Monday, September 5, 2011

Online Degrees – Good Choice For Working Adults

Online certified degrees are more renouned than ever for working adults who wish to consequence a college degree, but have a work and family obligations. 
By Online Degrees - onlineofdegrees.com

Accredited online degree programs are a great selection for people with active schedules or those who can’t attend a normal college due to geographic considerations. Distance learning degree programs are swift apropos the elite way of investigate amid people all over the world due to the ease of use and cost savings.Distance learning degree programs are swift apropos the elite way of investigate amid people all over the world due to the ease of use and cost savings.

Online learning has advance of age, quickly. A couple of of the benefits of online certified degree programs are:

1. Lower cost than normal on campus degrees. Many tip programs offer all march materials in the cost of the class.

2. Are existing in only about any theme you could imagine, inclusive nursing, business, psychology, illness caring administration, and law.

3. Available to any particular who has access to a P.C. with an Internet connection.

4. May be finished faster than normal on campus degree programs since many online degree programs are self-paced, so students might complete their coursework as swift as their determination and report allows. Some online universities offer speed up programs, or credit for life and work experience.

5. Offered by well esteemed certified colleges and universities. These schools often use the same curriculum for online courses as they do is to on-campus courses, so the high quality of preparation is the same.


The advantages of online learning have increased exponentially. Online degrees are so convenient for people who cannot attend grave classes for a accumulation of reasons inclusive work, family, go or sick health. Getting your degree online is only as great as earning a in an on campus setting, Online degrees are so convenient for people who cannot attend grave classes for a accumulation of reasons inclusive work, family, go or sick health. Getting your degree online is only as great as earning a in an on campus setting,but only if it comes from an certified school.

Online degrees are unusually utilitarian for any person who wants to possibly jump-start or change their careers, and that’s no surprise.
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I am a strong advocate for our students to work while earning a degree online.  Why?

A student who works has a better idea of the major he/she wishes to pursue.  The working student also has a better ability to pay tuition.  My grandson just graduated from RPI a prestigious computer engineering university.  His school loans are $1,200 per month for 15 years.  If students can pay their tuition and incur less loans they are better off.

The flexibility that online colleges provide are also a significant benefit for working adults.  All course material is provided on the college e-learning platform.  The student is given a security code to access the e-learning platform where all course material is posted as well as test dates.  The platform also host the chat room for students to post questions to the professor and the professor’s response.  The student can read the assignment on the leisure time and post questions anytime on the chat room.

Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College has a unique student benefits and has a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years to students that enroll by September 30, 2011.  IWWC also encourages students to graduate with a high grade point average and rewards students at graduation by returning 10 to 25% of paid tuition based on a students GPA of 3.0 or higher.  For more information visit the IWWC website – www.iwwcollege.com or call Jim Marquart at 772-785-8599 or toll free 888-499-2338.

James F. Marquart, CAE, MBA
Founder and President/CEO
Innova World Wide College

Friday, September 2, 2011

Finding Your Work-Life Balance

Want to achieve work-life balance? See career options that could fit your lifestyle.
By Lisa Manterfield - Yahoo Education


Is your career causing you chronic stress?

Consider exploring careers known for their flexibility.

According to a study conducted by the National Council for Family Relations, an organization focused on family research, flexible work hours can actually reduce stress and help employees strike a healthier balance between work and family life.

Sound like something you might be interested in? Check out these careers that could help you in your pursuit of work-life balance.

Do you want non-traditional hours?

While having evenings and weekends off could make it easier to spend your free time with family and friends, there can be perks to working non-traditional hours, too. Having time off while everyone else is at work means you could be free to run errands, schedule appointments, and enjoy your favorite activities without having to fight the crowds. Check out these career options known for non-traditional hours.

Chef

    • Work-Life Balance: In breakfast cafes, fine restaurants, and all-night diners, chefs can often find themselves working odd hours. But if this suits your lifestyle - and your love food - this might be a good option for you to explore.
    • Average Salary: Chefs have an average yearly salary of $44,780, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Culinary Arts Certificate/Diploma, Associate's in Culinary Arts

Medical Assistant

    • Work-Life Balance: Although many work a regular 40-hour week, according to the Department of Labor, the extended hours at physicians' offices, clinics, and hospitals could potentially create opportunities for part time, evening, or weekend hours.
    • Average Salary: Medical assistants have an average salary of $29,760, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Medical Assisting Certificate/Diploma, Associate's in Medical Assisting

Do you want to work from home?

