Kareen Cox
Career Writer


In recent years we have seen in Jamaica, a massive increase in the
number of local and international institutions offering part-time
study options to full-time workers interested in furthering their
education. According to Caroline Gatrell, author of the book, Managing
Part-Time Study, this increase has also been identified in the United
Kingdom, Europe, North America and throughout the developing world.

This significant rise in part-time studying can be attributed to the
shift in employment patterns, where persons are no longer expected to
stay in one job for their entire working lives, but instead, multiple
career and job changes have become the norm. To keep up with the
constant changes in the workplace, individuals must continuously
upgrade their skills. Part-time studying can help persons to achieve
necessary qualifications as well as facilitate career improvement or
career change.

There are many options available for part-time study. However, before
you choose a course of study, consider the following:

What exactly do you want to do? In answering this question you
must look at yourself in terms of your strengths, skills and talents,
your prospects for growth and development in your current job, and
your future career plans.

Do you need to have face-to-face or social contact?

How much time can you allocate towards studying on a daily basis?

In what time frame would you like to complete your qualifications –
nine months, one year, five years?

How will you finance your studies?
According to Gen and Kelly Tanabe, United States college and
scholarship experts, and award-winning authors of 11 books on college
planning, some of the choices available for combining work and school
are:

Attend school in the evenings and on the weekends: Many after
work part-time programmes offer everything from single-skill courses
such as learning computer skills to getting your entire bachelor's or
master's degree. These programmes afford you the opportunity to keep
your job while you work towards learning a new skill or earning a
degree. Universities with evening programmes usually offer classes
that meet one or two nights a week, while programmes offered on
weekends take place for either all day or half day Saturday and/or
Sunday.

Attend summer school: You might think summer school is just
for students who failed a course, but most universities offer summer
sessions that allow you to take the same classes that are offered
during the fall or spring semesters. If you are lucky enough to be in
a profession where you get summers off, then summer school may be the
perfect option for you.

Summer courses are usually more intensive since you have less time to
cover the same amount of information as during the regular school
term. However, summer school is usually cheaper than classes taken
during the regular term, and you do learn the same material. Credit
that you earn in a summer course can almost always be used towards
your degree or transferred later to a full-time programme.

Take classes via distance learning: The Internet has brought a
whole new life to distance learning. Now, through online courses, you
can take classes at your own convenience. Online courses also offer a
higher degree of interaction and allow you to get the feeling of
attending class without actually being there. As an added benefit,
these courses are sometimes cheaper than the traditional face-to-face
classroom sessions.


*Kareen Cox is co-ordinator, career resourcesdepartment within the HEART Trust/NTA. Email: kareen_cox@heart-nta.org