If getting educated were like filling a bucket, you would fill it in the olden days and forget it at the end of 18 years of formal education. However, to further stretch the argument, you must “fill your bucket” now and then in today’s times. With rapid advances in technology, things are changing so fast that one must be constantly updated to stay in the thick of things. Redundancy of what one learned ten years ago is highly likely with new platforms, better-operating systems, efficient processes in Information Technology, and every aspect of our work sphere. Disruptive business models are going to impact the employment landscape in every imaginable way.
By a popular estimate of the World Economic Forum, 65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately work in completely new job types that don’t yet exist. In such a rapidly evolving employment landscape, the ability to anticipate and prepare for future skills requirements and the effect on employment is increasingly critical for businesses and individuals to seize the opportunities presented by these trends and mitigate any undesirable impact. So if we don’t know what jobs of the future will look like, how can we teach them what they would require? The pace of change has become rapid, and in this kind of situation, how can any of us be spared!
The way out is continuous education, and that is gradually becoming the order of the day. While one gets over with the traditional education by the early 20s, many people take up further education beyond their 30s. However, deciding for any educational course, especially a formal degree, revolves around multiple factors later, and one must carefully weigh them before taking the plunge.
Work-wise
By the time you are in your 30s, you could be working more than a decade and already in a solid, responsible job which you enjoy doing and pays well. However, in one corner of your mind, you know that you need to upgrade your education to stay abreast and to be able to grab the professional opportunities that will come your way.
A few companies sponsor the higher education of employees as a part of their promotion and retention policies. You can talk to the Human Resources Department of your company or have a chat with your Manager to find out more about it. However, not every company has a policy for sponsoring, so if higher education is what’s on your mind, you need to take responsibility and start planning for it.
Family considerations
Many folks are married by the time they are in their 30s and sometimes with kids. It’s never too easy anyway balancing between the demands of work and the family commitments and you throw-in time for education in that; it sure is a stressful mix. A formal degree at this stage of life needs dedication and planning. Planning both in terms of time and finances (which takes us to the next point) is crucial to achieving the academic objectives. Talk to your family about it, explain to them the benefits of going for higher education, and get their buy-in. You would certainly need their understanding and support when you get admission into a Master’s Degree program and have to take away precious hours from family time.
Planning for finances
One can’t shy away from the fees one has to pay for Higher Education, and sometimes the savings from the early years of your job may not be enough for financing your education. You need to either have planned it or go for a loan to finance your education. There are several loans and financial assistance packages available, and you can find a lot of resources for financial aid here.
Preparation
Most Master’s Degree programs come with gating criteria and a qualifying exam like GRE or GMAT. While GMAT is specifically required for Management programs, GRE is more widely accepted in most programs. It would help if you methodically prepared for these competitive exams. You can learn about how to prepare for the GMAT here and about the GRE prep guide here. Being away from an academic life after getting a job takes away the discipline often called for while preparing for such exams. You must be prepared to devote a good amount of time daily, and coming up with a daily schedule or a time table can be a good tool for staying on course. There are a few top-quality No GRE programs too that don’t require any such criterion for admission. You can read more about them here.
A feasible solution
Considering the costs involved and the complication of managing a family, Online Programs certainly offer a good solution to all these challenges. They allow you to study from your home’s comfort while being with your family and are certainly more affordable vis-a-vis offline programs that require you to sit in physical classrooms. The advantages of Online Master’s Programs don’t stop here. A few Online programs also have a part-time option if you would like to keep working on your job alongside.
Based on your profession and the requirements that you anticipate for your job ahead, you can go for the Online Master’s Program most suited to you. Several such programs are available like Online Master’s Degree in Business and Management, Engineering, Criminal Justice and Legal, Nursing & Healthcare, and many more. You can read more about them in detail here.
You need to choose your program wisely regarding the costs involved and if a reputed accreditation agency accredits the program. An accredited program ensures that the industry recognizes the Online Master’s Degree that you are going for. It does require a good amount of planning, dedicated efforts over a fairly long time, and a few sacrifices to accomplish a Master’s Degree when you are in your 30s, but at the end of it all, it’s certainly worth the plunge!
At Online Masters Colleges (OMC), we believe that higher education is a must in today’s world. We will continue to provide well-researched content about online master’s programs and support students in pursuing higher education and a successful career.
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