|
Back to school to stay ahead
|
 |
May 6, 1999: 2:16 p.m. ET
Technological advances are forcing many professionals back to the classroom
|
NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Time was, you went to college, earned your degree and never saw the inside of a classroom again.
Not anymore.
These days, the advent of new technology and the ever changing face of corporate America are forcing thousands of adult professionals back to the books throughout their career. And experts say this well-established trend shows no signs of slowing down.
"Technology is what was driving the continuing education industry 25-years ago and it's what drives it today," said Dan Hull, president and chief executive of CORD, a nonprofit research group dedicated to educational improvement through the use of technology. "This is an area that is mushrooming enormously right now because it's very difficult for traditional educational techniques to keep up."
Hull noted the information technology industry alone, one of the nation's fastest growing sectors, suffers from a dramatic shortage of qualified workers. Many of the larger companies, he said, hire workers with no background in the desired field and simply train them to meet their needs.
Hull, a long-time observer of the continuing education field, said more than 20 percent of students seeking associate degrees in information technology at community colleges across the country, actually hold bachelor's degrees in liberal arts disciplines.
"They couldn't find jobs so they are going back for new training," he said. "The demand for these courses is incredible."
Continuing trend
Professionals go back to the classroom for many reasons. Some - including health care professionals, financial planners and teachers - are required to do so by their state licensing boards.
Others go back to gain a competitive edge in the job market. And still others obtain training to keep current with the changes in their field
In virtually every case, though, they are going back for training in the latest technology.
"We see more and more students who already have a bachelor's degree going back to re-equip themselves with new skills," said Beverly McMurtry-Grissom, president of North Florida Community College and past president of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education. "The days of the generalist in education are regrettably on the demise. It's the technological knowledge base that employers are clamoring for because that's what companies needs."
Technology, she said, has not only changed the way Corporate America does business, "it's changed the educational landscape, as well."
That's because the "knowledge base," or basic job skills necessary for the average profession, turns over once every two-and-a-half years, said McMurtry-Grissom. Five years ago, the turnover rate was closer to four years. And five years before that, it was a 10 year turnover.
"There's so much more new information that enters into the workplace arena each year that you need to be learning all the time," she said. "We all need to stay in a state of upgrade."
Who goes back?
A 1995 survey by the National Library of Education, the most recent statistics available, revealed that more women than men register for career, or job-related courses, (47 million women to 44 million men), and professionals age 35 to 44 are most likely to seek out those courses.
The study also showed that 49 percent of job-related courses are provided by businesses and 87 percent of them are paid for by businesses - through tuition reimbursement programs for example.
Keeping up over 40
If you are among the baby boomer population, you are also more likely to return to the classroom.
The most recent study conducted by the Department of Labor found that the number of workers age 45 and older who reported needing training to get their current jobs grew by 21 percent in less than a decade, compared to 6 percent growth for younger workers.
At the same time, a joint report issued by the Higher Education Institute and The Education Resources Institute revealed the percentage of students 40 and older in all sectors of higher education grew to 1.6 million from 477,000 between 1970 and 1993 - a 235 percent gain.
The study also showed the average 40-plus student going back to complete an undergraduate degree is white, female and married - 82 percent are white, 66 percent are female and 59 percent are married.
"The advent of new electronics is in large part what's driving the return to school for career changes as many jobs become obsolete," McMurtry-Grissom said. "Baby boomers are still young enough to feel the need to make career changes, or seek more career training."
"As the need to upgrade skills continuously becomes a requirement for employers and employees, the notion of lifelong learning will become commonplace," the Institute for Higher Education wrote in its latest report on continuing education. "This will significantly affect how people think about and approach work, including decisions concerning career changes, retirement and a host of other issues."
Costs
Fees for courses vary dramatically, depending on the length of the course and the complexity of the subject taught.
The Institute for Continuing Education in San Diego, Calif., for example, charges roughly $30 for a three hour class and up to $50 for a five hour class.
The Institute, founded less than a year ago, provides courses for allied health professionals (anyone in the profession other from doctors) who are required to participate in continuing education courses to keep their license.
At the same time, the University Consortium of Continuing Education, which specializes in high-end engineering courses, charges anywhere from about $1,000 for the automotive air conditioning systems class to $2,300 per class for instruction on spreadsheet aided engineering.
Tom Mincer, UCCE's director, said the vast majority of the 1,000 or more students that pass their doors each year have bachelor's degrees - and many have master's degrees.
Financing the cost of continuing education can be difficult - especially if you've got kids in college at the same time. But there are ways to lighten the load.
Norma Kent, a spokeswoman for the American Association of Community Colleges, said you should start with a visit to your school's financial aid officer.
They'll be able to tell you which low-interest loan programs you may be eligible for, and in many cases, point you in the direction of a few local banks.
Also, don't forget to talk to your employer. In many cases, Kent said, companies reimburse employees for the cost of job-related course work - or at least pick up a percentage of it.
The federal government, in some cases, will also help out.
The HOPE scholarship credit, created under the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, allow taxpayers to claim a credit of up to $1,500 for education expenses paid for the first two years of post-secondary education.
Under the Lifelong Learning Credit, eligible taxpayers through the year 2002 can claim as a credit up to 20 percent of your first $5,000 of out-of-pocket qualified tuition and related expenses for all the students in the family. Therefore, the maximum credit you can claim for a taxable year is $1,000 through 2002.
After 2002, the credit amount is equal to 20 percent of the taxpayer's first $10,000 of out-of-pocket qualified tuition and related expenses.
(Click here for IRS information on educational tax credits)
"Depending on your income level you may qualify for tax credits," Kent said. "Talk to your financial aid officer. They'll know."
Lastly, there's The Education Resource Institute, which offers a range of low-interest financing programs, including the Continuing Education Loan.
Through the program, you can borrow from $500 to $15,000 a year and take up to 20 years to pay it back. The variable interest rate is Prime plus 1.5 percent. And you can borrow for past due balances owed to school.
The lenders that provide the loans under program are BankBoston (BKB), First Union National Bank and National City Corp. (NCC).
High-tech craze
As the job market becomes increasingly specialized, McMurtry-Grissom said it'll take more than a college degree to lock-in job security. Most likely, you'll have to take training programs and course work throughout your career just to keep up.
You have computer technology to thank.
"The computer is a grand adventure for all of us, but it also is the thing that causes many of us to retool ourselves for the workplace," she said. 
--by staff writer Shelly K. Schwartz
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
