With the current system of education being followed in most countries, it is a common misconception to think that our learning process ends with university level education. This is true when it comes to your principle education and it will help you secure a job, but do you have the correct skills to grow in the workplace?
Today the workplace has evolved heavily. There are no more cubicles and assigned tasks where people work solitarily. The workplace is a more dynamic organism that requires all parts to cooperate with each other more than ever.
This is where lifelong learning plays a vital part. Your learning should not end with your formal college education, but this is the time when you start to take up new challenges and learn new skills.
So what are the different ways you can use lifelong learning to achieve your career goals?
You Will Be Appreciated For It
These days, organizations look for two things in people: current skill level and the ability to grow. Most employers look for enthusiastic employees who are ready to learn and advance in their career with the company. Whether you want to stay with the same company is your own choice, but whatever company you work for, you will have to show them that you are someone who is eager to take yourself to the next level.
Evolve With Time
Do you want to become the dinosaur of the workplace, who has to ask other people for help when faced with a new kind of task, or do you want to be the maverick who leads others into battle? It’s quite clear that with the ever-changing technology, it is better to turn with the curve rather than getting left behind.
Sometimes taking extra classes on the side to understand something that you cannot grasp easily can even help you get ahead of the curve and solidify your place in the organization as the go to person for any problem.
Motivation!
Most people who face a midlife crisis do so because they have a mundane routine that they follow every day for several years. When this happens, it is time that you realize it’s time to expand your horizons and try to learn something new. To stay motivated, you have got to have something new with which you challenge yourself and try to better yourself along the way.
Even if the skill you want to acquire is not related to your current job or field, if you want to do it, DO IT! Shia LaBeouf was right. It is true that you will have to adjust your daily routine and set aside some funds for classes, but if it’s not a challenge, how will you feel great after completing it?
How To Do It
There are mainly two types of paths you can take to keep your journey of lifelong learning going, the first is the path of going back to school (university) and the other is online courses. Although going to postgraduate school is a better option, but for people who are trying to learn a completely new set of skills might consider taking the undergrad courses too, but that is too long.
There are some specific people who prefer studying in a classroom like environment because it helps them focus better. You can choose either, but just remember to keep your resources and the time you have at your hands in mind.
With online courses, you can get things done quick and from the comfort of your home, the added advantage is that most of these online courses are also offered by universities, so you can get a university level education from wherever you want. There are also other sources that offer online courses, some of them that have a faster way to teach you a skill.
So, to sum up the importance of lifelong learning, you have to realize that humans never lose the urge of learning something new. Any sort of skill that may come in handy at the workplace or even at work should be and can be learned with platforms like ExpertConnect. Choose the subject of your liking and begin your journey to new horizons in your career.