When measuring career success, one of the things that most people look at is career advancement. Moving up the ladder to jobs with more responsibility and higher pay is the goal for most of us, but can be difficult to achieve. There comes a point where experience and a track record of success has taken you as far as you can go, and the only way to climb higher is to get more education.
There are many colleges that offer bachelors degrees in supply chain management and logistics. In fact, the demand for logistics professionals is expected to grow much faster than the average over the next few years. With more businesses going global and customers doing a larger portion of their shopping online, the job of a logistics professional isn't going away anytime soon. With that in mind, the chances of growing your career right along with the industry increases when you have a bachelors or even a masters degree.
When looking at continuing your education, it can be difficult to decide how to go about it. Colleges and Universities are offering more options to make learning accessible to everyone. Students have the choice of pursuing degrees in the classroom by taking advantage of classes that are offered in the evenings and on weekends, taking their coursework completely online or mixing both of these. There are pros and cons to each style of coursework, and the goal is to select the one that works best for your individual situation. Here is the breakdown:
- Traditional in-the-classroom learning – Many colleges offer evening classes and weekend classes designed for working professionals. In fact, there are even universities that offer accelerated weekends-only degree programs. By tailoring programs around the needs of working adults, the colleges can make earning a degree faster and more convenient. These courses take less time but are very intense. The amount of homework and the pace of the class can be a challenge for many people. The danger is getting overwhelmed and struggling to find life-work-school balance. When you get to this place, everything suffers, your work, your grades and your overall happiness.
- Online Learning – Taking your classes online makes it easy to work your education in around your schedule. This type of coursework uses message boards and other computer programs to connect students with the professor. Although many people have had gotten their degree through online programs, others have missed the lack of one-on-one interaction with the instructor, which has caused them to drop out. Not going to a physical location for classes can make students miss out on opportunities to network with classmates and faculty. Not feeling like they “belong” as much as traditional full-time students can add to the unhappiness.
- Hybrid programs – These programs aim to mix the best of online studies with the best of on-site learning. While most of the coursework and assignments are available online, the students attend classes at preset intervals. At some universities, it can be weekends, and others have rotating schedules. Although they require less scheduled classroom time, for those who travel a great deal, it can be difficult to work them into their schedule. However, the mix of both types of learning seems to build a strong sense of community among students and has a lower drop out rate.
Whichever way you decide to continue your education, the main thing is to know your learning style. Think about times in the past where you have had successes in a training or classroom situation and the times that you have struggled. By analyzing the factors that led to your success or struggles, you can get a better idea of what your learning style is and how to avoid pitfalls to your success. Knowing what you need out of a higher learning plan makes it easier to be sure you get it.
Are you looking for a job in Logistics? Be sure to visit Logisticsjobsite.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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