eduCation | Feature
learning for life Education is one of the most priceless tools we can equip ourselves with, whether we’re currently in the workforce or seeking to join it. InBusiness talks to NUI Galway, UL’s Kemmy Business School, University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University to discover why people are going back into education, and the benefits that can be reaped from doing so.
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pskilling or reskilling is one of the fundamental ways by which we can achieve personal or professional growth, whether you are a school leaver seeking to gain an education you never received, or a university graduate looking to augment your qualifications for advancement within the workplace. Many workers are looking towards professional development or continuous professional development (CPD) courses to ensure they are both up to date with the skills and trends within their chosen profession, and to continue to remain employable.
CPD has been described as a tool for self-managing your professional development. For some it may be a requirement, on behalf of a professional organisation or workplace code, though for others it may well be a new experience. CPD is continual simply because learning never ceases, despite one’s age or development. CPD requirements generally involve a minimum of 60 hours of learning every three years. The importance of developing or continuing to develop your professional skills should not be underestimated, and for many, CPD
is a life-long obligation, mandated by professional organisations or required by employers, with postgraduate or modular courses augmenting or replacing this development. Today’s world is a fast changing one, a world in which trends move and change at lightning speed, and previous learning can become quickly out of date. Recent economic events have reminded us all of the need to upgrade our knowledge to perform better in our varied arenas; quite a number of initiatives have been established across the country. The Government’s Pathways InBusiness | Q2 2013 59
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