Learning and Developing
How can you learn more?
Describes the different routes to learning more
Describes the different types of courses – full/part-time, distance, work-shadowing.
Lifelong learning
Improving either your employability or general success in the workplace is strongly linked to continuous learning. This idea is reflected in the way the government considers its lifelong learning policy as an essential part of raising standards in the UK.
In today's labour market many employers request people with increasingly higher levels of education and skills. Further education can widen your range of career options, prepare you for more challenging work and enrich your personal life.
Routes to Learning More
Universities
Universities offer programmes and courses of study (full-time or part-time) that can broaden your knowledge and develop your analytical and thinking skills. Some programmes provide career-oriented, specialised training with an academic component.
Colleges
Colleges offer a variety of programs that may combine academic learning with hands-on training and lead to a diploma or certificate.
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a special kind of training required for many occupations in trades and technologies. It combines classroom instruction at a college as well as on-the-job, paid training.
Professional and Vocational Associations
These associations offer training and certification in a specialised area. The training may require work in the field, attendance of seminars and passing of examinations.
Other Specialized Educational Institutions
There are many schools and institutes, some private and some publicly funded, that provide practical, training in specific areas of study. These offer a wide variety of courses.
Company Training
Many companies provide employees with in-house training or offer support if employees want to take courses outside the workplace. If you're interested in your company's training programs, check with the human resources or personnel department at your workplace.
Community Groups and Other Non-Profit Organizations
Many charities, community groups, and non-profit institutions offer training in a variety of subjects. These programs are often designed for people in transition who need to upgrade their employment skills.
Types of Courses
There are many ways to learn more; full-time, part-time, distance learning, work shadowing or a combination of these. It is worthwhile taking time to look through the different available options.
Learning Styles
You are more likely to achieve success in learning if you feel actively engaged in the learning process. The key to taking a successful active role in learning more lies in understanding your learning style preferences, which can positively or negatively influence your performance. There are many models used to describe learning styles descriptions of which can readily be found on the web.
It is important to consider what it is that motivates you to learn more as this may influence the option taken.
- For professional advancement
- To make or maintain working relationships
- To meet external expectations (i.e. as a requirement to keep a job)
- Learn to better serve others (i.e. new skills to apply in the workplace)
- Pure interest
You may also wish to consider the influence of other responsibilities (families, careers or social commitments), time, money, scheduling, transportation, confidence when choosing the right type of course.
Full Time
Although full time study restricts what else you can do with your time, there are certain benefits to this type of learning. You are more likely to feel part of a community of learners and have opportunity for longer periods of intense study. Full time study often involves more face-to-face advising and work with those teaching the courses. You may also be eligible for a wider range of funding opportunities (studentships, bursaries, awards etc), sometimes not available for part-time study. Some institutions have a fuller array of courses which can be studied full time and allow greater access to office facilities for such learners.
Part Time
Part Time attendance of courses can range from as little as one afternoon or evening per week to several days per week. Part Time courses can also be carried out as distance learning and therefore scheduled to your own needs.
Distance Learning
Distance learning is becoming more popular as a result of larger changes in our culture due to the information revolution. It enables learning to occur when the instructor and student are at different locations and even engage in the activity at different times. Material for learning in this way can be obtained in the traditional way - by post, or visually (i.e. by video), audio or online.
There are several advantages of distance learning compared to attending a traditional institutional-based course such as flexibility, availability and the opportunity to attend a class in informal clothing. However there are the disadvantages that there is little or no face-to-face interaction between participant and in some cases there are high requirements for computer and Internet skills to access and process the learning information.
Work shadowing
Work shadowing is a useful way of gaining a real insight in your chosen career and is an opportunity for sharing best practice and for self-development. It can provide useful networking opportunities. It is usually a short-term activity, a few days at most, where you follow an employee, observing their day to day work activities to understand what the role involves. You should have a clear idea of the type of companies you wish to work for and the type of role you are interested in observing.
This PDF provides links to sources of general information, advice and guidance on learning as well as specific details of environmental education and education for sustainable development.
Environmental
Education Advice and Guidance