In many industries these days, things are changing constantly and, to keep yourself up-to-date on the latest practices, professional development courses may be a necessary step. For a lot of people the thought of going back to college might seem like too big a time commitment and some probably think it’s just too costly to consider. But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. These courses are often short programmes that last up to one academic year (26 weeks), have significantly reduced fees compared to postgraduate courses and can benefit your career immediately.
If you’re struggling to find the motivation, we’ve put together the top five reasons to invest in your professional development with a short course.
1. Learn practical skills that you can put to work straight away in your job: Learning new ways to approach challenges in your job benefits you and your company.
2. Keep your CV fresh: Gaining a college qualification or accreditation with a professional body ensures you are up-to-date with the latest industry practices and can help you negotiate that promotion or pay-rise. Professional bodies are organisations that set industry standards and in some fields, accreditation with your professional body is sought by employers.
3. Learn on the go: A lot of colleges are making short courses more accessible for part-time students by introducing an online element to the programmes.
4. Keep on top of new trends: Short courses can help you get up-to-speed on emerging areas for your industry. Over the past number of years digital marketing has taken the marketing industry by storm and people working in the industry have been forced to get their head around this emerging area.
5. Attending classes creates networking opportunities: Connecting with like-minded people can be an asset in your professional career. It helps you keep your ear to the ground on job opportunities and gives you a network of people to turn to for advice.
If you're considering a professional development course in HR, digital marketing or more, National College of Ireland has a number of relevant courses starting in early 2016; find our more or come to one of our upcoming information events! You can also contact our admissions team on 1850 221 721, or email admissions@ncirl.ie.
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