The importance of continued learning after your education

It’s easy to think that you will stop learning the day you leave school, college or university.

Recent studies have shown that increasing numbers of school-leavers do not have basic levels of qualifications sought by employers and further education providers.

It is clear, then, that it is more important than ever to find new ways to learn skills and educate ourselves after leaving the education system. So, let’s investigate why you ought to, and how to go about it.

The benefits of learning

• Better opportunities: The more skills you pick up in life, the better chance you will have of securing a dream job, or the easier you’ll find to change careers if you wish.
• It’s good for you: Studies have shown that learning new skills can have a positive impact on your mental health by promoting feelings of achievement and self-esteem.
• Enrich yourself: You won’t just be learning new skills or information, but you’ll meet new people as well. Who knows what those connections will lead to!

Finding the right course for you

So now we know some reasons why you shouldn’t put education to one side, but how do you go about securing more learning opportunities?

If you didn’t find yourself suited to the classroom, an apprenticeship could offer you a way of learning the skills you need to embark on a career while being paid at the same time.

Or maybe you are keen to get back into education on a night course, perhaps in the search of a new qualification.

You may have to pay upfront to get on a course such as this. If you’ve recently come out of the education system, you may find it hard to raise these funds through traditional methods, however a bad credit loan can help you if your credit profile is thin.

As long as you fit the criteria and ensure you can afford the payments, it could offer you a gateway to learning new skills and getting on with the rest of your life.

Other ways to expand your knowledge

• Travelling: If your desires are to learn new languages or cultures, what better way to get to grips with them than immersing yourself into them directly. By conversing with locals in the language they speak, for example, you’ll force your brain to get up to speed sharpish!
• Self-teaching: They do say ‘the best way to learn is to do’ after all! Simply throwing yourself into whatever it is you’re trying to learn will help you trial ways of working that match your style. Who knows, you might find yourself to be a natural at whatever it is you’re trying to do.
• Reading: Sadly, local libraries have been lost by many communities, but if you’re lucky enough to live near one that remains in operation, picking up some reading material about your chosen topic will help you get to grips with whatever it is.

If you’re taking on a new challenge to learn a new skill, we wish you the very best with it and hope it helps you achieve your goals!