In 2008, Inc., a magazine for small business owners, reported that 82 percent of business managers expected the number of remote workers to increase over the following five years. Consider taking advantage of this potential trend by exploring the following opportunities.

Virtual Assistant

    • Work-Life Balance: According to the Department of Labor, virtual assistants are freelancers who often work at a home office. They use the Internet, e-mail, fax, and the phone to communicate with clients about administrative, creative, or technical support services.
    • Average Salary: According to the online careers database Simply Hired, the average annual salary for a virtual assistant is $45,000.*
    • Education Options: Office Administration Certificate/Diploma, Associate's in Office Administration

Computer Support Specialist

    • Work-Life Balance: According to the Department of Labor, a growing number of companies allow computer support specialists to work remotely, and often with flexible hours.
    • Average Salary: The average annual salary for computer support specialists is $47,360, according to the Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Bachelor's in Computer Science

Do you want seasonal and/or contract work?

If "seasonal work" conjures up images of camp leaders and department store Santas, you might be surprised by these careers that could offer flexible schedules year round. Keep reading to learn more...

Accountant

    • Work-Life Balance: According to Simply Hired, there is a growing trend in companies to hire contract accountants to help with additional workload at year-end or tax time, or for special projects, such as audits. Accountants might work long hours during these times, but they could also be able to pick contracts that suit their schedules.
    • Average Salary: According to the Department of Labor, the average annual salary for an accountant is $68,960.*
    • Education Options: Bachelor's in Accounting

Teacher

    • Work-Life Balance: One of the perks of teaching is the potential for long summer breaks. Even in districts with year-round school, teachers might work an eight-week schedule, followed by a one-week vacation and a five-week midwinter break.
    • Average Salary: Average salaries for teachers range from $51,550 for kindergarten teachers to $55,990 for secondary school teachers, according to the Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Bachelor's in Education
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It is typical for an individual to think they cannot enroll in a college degree program because they do not have the time.  I can relate to that issue.  I completed my BA and MBA programs at Long Island University (LIU) and LIU Grad School at night while I worked full time in an executive position and was also married with one child.  I will say it was not easy but my wife and I agreed that earning my degrees would enhance my compensation and our quality of life.  I set a goal to complete my degrees within 6 years.  I only wish we had an online option at that time as I would have saved 4 to 6 hours per week in travel time.   If you set a goal and recognize the benefits you and your family can set aside the time you need to complete course work.  The Florida Department of Education estimates that a 3 credit course requires approximately 9 hours a week to complete the course work.  That is 1.28 hours per day.  If you take two 3 credit courses you need to estimate about 3.5 hours per day to complete 2 courses.  What is the benefit?  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study estimates that a person working 40 years the lifetime earnings is more than $3 million for a degree individual compared to a non degreed person.  That is a good incentive to earn a degree.  That study is on the Innova World Wide College website – www.iwwcollege.com.  It is on the bottom of the home page.

The flexibility to earning an online degree is another benefit.  Course material is provided by the professor on IWWC’s e-learning platform as is the course reading assignments.  The instructor usually establishes a chat time that is agreeable to the students.  The students can ask questions by posting them on IWWC e-learning platform which allows all students to view the questions and responses from the professor.  IWWC terms are 8 weeks.  I believe that a students retention of the course material is significantly enhanced in an 8 week program than the traditional 16 week term.

Whether you are employed full time or a stay at home adult raising a family you can allocate time to earn a Bachelor’s degree.  I believe a business degree is more desirable because of the flexibility within business and the employment potential.  The financial benefits are clearly shown in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study which is on the IWWC website.

James F. Marquart, CAE, MBA
Founder and President/CEO
Innova World Wide College

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Online Certificate Programs Offer a Fast Track to a New Career

By Rebecca Kern - USNews

If you're considering changing careers or have lost a job and want to learn new skills, an online certificate program may be what you need. "Certificate programs are a solution for those who want to get a short-term, highly career-oriented, compressed program to get out into the job market," says Carol Aslanian, the senior vice president of market research at EducationDynamics, a higher education marketing company. These programs are offered through strictly online institutions, such as Kaplan Continuing Education, as well as the online arms of traditional campus-based schools, like Drexel University Online or University of California–Berkeley Extension.

There are primarily two types of people enrolling in certificate programs: those advancing in a current career or those looking to change careers, Aslanian says. "Certificates can be geared to the highly educated who need a sellable skill or the less educated who are not ready or [do not] want to enter a degree program but who want a credential to get a quick-fix job," she says.

