory. Be it in the chosen career, or even to follow the path of entrepreneurship in other segments. And you can still choose to become a multidisciplinary professional and do a separate degree, further expanding your possibilities of action.