What are the benefits of adult education?
We’re passionate about learning and helping to inspire people to develop their skills at cHRysos HR, which is why we originally set up our South Yorkshire based business in 2007.
We’re proud to say we’ve guided thousands of students through HR-related courses since then.
Many of them tell us that it can be daunting getting back into study after a break – but we believe it’s never too late to learn.
Remember that feeling of achievement when you clutched your first swimming badge, opened your GCSE results or wore your black cap and gown at your university graduation? We like to harness that sense of possibility and excitement for learning to help you achieve your development goals.
If you are thinking of signing up for a new qualification, here are our top tips:
1. Reflect on what you already know
Before you start to look into what qualifications you need, it’s always good to reflect on what knowledge and skills you already have. Try making a list to identify where there might be any gaps. It could include formal qualifications you gained at college and university as well as any on the job training you’ve had. This will help you reflect on how you can build on your skill set in future. You may surprise yourself as you’re likely to know far more than you thought!
2. Understand what kind of qualifications you need
Continual Professional Development (CPD) can have infinite benefits from helping you to keep pace with peers in your chosen field to ensuring your knowledge is relevant and up to date. It can also help you stand out from the crowd when applying for a promotion or a new job. But it’s important to figure out what further qualifications you need. Do you need a degree or diploma in a certain field, an intermediate level course or something more advanced?
3. Consider how you like to learn
How you like to learn now may be completely different to what you did at college and university when lectures and exams were imposed on you by course leaders. There’s much more choice about how you can learn new qualifications and skills these days and now you’re in a better, more independent position to choose. Do you like to study alone, in a quiet space away from others? Or do you like a more interactive approach and like to learn with others? This may determine whether you go for an online Open University type course or attend a course alongside others.
4. Think about how learning will benefit you personally
People enrol on our courses for all kinds of reasons but it’s always rewarding to see how the personal impact that learning something new has on people. We often see our student’s confidence raise the roof when they’ve passed an exam or course module and are one step closer to graduating. Learning can be empowering.
5. Think about how learning can impact your career
Learning can be liberating as it can give you the adventurous mindset to be braver with your career decisions. What qualifications and experience do you need to set yourself apart from the rest? Are you looking to develop your skills for the company or perhaps the industry you are currently in ,or a completely different one? Thinking about your future in a methodical way will give you the focus you need.
6. Consider the financial impact
Signing up for a course will no doubt have financial implications, which can be a real concern. If you’re worried about whether it may be worth it, think about the cost as an investment in you and your career development. A new qualification is like the ultimate new work suit! It will give you the confidence to climb the career ladder and potentially earn more in future. Your new qualifications could add tens of thousands of pounds to your salary over your career lifespan.
7. Learning is good for our mental wellbeing too
As the retirement age steadily creeps higher and higher, we’re more likely to be working well into our 80s. That is a daunting prospect! The best way to keep our careers interesting is to continue to learn new skills to ensure we don’t get bored and complacent. Learning something new can be good for our mental health and wellbeing too, as although it may be worrying and stressful at times, it can be motivating and inspiring.
8. Ask your employer for support
Any good employer will see the benefit of helping employees to develop their skill set by striving for further qualifications because it will ultimately make you better at your job. It also helps to raise standards and keeps employees motivated and enthusiastic. This in turn helps the companies stay competitive and attractive to new employees. If your employer can see your learning may have a direct impact on the business's objectives as well as you personally, they will no doubt support you.
9. Make learning enjoyable
Any extra-curricular study is going to take time, willpower and determination. You’re probably going to have to give up your time and invest a lot of effort so ideally, you want to be studying or working towards something which you really enjoy and which you can see might change your life.
10. Think about the added benefits of learning
Learning with a professional body, whether it’s with us here at cHRysos HR, a college or university will no doubt provide you with membership to a professional organisation such as the CIPD or CMI. At cHRysos we are CIPD and CMI accredited specialists in providing learning and development and HR and Management qualifications. And an added bonus of your learning will no doubt be the industry connections you make, the networking opportunities and links to where you can gain further support in future.
Julie Gordon is the Managing Director of cHRysos HR Solutions, a Doncaster based HR training and consultancy company providing CIPD and CMI accredited qualifications nationwide, as well as HR Consultancy to SMEs and Apprenticeship programmes. For more information about how cHRysos HR can help you return or continue to study and achieve further qualifications contact cHRysos HR on info@chrysos.org.uk or call +44 (0)1302 802128.
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cHRysos HR Solutions are a UK wide HR training and consultancy company offering CIPD accredited qualifications, Apprenticeships, Training and HR Services to SMEs. For more information about how cHRysos HR can help you or your teams successfully achieve further qualifications, contact us on info@chrysos.org.uk or call 03300 562443.