Now Is a Good Time to Go Back to School

Counterintuitive though it may be a downturn in the economy generally signals an upturn in higher education. Otherwise qualified individuals who have lost their jobs over the past year have been looking to higher education as a way to occupy their time productively and give them an edge when searching for a new job. In fact, many two and four year institutions are expanding their class offerings to fit the schedule of part-time students looking to boost their resume. Higher education is, indeed, the answer for many Americans who have had their hours reduced or eliminated. Of course, renewed education can be an expensive endeavor, but the digital age has given us a few tools to make higher education more affordable.

Many universities are now taking advantage of online technology to allow users to access lectures and course materials online for free. For instance, many schools are taking advantage of a program called iTunesU. iTunesU allows universities to post audio and video clips of their lectures in the iTunes store where users can download them to their iPod for free. This is a good option for individuals who do not posses the time or the resources to actually attend classes at a university. This also allows you to tailor your learning to your specific career field. This method does not, however, give you any credit that would be visible on a resume; it is simply a way of bringing your education up-to-date in your field.

Some two-year colleges and universities are offering course materials online for free as well. Visiting departmental websites for universities such as UNC Chapel Hill will yield a surprising amount of course work for some classes. You can use study guides and lecture notes to educate yourself on new techniques and theories in your field. Unfortunately this also does not provide a tangible benefit for your resume. Do not be fooled though, increased knowledge in your field will be evident to employers during an interview.

Perhaps the most effective way to redefine your career skills during a downturn is to attend a two-year institution. There are over 1900 community colleges in the United States and many of them are making special efforts to accommodate laid-off employees and part-time employees from local industries. For instance, some community colleges are offering classes that begin as early as 6 a.m. and as late as midnight to accommodate working individuals or individuals with families.

For more information on programs available here in our area you can check out Cape Fear Community College (http://cfcc.edu) or the University of North Carolina Wilmington (http://uncw.edu).



Source

http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/29/pf/online_classes.moneymag/?postversion=2009102904

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/education/28community.html?_r=1&pagewanted=p