Continuing Education and a High School Diploma

It happens all the time. A young person drops out of high school, and at first, doesn't regret the decision. But as the years go by and more and more people progress into better paying jobs, this person feels left behind. Continuing education lets you make up for lost time.

Consider these facts. People who do not have a high school diploma are more likely to be unemployed. That's not surprising since many jobs these days require that you've graduated high school. By exploring continuing education options and receiving your diploma or passing the GED, you'll not only earn more money, you also will have more job opportunities.

So where should you start? Well, if you're only a few classes short of graduating, you can take these classes to make up for what you missed. Many cities and school districts offer continuing education classes that can help you make up missed classes in a very short time. Start by contacting the high school you attended. Get a copy of your transcript and find out what you
need to do in order to receive your diploma.

Another option used by many people is the GED. The GED, which stands for General Educational Development, is a five-part test administered to verify that you have high-school level academic skills. The tests include Social Studies, Writing, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. When many people think of continuing education, they think of the GED. For this reason, you can find many resources to help you pass this test.

To prepare for the GED, you can take preparation classes, either online or in person. You also can take telecourses, courses by mail, or use preparation books and videos. The GED has one of the most diverse continuing education offerings, with many options available in most major cities.

If you want to go beyond high school and are curious about continuing education options, some colleges offer programs where you can finish high school while at the same time taking some college classes. Many community colleges offer these programs. Contact your local campus and find out what the requirements are.

When it comes to continuing education choices, you need to decide what works best for you. What can you fit into your schedule? How best do you learn? You don't want to get discouraged and give up. Many people find it difficult to master some of the material necessary to pass the GED. You many find it is easier to learn this material if you take a traditional face-to-face class with an instructor. Not only will you be able to ask questions, but many people find it is easier to
learn when they are surrounded by other students.

The main point of continuing education is to help you have a better, more fulfilled life. To do that, you need to make a commitment to yourself and your future. The opportunities are out there. You just need to make up your mind to go after them.

Continuing Education and Your Career

Do you ever feel like your career has stalled out? Do you see other people getting promoted while you're always passed by? Maybe continuing education can help you jump-start your career. By taking additional courses and investing time and energy in your skills, you can show your employer how serious you are about your future.

One of the wonderful things about continuing education is that everyone can profit from it. Learning additional skills and mastering new knowledge helps everyone. Employees who feel left behind in their careers can especially profit from learning skills that will make them infinitely more "promotable." Upper management often looks at continuing education classes as a sign that the employee is interested in his or her future.

So if you want to get your career moving, consider your continuing education options. First, analyze the state of your career. What goals do you have for yourself? What do you hope to achieve during the next year and the next five years? Is your current employer your dream job or do you hope to develop skills that will enable you to move to the job you really want? What skills and training do you feel you're missing?

Make a list of what you want to accomplish in your career. Then look at how learning additional skills can help you accomplish these goals. Continuing education encompasses a great many topics. You can learn almost any skill that you need in the workplace by pursuing continuing education options.

If you're comfortable doing so, talk to your manager about continuing education classes. Many companies actively encourage their employees to learn new skills. Moreover, many companies will pay all or part of the cost of classes. Sit with your manager and decide what classes will most help you progress in your career.

If you would rather not ask your employer about continuing education, then study the training that successful people in your field have. Do they have advanced degrees? If so, then you can return to college. Are their technical skills stronger or more diverse? You can put together a list of the skills you need to develop.

Once you've decided which classes will benefit your career, research your continuing education options. In addition to college classes, you can take many classes online. You'll be able to fit in classes around your busy work schedule. Not only can you find a variety of classes online, you'll also find a variety of prices as well. Look around until you find a program that fits your budget.

In addition to online classes, many training programs offer DVDs and CDs. Some people use the time while they are stuck in traffic to learn a new skill. Several programs are available on CD that you can listen to while you drive. These programs can help you with people skills such as public speaking.

With a little research, you can find lots of continuing education offerings to help you progress in your career. Take the time necessary to map out a plan, and then make it happen. Your future is in your control. Take charge and find the training you need.

Break Through the Glass Ceiling with Continuing Education

In today’s corporate world, you either have the goods or you don’t. You have Bachelor’s degree (or two) from a fine institution and were always told that it was the key to your success. However, times are changing and the majority of your colleagues have a Bachelor’s degree. When it comes time for that promotion, how will you set yourself apart from the pack?

You can set yourself apart from your colleagues with continuing education. Continuing education is any sort of learning that helps you advance and learn more than you did previously. This could be something as simple as taking a few courses at your local college to advance your computer skills to going for a Master’s degree in your field.

You may be wondering if it will be worth the extra costs to pursue continuing education. In the end it will. Let’s say you spend upwards of $10,000 on an advanced degree or continuing education certificate program. That’s $10,000 that you couldn’t spend on something else. However, if your company has a tuition reimbursement program that money can be given back to you and you would have a leg up on a raise and promotion. Or, it they don’t have a program, you could still pay for it out of your own pocket and be more likely get that raise and promotion. That raise could be enough to cover the costs of your tuition in just a few months. Then you’d be more likely for future raises and promotions that you wouldn’t have been considered for earlier.

