ZSchool Advisory Board provides strategic advice and management within educational leadership among its business-centered curriculum. In the following article, ZSchool Advisory Board discusses the importance of continuing education in any career setting, and the benefits to both the employee and company.
Many have said that one should never stop learning. While the lofty goals of personal enrichment are reason enough, there are many reasons that continuing education is essential.
Continuing education can improve one’s professional life in various ways. With continued education comes a chance for a higher salary, increased likelihood of promotion, improved marketability, and more opportunities.
There are a plethora of forms continued education can take. ZSchool Advisory Board discusses below what paths to personal development are available, and in addition, explore the benefits to both the individual and the company.
ZSchool Advisory Board on What Continuing Education Looks Like
ZSchool Advisory Board says that there are a great many options for continued education dependent on the career field in question. It can look like online courses (from a university or otherwise), full degree programs whether online or in person, a work-sponsored seminar course, and much more.
- Degree programs
- Online courses
- Seminar courses
- Certifications
- Job training
The content that they cover depends greatly on both the field and the reason for the course. ZSchool Advisory Board reports that some programs are designed to update individuals with the most current practices or technology. Others are for training an individual in a new aspect of their career.
The price for online courses is typically lower than in-person courses. ZSchool Advisory Board explains that in some instances, if a company requires or encourages continuing education, they may pay for their employees to attend. This is particularly the case when the company runs the course.
ZSchool Advisory Board says that the cost is usually determined by the number of credit hours you would see at a standard university. Many programs will also use continuing education units (CEU) or credits (CEC) to quantify the equivalent time spent.
Career Benefits
ZSchool Advisory Board explains that with the oftentimes high costs of continuing education programs, it can be difficult to see the benefits. However, any money spent is truly being invested into one’s career. After all, it often takes spending money to make money.
- Salary boost
- Increased access to promotions
- Improved marketability
- Additional opportunities
- Improved capability
When it comes to education and salary there is a strong correlation that higher education increases salary according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. ZSchool Advisory Board says that better education and more certifications can bring raises and open doors to better-paying positions.
Not to mention that continued education can increase one’s chances for promotion. An employee with certifications will be better equipped for increased responsibility. Alternatively, further education can provide the skills that were previously missing to take on a new role.
ZSchool Advisory Board says that this also ties into one’s professional marketability. Continuing one’s education shows dedication and capability, which can open all sorts of doors. The opportunities that can arise from taking additional courses cannot be understated.
Company Benefits
Naturally, it seems that all of the benefits are on the employee side. In truth having employees who continue to educate themselves benefits the company just as much explains ZSchool Advisory Board. Those benefits may not be easily apparent as they are indirect, but they should not be overlooked.
First of all, an employee who has been introduced to new knowledge and methods will be more innovative in their work. They may find a more productive way to accomplish a task. When problems arise, these employees are more likely to develop a solution.
ZSchool Advisory Board says that when the employer provides education opportunities to their employees it engenders loyalty. A company that treats its employees right will have dedicated personnel. Offering educational opportunities will also help the company retain employees. This applies whether the education is strictly career-oriented or not.
This can also take the form of loan assistance for employees who have already earned a degree. Best of all, paying for an employee’s education is often able to be a work deductible. The conditions for this depend on the career field and the employee but aren’t hard conditions to meet.
Final thoughts
As is now apparent, continuing one’s education–or providing that opportunity–is a great idea for professional and personal reasons. The benefits outweigh any drawbacks for both employee and the employer.
Continuing education doesn’t even have to be all the time. Even small courses every couple of years can keep one on top of all of the relevant advances.
