Distance learning and online programs have created more resources than ever before to assist in a career change. With access to these resources, there are many opportunities to grow your technical skills. Changing career paths is a very common choice for people who want to take their career to a new level or in this case, transition into a new industry.
Manufacturing is vital to the modern economy, yet millennials rank the sector as one of their least preferred career paths (5th out of 7 in a study by the National Association of Manufacturers). According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one of the current and projected challenges the manufacturing sector faces is that younger workers are not entering the sector at a rate that is required to replace the current older workforce when they retire, which will lead to a major gap in the workforce.
To keep up with the demand for skilled workers and quickly changing technology, adults learners need to stay updated with relevant skills and knowledge. There are now many certificate, diploma, and degree options currently available in an in-class, online, or hybrid learning format, making education very accessible!
4 Reasons To Consider Technical Cross-trainingThe demand for skilled technical workers continues to grow with technological advancement and shifting economies. For example, consider the demand for electric and hybrid vehicles. This demand has grown significantly over the past few years, leading automotive manufacturers to adapt their production to satisfy consumers and meet emission targets.
Online courses and programs have gained massive popularity in the past few years, attracting a large and diverse population of learners. Young adults are no longer the only students in these programs—recent research indicates that online students are becoming younger and older!
Computer simulations have greatly evolved with progress in computer science over the past few decades. With origins in a math experiment during WWII, simulation technologies now have widespread applications in various industries ranging from healthcare to manufacturing to entertainment. Simulation tools have found numerous successes and advantages in education, being used for teaching, training, and testing applications. As computer technology continues to improve, simulations will become more immersive and will continue transforming applications in education.
In the past few decades, automation has rapidly disrupted and changed industries by redefining responsibilities of existing jobs, and introduced new fields and roles. For example, consider the evolution of Amazon’s warehouses—self-organizing robotic shelves now work with workers to fulfil a high volume of orders quickly and efficiently for rapid delivery, which would not have been possible decades ago!
You’re thinking about upgrading your technical skills, but still have reservations about going back to school as an adult learner. It’s completely normal to have these feelings. We now live in a world where going back to school as an adult has not only become more common, but increasingly vital, as workers across all industries try to stay relevant in the face of technological and societal change.
Two commonly misunderstood types of training are certificates and certifications. Both provide important value, but are quite different in terms of purpose, content, oversight and commitment required to complete them. Selecting the right training will ultimately increase your hire ability and/or value to your employer.