If you are a woman, it also helps you prove that you are better for a promotion than a male counterpart. Women still make less on average than men. If you are vying with a man for the same position, it is hard to make the case of why you are better for the job. But, if you have some continuing education under your belt, it makes it easier to prove. And you’d probably end up with the bigger salary too.

Continuing education also shows that you are committed to increasing your skill set. Your ambition will shine through along with the added knowledge you receive from the courses. That is very appealing to executives looking for people to fill the upper ranks at companies.

It is easy to see why you should take the plunge and go with continuing education. You advance your skill set, gain confidence and show how ambitious you really are. You also show your superiors how willing you are to take on new challenges without being told to do so.

So, take the plunge and break through that glass ceiling. Start your research today on continuing education opportunities and begin to advance your career in ways that you never thought possible. Who knows, by the end of your career, you could be the CEO! That would not have been possible without finding a way to have continuing education.

Are There Benefits to Offering Tuition Reimbursement To Employees Continuing Education?

As the costs of college continue to rise, so do the debt loads of graduating students. Students are constantly told that they need to pursue an advanced degree to make it in the world, but the amount of government funded loans and scholarship awards is decreasing each year. It is true, students do need continuing education to advance in the business world, but how can they do so without breaking the bank?

Well, that’s where you come in. If you do not already have one, you should really look in to starting a tuition reimbursement program at your company. Large and forward thinking companies know that they need to be competitive in today’s tight job market to attract and retain the best and brightest employees. Tuition reimbursement programs are one way they can do this.

Tuition reimbursement programs, if you are not familiar, work like this. Your employees work for your for a certain period of time before they become eligible for this program-usually somewhere around six months to one year. Once they have become eligible, they can submit the grades they receive from the coursework and you in turn cut them a check to cover the tuition
and expenses. It really is that easy.

However, you do not have to cover expenses for someone who is not studying in a field that will benefit your business. If you are an insurance company, you do not have to reimburse someone who is going into art, unless that person will become your web or graphic designer once he or she graduates. Remember, continuing education that you reimburse should benefit your company too. You take advantage of the new knowledge they have acquired to increase the brain bank at your company.

Many workers say that tuition reimbursement programs are a big draw for potential employers. In fact, many students even say that is one of the biggest things they look for in employers when comparing job offers. Those are the employees you want to attract: they are clearly ambitious, smart and are looking to continuing education to increase their knowledge and worth to their field and company.

You may wonder what happens if one of your employees takes the money from your tuition reimbursement program to obtain a continuing education degree and then quits for a better job offer. Well, most companies have a clause in their tuition reimbursement agreements for this sort of thing. They will require that students who are reimbursed for their continuing education expenses continue to work for the company for a period of time after completion. If they bolt out early, they can be required to pay back the money to the company. A fair trade off, no?

So, it is in your best interest to look in to ways to increase your company’s competitive stance in the job market. Start a tuition reimbursement today and begin to see the quality of your job applicants increase almost immediately. It is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Moms and Continuing Education

Are you a stay-at-home mom? If so, you may want to consider the many continuing education options. While your children are at school or napping, you can take an online class or two. You can even work toward a college degree from home.

Many people don't realize how many options there are when it comes to continuing education. In addition to the traditional classroom settings, most colleges offer a variety of online classes that are perfect for stay-at-home moms.

Online classes are one of the great things about continuing education. These classes usually consist of lectures posted once or twice a week, along with assignments and tests. You can read the lectures as your schedule permits during the week. Then you can submit your assignments to your instructor online as you complete them. The tests are usually timed and many
are created so they're open book.

If you aren't sure what you'd like to major in, you can look through the college catalogs online. Most four-year colleges and community colleges offer a lot of continuing education options. If you still have questions, you can call the college for additional information. They'll be able to help you decide how you can achieve your educational goals.

If money is stopping you from pursuing continuing education, ask the college about scholarships and other tuition help. Most colleges have people on staff who can work with you to find scholarship money or loans that can help you pay for the education you want. Many organizations have scholarships designed to encourage women to attend college. Check around. You may be surprised at what's available.

To avoiding becoming overwhelmed or discouraged as you pursue your continuing education goals, set a realistic schedule for yourself. You may decide that one class a semester is all you can handle. That's fine. It may take a few extra years, but you can get through college this way. The important thing is that you stick with it.

Aren't sure you want to go for a degree? Colleges also offer other continuing education options. Perhaps you're interested in creative writing. You could take an online course that would help you perfect your craft.

Other continuing education options exist in addition to colleges. For instance, some community centers are now offering online classes you can take. If you want to get out of the house, some of these centers even offer child care while you take the classes.

Technical schools also offer online classes. These schools have many continuing education options. Take a look at their course catalogs. You may be surprised what you can learn while still staying at home with your children.

If you don't have your high school diploma, you can study for the GED at home as well. Many companies and websites offer preparation programs that can really help you with the test. You'll get to practice for all five sections of the test--reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.

Continuing education offers you many opportunities. These days, most traditional and online classes and programs are designed to make learning both interesting and fun.