Education can help with your professional development, helping you to follow your dream career or chase that promotion. But how can you fit in your education when you also need money to survive? Thanks to modern ways of working and new ways of learning, it is possible to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Why choose between your education and your work? Take a look at the following to see how you can make it work for you.
Negotiate with your employer
Many employers support the development of their staff, and if there is training you can undertake to make you better skilled for a role, they should encourage and finance you to take it. Many workplaces will fund further education if it will help boost your career, as it benefits them to have qualified workers who also retain company loyalty. Discuss your ambitions with your employer who might be willing to help you with your training, or at the very least give you some leave to complete your studies.
Workaround your degree
While many people qualify for grants and take out student loans to pay their way through university, it’s not always enough for people to live off. Having to work around your degree is a harsh reality for many, but the upside is that it does give you some valuable experience to help you land your first job post-degree. There are plenty of great jobs you can do whilst at university or you can use some of your skills such as proofreading or writing to do freelance work in your spare time. Provided you can juggle both your studies and your job, there’s no reason why you can’t do both.
Try distance learning
Distance learning is a fantastic solution for those who want to work and study at the same time. Distance learning offers flexibility when it comes to modules and assignments, so you can take longer to complete a course while fitting in a full-time job. You can find success with online master of social work degrees, which allow you to spread out the study time while gaining valuable experience or other subjects which offer distance learning. Distance learning can be a great way to develop your skills over time so that you don’t have to give up your income while you learn.
Get organised
Sometimes, all it takes to make something work is a bit of planning and organisation. While it might seem difficult to do so, you can schedule your time to help you fit in your work and your degree. Organisation comes with mental health benefits and having a plan in place will make things much less stressful. Plan out your time to see how and when you can fit it all in, and perhaps be prepared to make some sacrifices to make it work.
While it might seem like you have to choose between one of the other, you can fit in education around work. Come up with a plan that works for you and your circumstances and enjoy having the best of both to give your future career a boost.
