Tips for Postsecondary Education Success

As you enter your postsecondary education, you’re likely to get a lot of advice about ways to succeed. And while it may be easy to feel overwhelmed from competing advice, there are a few simple things you can do to ensure your success in this exciting chapter.

Choose a Program That Interests You

First and foremost, choose a program that interests you. This is especially true if you’re in a trade school or certificate program that is designed to provide training around a very specific skill set. Not only are you more likely to stick with an area of study that interests you, but you’re also more apt to enjoy it. Because trade schools are set up to hone specialized skills for a specific job, you’ll want to be sure that your program is something you feel will bring long-term pleasure.

Build a Schedule That Works

The next rule of thumb is building a schedule that works with your other obligations and resources. For instance, if you’re not likely to make an 8 a.m. lecture, schedule afternoon and evening classes. And if reliable transportation is a concern, coordinate classes with public transportation schedules.

Alternatively, consider online classes. With popular programs and certificates now available entirely online, you can often swap an in-classroom class for an online equivalent.  An entirely online program may even be something to consider. On the brink about which solution is best for you? Consult a college counselor, who has expertise in building individualized schedules and solving for logistical challenges.

Tap Available Resources

These same college counselors can also be a great resource for students who need guidance on financial assistance. No matter what budget you have, there are tools available to make a higher education more affordable. Most college websites have an entire area dedicated to providing information on loans, grants and financing. Some even provide tuition calculators.

Perhaps you have good grades and don’t want to acquire debt? There are many scholarships available through colleges and outside networks. Just do your research to find the best fit for you.

With these three tips in mind, you’re likely to find a rewarding education path that sets you up for long-term career success.

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Taking the Plunge into Trade School: Important Considerations

From career fairs to campus tours, by the time you’re a junior or senior in high school you’ve heard a lot about college. Something less discussed is trade school – sometimes referred to as vocational school or vocational college. This shouldn’t be written off as a lesser education than traditional college programs, though. The main distinction between trade school and traditional college lies in its focus.

Providing a Job-centric Focus

While college is where some students go to “find themselves,” or try on different majors for fit, trade schools are often designed for students with a clearer focus on their post-graduation goals. When it comes down to it, a main distinction between trade school and traditional college is that they genuinely focus on helping students secure the education needed to find a career in their field of study after graduation.

This isn’t to say that other postsecondary institutions don’t share some of the same underlying goals. Rather, trade schools typically have a curated education offering that supports fields where they see placement success and long-term opportunities for career growth.

Emphasis on Technical Skills

Another difference is that many programs offered by trade schools -by proxy- hone more technical skills. These technical skills can include pipefitting, skilled nursing, dental hygiene or medical coding, to name a few. The important thing is that students in these programs are securing technical skills that directly translate into employment. Even better, these skills often present different employment opportunities unavailable to the masses. Additionally, a certain level of job security often accompanies individuals with these skills. The reason is because trade school provides specific training that’s usually not offered to students in a traditional education program.  

Whether you feel that trade school or a traditional college education is right for you, it’s important that you take time to assess your post-graduation career goals. While something may be fun or interesting to study in college, it’s important to evaluate if it presents quality employment opportunities after graduation.

To learn more about trade school programs, complete the form on this page. A lifelong career is just a click away.

 

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Picking a Program: In-Demand Education & Training

A higher education is important to your career success; however, not all programs are created equally. Some require more lectures and labs, while others provide more post-graduation opportunities for employment. Although post-graduation employment shouldn’t be your only criteria as you evaluate education programs or certificates, job outlook should remain a key consideration. After all, you don’t want to find yourself newly graduated and unemployed, or worse, newly graduated and unemployed with amounting student loan debt or other bills.

To help guide you as you make this important decision, we’ve created a shortlist of some in-demand programs. To kick off this series, we will take a look at programs focused on one of the fastest growing areas of employment in the United States: medicine and healthcare.

 

Medical or Healthcare Programs

As boomers age into assisted living or just require more healthcare services, the need for trained medical and healthcare personnel is crucial.

Medical Assisting

Becoming a medical assistant is a good entry into the promising world of healthcare. Medical assisting is a great program for individuals who may not have decided whether their interest lies in the clinical or administrative side of healthcare. The reason is because these roles often marry some of each skill set. As such, programs that prepare students for this career blend clinical and administrative training.

In terms of earning potential and job growth outlook, there’s also great opportunity here. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth outlook for this profession over the next 10 years is 29-percent, which is much higher than other areas in healthcare. More, medical assistants can earn approximately $32,500 a year, with some earning upwards of $45,900.

Nursing

Perhaps you have an interest in healthcare, but aren’t ready to take the plunge into a comprehensive program. Nursing is as rewarding as it is a smart career path. Even better, there are a number of programs available for all levels of nursing.

For instance, did you know that you can earn a good living while working as a nursing assistant? In 2017, nursing assistants made an average annual salary of approximately $28,000. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also projected an outlook of 11-percent job growth for nursing assistants the next five years.

Registered nurses, on the other hand, can earn anywhere between $48,690 and $104,100 a year. With a reported median salary of $70,000 in 2017, the Bureau projects an outlook of 15-percent hiring growth during the same time span.

Begin a Lifetime of Caring

The field of healthcare has lots of opportunities, and these are just a few of them. To learn more about higher education and training healthcare programs, complete the form on this page.

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