There is a myriad of learning avenues nowadays, from the traditional path of attending university to apprenticeships, online degrees and unpaid work experience. The job market is highly competitive nowadays, especially for young professionals, so it’s vital to stand out from the crowd.
One form of professional learning is to undertake CPD accredited courses, see more here: https://www.cpdstandards.com/. These courses offer invaluable learning to hone skills and show off capabilities to current and potential employers.
With e-learning predicted to be worth over $325 billion by 2025, it’s time to see what all the fuss is about.
What Is CPD?
Continuing professional development courses are created with the learner in mind and to help improve employability levels for whoever completes them.
These courses are independently accredited, meaning the user is given both value for money and accurate, useful information and tools.
These courses are available in almost every subject one could want to learn more about. We discuss why continued professional development is vital for young professionals.
It’s Cost-Effective
Traditional learning, such as a university, is incredibly costly. Most students leave their studies in tens of thousands of pounds worth of debt and very few will ever be in a position to pay this back.
While CPD courses do not offer the life experience that comes with attending university, they certainly do provide a way to develop in a chosen career, without the added debt.
Courses range from as little as £10 to a few hundred, depending on the level chosen and which area it is in.
The great benefit of this, learners have the opportunity to change career paths and aren’t tied down to make a lifetime career decision in their teens.
By paying the nominal fee to begin a new career path, this removes the financial worry of investing thousands into a potentially wrong decision.
It’s Always Up-To-Date
Even if training has been undertaken in-depth for long periods, every sector is always evolving and the previous knowledge can become outdated.
CPD courses are always kept up-to-date with the newest information, findings and practices. This means that learners can stay ahead of colleagues and other candidates who may also be in the running for positions or promotions who may be fully qualified, but their training is a few years old.
Increased Confidence
One issue many young professionals face is lack of confidence. This can be due to inexperience and lack of practice in their field compared to their peers.
However, this doesn’t mean they are not as qualified to undertake tasks and positions. By taking these courses, it can provide a huge confidence boost, especially when practices and procedures and learning that could benefit their career and business they managers may have not thought of implementing.
Easy Learning
CPD courses can be undertaken during any length of time, giving the flexibility to continue full-time employment and without impeding on social events.
There is no time limit and learning sessions can be as long or as short as the learner wants. These courses are typically mobile and tablet friendly, so the morning commute is a great chance to be productive.
Everyone has a different learning style and traditional education does not always cater for this. CPD courses understand this and offer new ways of learning for the user. From videos, gamification and quizzes, for those who struggled at school with conventional learning, they often thrive with these courses.
External Help
CPD courses provide a platform to not just learn but to discuss and ask questions. Experts in the field are on hand to help with any queries, not just on the course itself, but any other aspect of the sector that is being taught.
Others who have taken the course are also there to provide discussions on the learning process and help to develop ideas.
Stand Out From The Crowd
It’s no secret that the job market is incredibly competitive at the moment, even those with masters or PHDs in their field can still find it a struggle to land that dream job.
Employees aren’t as impressed as they used to be with degrees and even those who are passionate about their field don’t always land a role within it.
The biggest barrier is having a CV stand out from the rest of applicants to be able to land that job interview and be able to sell yourself to employers face-to-face.
By showing initiative and actively learning and keeping up with new information with CPD courses, employers can see candidates are highly motivated and self-driven.
Employers love a candidate who can motivate themselves and will provide little effort within training at the start and during their progressions.
If candidates are seeking a career change, this can be almost impossible, unless they are willing to take a low-paid entry-level role. By doing some self-learning in this new industry, applicants are more likely to be considered for a higher role.
By taking hold of learning, young professionals will soon start to see a change in their attitude to their careers and increase their chances of a quicker progression. These are just some of the reasons why CPD is essential to young professionals, by undertaking just one course, they will soon see the benefits for themselves.
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