These certificate programs are more affordable and less time consuming than bachelor's or master's programs. They range from $2,000 to $4,000 in tuition and generally take one to two years to complete. The courses can also be taken for academic credit, with the option of applying the credits toward a bachelor's or master's degree program within that institution, says Kenneth Hartman, the academic director for Drexel University Online. "These certificates offer a fast track to a new career or an attractive way to specialize within a career," he says. A person can start a new career once he or she gets the certificate and then continue to take part-time online classes toward a degree to become more marketable, he adds.

Certificates can also be taken as part of a continuing education program that is not for academic credit. These noncredit certificate programs are particularly attractive for working adults who have already earned a bachelor's or a master's degree but want short-term training that meets the needs of an employer, says Barbara Sonderling, the chief academic officer for Kaplan Continuing Education.

The benefit of earning a certificate online is the flexibility to work on your own schedule while keeping a full-time job, says Wayne Smutz, the executive director for Penn State's World Campus, the university's online education program. Also, many employers offer tuition reimbursement for continued education in a related field, he says. "However, most of the time employees don't take advantage of them, and they really should, especially in this type of environment, where developing a set of skills is absolutely critical to stay at the forefront of where the job market is going," he says.

Additionally, online certificate programs offer a fast way to learn the newest technology and skills in continually developing careers. Most professions these days are using technologies, particularly in the communications world and in information technology, says Ayn Fox, a career coach with eLearners.com, an online education resource. "Learning the latest and greatest in a field enhances an employee's contribution to their employer," Hartman says. "In this day and age, where employers are downsizing, the more that you can do to strengthen your ability to contribute to your organization, the better you're going to be in terms of preserving your job."

There has been a noticeable increase in certificate enrollments in fields that are seeing employment growth, which include information technology, healthcare, and education. Within information technology, "certification-driven" programs are popular because they prepare students to take specific certification exams, such as Microsoft and Cisco software programs, Sonderling says.

Certificates in project management are also very popular and can be applied to a wide variety of careers, says Jason Lemon, the associate dean of University of California–Berkeley Extension. The program management certificate is applicable for people who want to change careers as well as those who want to enhance their skills in their current career. In the early days, this certificate was popular in the engineering and information technology fields, but now students from almost every kind of business—including pharmaceutical, finance, public management, and retail—earn this certificate. There are no prerequisites for admission to the certificate program, but a bachelor's degree is recommended. "People have come to understand that project management is a key competency that will improve implementation in any new effort," Lemon says.

Within the healthcare field, the certificate in medical billing and coding has been popular recently, Hartman says. The interest in this certificate is directly related to the changes occurring within national healthcare and the aging of the baby boom generation, he says. "There is a huge demand for medical billing and records administrators, which this certificate prepares you for," he says. The only educational prerequisite is a high school diploma, Hartman says. The academic credit earned from the certificate can also be applied toward the completion of a bachelor's of science in health services administration. Since no prior education in healthcare is required, this certificate is appropriate for a person just entering the workforce or someone switching from a nonmedical career.

Corliss Ford was looking to advance in the nursing field. With the help of a certificate in forensic nursing from Kaplan Continuing Education, she landed a job as the director of nursing with a home healthcare company in Phoenix. After completing this certificate, she went on to earn a bachelor's of science in nursing from Kaplan University and is currently pursuing a master's of science in forensic psychology from Walden University. "The certificate definitely was one of the reasons I got this position, and for me that was a big step in my career and a big pay raise," she says.

In the education field, a post-bachelor's teaching certificate is another certificate program experiencing increased enrollment. It gives a person with a bachelor's degree a fast route to a new career, Hartman says. "This certificate program offers a quick way to complete the requirements necessary to get into the classroom and begin to teach children," he says. Drexel University Online's post-bachelor's teaching certificate is recognized by Pennsylvania and by most other states, he says.
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Innova World Wide College (IWWC) A Premier Online Business College offers Certificate Programs.  A student that takes certificate courses can enhance their education in a specific area and possibly that can enhance their position within the company they work for.  For example, a receptionist who wants to transfer into a business area might enhance their position value by taking certificate programs in accounting or other specific disciplines.  It is a step in the right direction.  At IWWC a certificate student knows that if they decide to matriculate for a Bachelor of Science degree in business at IWWC we will accept all courses taken and passed for 2 years.

In my opinion, a student should make sure that certificate programs will be accepted if they decide to matriculate and earn a Bachelor’s degree.

The cold hard fact is a Bachelor’s degree is a necessity to advance your career and quality of life.

James F. Marquart, CAE, MBA
Founder and President/CEO
Innova World Wide College
website – www.iwwcollege.com