Lack of Qualification? Get Ahead With An Online Degree.

In an increasingly competitive market place it can be frustrating, to say the least, to feel that you’re frequently overlooked for promotion because of a lack of qualifications, rather than the skills that you bring to your work. There are many people who’ve always longed to have letters after their name and wanted to study for a BA degree, but chose instead to build a career rather than head to University after school.

For some, this was a result of starting a family, some couldn’t wait to leave an educational environment and get out ‘into the world’. For others, this is simply a reflection that degree courses did not seem as accessible twenty or more years ago. The Government has set targets to ensure that 50% of school leavers remain in education after school, and the number of people with degrees has been steadily rising. However, those who are already established in the workplace, but who don’t have a degree, might perceive this to be detrimental to their chances of progression. As the number of employees educated to degree level grows, what will be the effect on workers who have all the experience, but not the qualifications?

The situation might look bleak, however there is a solution. As academic institutions have been encouraged to increase their numbers, they have also had to look at the way in which they provide courses. The result has been a steady growth in the availability of online degree courses. It is now possible to pick and choose from a diverse range of Batchelor degree courses, from Literature to Business Management and study online.

Studying online offers many distinct advantages. These are most relevant to those who know that they are good at what they do, but lack a long list of qualifications in the ‘education’ section of their CV.

For a start, studying for a degree online means that you’re able to remain in full time employment. Secondly you are able to study at your own pace. For those who already juggle a career and family life, this makes the prospect of study less daunting since a degree can be obtained in as little as two or as many as five years.

Course providers are fully aware that many of those who choose to opt for the online study route are in full time employment and so courses are structured to meet their needs. If the prospect of sharing a lecture theatre with a group of nineteen year olds leaves you cold, there’s no need to worry. Most online courses provide a discussion forum where students can share learning and ideas. This is a far more appealing prospect if you know that you’ll be chatting online to people who face the same challenges and share similar life experiences. A quality resource is Kaplan Distance Learning.

So, whether it’s always been a personal dream to have letters after your name, or you’re fed up of being overlooked for promotion, studying for a degree is an increasingly viable option, regardless of age or life story.

Sarah Maple writes about Adult Education and Online Courses.