CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION

1. CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION Investing in Your Future

2. Continuing Your Education Adult education helps adults by offering education in various forms. Many adult education centers are available for you to continue your education. Continuing education can be completed in any stage of your life and for many reasons. Adult education guides adults towards better opportunities to excel at work, enhanced job opportunities, a better standard of life, and more self- respect. Continuing education ensures people, in a competitive society, can compete with others more effectively. Today many effective and accessible learning options are available. If you are looking to start a new career, advance your degree, earn a certificate, or if you are interested in acquiring a new skill, chances are there is a way for you to continue your education. Your Resident Services Coordinator can help you discover the right option for you.

3. Inspiring Reasons The first slide indicated a few reasons why it is important for you to go back to school. The following are additional reasons to continue your education: • You will get time to invest in your favorite person – You. • You get to refresh and exercise your learning abilities. • You will empower yourself with knowledge. • Others, but more importantly you, will be very proud of your achievements. • Achieving this goal will demonstrate that you can achieve any goal. • It will allow you to excel personally, professionally, and financially. • You will gain new confidence and find that you are a renewed person. • Encourage your children to follow in your academic footsteps.

4. Hot Jobs The following is the Department of Labor's forecast of the fastest growing and highest paying jobs through 2014: • Registered Nurse • Network Systems Administrator/Analyst • Physical and Occupational Therapist • Health Diagnosis Technician • Computer Software Engineer • Dental Hygienist • Law Enforcement Officer • Teacher (All Levels) • Accountant

5. Where to Go Continuing your education can be done through many programs and institutions: • Community Colleges • Local Educational Programs and Centers • Colleges and Universities • Online Programs • Training and Vocational Schools • GED and Certificate Programs Work with your Resident Services Coordinator to find the best program or institution for you.

6. Educational Options • Nontraditional Learning– Online web schools allow you to keep a full-time job and attend school at the same time. You do not have to be a professional searching for continuing education to take advantage of the countless accredited classes offered through web-based schools. NOTE: It is very important you ensure the online school you select to attend is properly accredited by an official institution. Online continuing education offers a variety of options in the way courses and course topics are offered. Some websites, such as eLearners.com or petersons.com, provide a directory of online courses at dozens of schools. You can also easily conduct a web search by course, interest, or school. These education options allow non-degree-seeking students, part-time students, or the lifelong learner to enrich their lives without leaving home.

7. Educational Options • Traditional Learning– Institutions like colleges, universities, community colleges, and vocational or training schools can offer direct one-on-one support not found through nontraditional education. Some campuses will offer childcare and other options that may make it easier to attend classes. They also may have school departments, campus libraries, and tutoring staff that can help you succeed specifically in your field of study. Traditional learning can also offer face-to-face interaction with classmates and instructors that develops peer socialization, networking, and can instill specific field values. Some traditional learning institutions will allow you to do both traditional and non-traditional learning. In other words, take classes on campus and online. In this case, you would have the best of both worlds, the convenience of being home, as well as, the one-on-one interaction.

8. Next Steps • Sit down with your Resident Services Coordinator and discuss your educational options. Advise your RSC what level of education you would like to complete and/or what field of work in which you would like to enter or excel. • Ensure that whichever institution you choose, you speak with an academic counselor and financial aid advisor. It is the job of both of these individuals to help you find options to pay and support your educational endeavor. • Remember to ask your academic department and/or academic advisor for help with other available opportunities like scholarship programs, child care, work study, on campus jobs, tutoring, and more. • Lastly, and most importantly, know that with today’s economic recession competition for work and in the work place is strong. Continuing your education will give you the opportunity to excel professionally and personally. Continuing your education will give YOU(no one can do it for you, but you) the ability to create better opportunities for you and your family.

9. Test • Continuing your education can … • Give you better opportunities to excel at work • Enhance you job opportunities • Enhance your standard of life • Allow you to better compete • All of the above • Continuing your education can be done through … • Local Educational Programs and Centers • Colleges and Universities • Online Programs • Training and Vocational Schools • GED and Certificate Programs • All of the above

10. Test • A legitimate online program must … • Create a program that suits my needs • Provide childcare • Be accredited by the right institutions • All of the above • My RSC can … • Answer my financial aid questions • Help me plan my educational next steps • Talk to my academic advisor for me • All of the above