| Edu-ma-cation. Hittin' the books. Readin', writin', 'n | | | | case for the kind of learning you want to pursue, so |
| 'rithmetic. | | | | that it'll clearly help your organization (and your |
| If you thought those days were over when you left | | | | performance in that organization). |
| high school or college, you've probably learned how | | | | 3. Evolve or die. Not to put too fine a point on it, but |
| wrong you were. | | | | if you're not working to get better at what you do, |
| From the kinds of continuing professional education | | | | then you're not just stagnating. You're actually falling |
| credits required in some fields, to staying up with | | | | behind, as thousands of other people learn to do |
| changes in technology so your job skills don't get | | | | what you do, only better. And let's be honest - |
| out-moded, and everything in between, constant | | | | sometimes those big learners come younger and |
| learning is the baseline expectation of the professional | | | | cheaper, and in a tight economy, you can't afford not |
| workforce, at every management level. | | | | to stay ahead of the pack. |
| Here are the four of the "big ideas" to consider when | | | | 4. Do your risk/reward analysis. Sometimes people |
| it comes to getting additional education during your | | | | don't take their companies up on big educational |
| professional career - whether it's for an academic | | | | investments advanced college degrees because, if |
| degree, a professional certification, continuing | | | | they decide to jump ship for a new position, they'll |
| education credits to maintain that certification, or | | | | have to pay back all the tuition reimbursement |
| even something a little off the beaten path that's still | | | | money. If that's you, I'd ask you to consider the |
| vital to doing your job better (which means helping | | | | longer view. If you could get $30,000 more every |
| your company perform better): | | | | year in salary, but have to pay back that much in |
| 1. Education helps everyone. Why does the lion's | | | | tuition fees, would it be worth it? Personally, I'd say |
| share of companies offer to fund continuing | | | | yes - it's a short-term hit, but an investment in |
| education for their employees? Because it doesn't | | | | long-run prosperity. |
| just improve your game, it improves the game of | | | | If the gurus and wise folks through the ages all say |
| everyone around you. | | | | that life itself is a learning process, we shouldn't |
| 2. Education comes in many stripes. College or | | | | expect those 40+ hours in the office to be an |
| university, online or off, industry or trade group, | | | | exception. So get that course catalog out and sign up |
| theoretical or functional. Don't limit yourself! Make a | | | | today! |