Tag Archives: careers

careers, college majors

Is Your Student Interested in Nursing?

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nursing

If your student is in the stages of deciding which degree to take at college, you’ll likely know that this can be a testing time. Some teens seem to know exactly what kind of career that they want even at this age, others are still unsure- and that’s okay too. This is a big decision that will affect your child’s future enormously, so if they are questioning their choices or feeling unsure, then this is just a completely healthy part of the process. 

 You’ll naturally be looking to support and help them as much as you can and so being clued up on some excellent degree options will help you to provide better advice.

 For instance, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a degree level program which requires four years of study. The main curriculum on these programs includes the study of all aspects of nursing practice and theory; from adult and maternal to newborn and pediatric. At some colleges, areas such as community, gerontological or psychiatric health will also be covered in the curriculum. As well as nursing practice and theory, courses will also include studying leadership and professional practice. 

Benefits of study 

While some other routes into nursing take less time to study, the BSN degree is a longer and more detailed course that is considered advantageous for a number of reasons. Firstly, taking a BSN means more options to progress further career-wise in the nursing world, and thus the salaries as one moves forward will reflect this. Holding a BSN will grant entry into masters courses or set the student up to progress by taking a Doctor of Nursing program. Some DNP programs are available to study online; for instance, Bradley University offers such opportunities. As well as this, graduates of these courses will enjoy the chance to take on specialized nursing based jobs that exist outside the traditional role. Students could end up specializing in something that they are really passionate about, for instance, a psychiatric nurse, nurse anesthetist, or neonatal intensive care nurse. In addition to this, leadership roles are on the cards if these are what candidates aspire to. 

Job satisfaction 

 Nursing is the ultimate altruistic professional that helps others and gives back. A number of essays and studies have linked being an altruistic person to being a happier person, so nursing candidates could find a career whereby they experience real joy, even though the work can be challenging. Finding something that you love to do is great for the mind and body both, yet sometimes it can be difficult finding out just what that thing is! If your kid is keen to discover if the nursing world is for them, why not suggest that they spent a little time volunteering in supporting role and see if this helps them reach a decision? Spending enough time researching and discovering as much about a potential degree program as you can will aid in making a properly informed choice.

careers, graduation

Choosing the Next Step After High School Graduation

high school graduation

Teenagers can feel pressure to plan their future as the end of their time at high school approaches. Being encouraged to apply for college or to find a job as soon as they have graduated can be difficult, especially when it starts early and they feel like they have to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. If you want to help a teenager work out what they want to do after high school graduation, you can offer them assistance and encouragement in a number of ways.

Encourage an Open Approach

High schoolers can often feel pressured to make important life choices as soon as possible. They might feel that they need to start choosing colleges and thinking about what their major is going to be before they’re anywhere near finishing high school. But if you want to help a teenager work out what to do after graduation, you can encourage them to keep their options open. There’s no need for them to have a set plan for the future or a solid idea of their post-graduation plans long before they graduate. If they keep an open mind, they could be more likely to find something that suits them.

Explore Options Outside of College

Many teenagers feel that there is pressure to attend college straight after high school. However, more graduates are being put off going to college by high tuition fees and other factors. Educator Dr Jerry Jellig believes that high school students need to be presented with other options, including alternative career paths and routes into college. There are various paths to explore, from vocational schools to employment opportunities after high school. College doesn’t have to be something that is completed straight after high school, if it is a goal at all.

Understand the Current and Future Job Market


It’s worth thinking about what the job market looks like today and what it could look like in a few years. Parents and educators of teenagers today might not be as in touch with the current job market as they might think, especially when it comes to opportunities for people who are just beginning their career. To help teenagers discover a career path that could work for them, you should be aware of what types of jobs are out there and how the skills that teenagers learn today can help them find the right opportunities.

Find Opportunities for Experience

Work experience can help teenagers explore their career options and discover what sort of work they might be interested in. There are a few ways to find work experience, including a short week or two shadowing someone, summer internships or part-time jobs. Work experience might not show high schoolers the exact career that they want to have, but it can reveal to them some of the skills they might want to use or industries they want to explore.

High school graduates don’t have to know what to do for the rest of their lives, but they should know what their next step is. You can help them decide.

careers

Ideal Careers for your Strong Student Leader

leaderIf your child has excellent leadership skills or wants to develop them more, it might be time to start looking at colleges and careers that are suitable for passionate leaders. Children and teenagers have plenty of opportunities to build their leadership skills through the years, and there are some interesting college majors and careers they can explore too.

Business and Entrepreneurship

For people who want to take the lead in their career, working in business or becoming an entrepreneur is often a top choice. It opens up opportunities for them to climb the career ladder and to both use their leadership skills and put forward their own ideas.

Education

Working in education is a good way to use leadership skills to inspire others. There are lots of ways to work in education, teaching different ages and different subjects. You might teach children or adults, ranging from being a school teacher to passing on your area of expertise to people looking for a new hobby or teaching key skills like the English language.

Legal Careers

Working in a legal career as a lawyer or another legal professional presents plenty of opportunities for leadership too. However, it’s likely to be in a different way to how someone might lead a class of people or even a team in an office. Leadership in the legal profession could involve working with a team or with someone one-on-one.

Nonprofit Organizations

If your child is interested in doing good in the world, they might be interested in the leadership skills necessary for working at a nonprofit organization as outlined in this infographic.


Infographic Design By USC

career colleges, careers

Careers in the Medical Field (other than a doctor or a nurse)

 

medical

Is your college-bound teen interested in the medical field but doesn’t want to become a doctor or nurse? It’s good to know there are other avenues they can pursue, and some are even available online.

Who are medical assistants in the medical field? They are the people usually working under doctors. They work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Their work is basically to take care of administrative, clerical and clinical tasks. These may include tasks such as scheduling appointments, blood preparation, recording patient history and information,helping with examinations, and recording vital signs.

There are many different medical assistant programs out there. This makes the decision to enroll in a medical assistant program a difficult one. As a potential student, how do you balance your choices from the different programs? I suggest you compare the costs and the length of the program. Different schools out there offer programs, some even offer online programs. You can tell just by logic the convenience of an online program.  I mean can, students get to save a significant amount of money and still be able to study from anywhere.

I have looked at a couple of medical assistant online programs which have been compiled based on affordability and quality. Do you want to graduate with a certification, a diploma, or an associate’s degree? Keep in mind that a diploma or certification takes less time to complete and can get you into the workforce right away and an associate’s degree takes a longer time and its quite useful when you want to a fast track to the top. Medical assistant online courses, make it possible to keep your current lifestyle while pursuing your medical career.  Here are several choices.0

1.The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP)

This college offers a medical assisting certificate and a Healthcare Management degree for further career advancement. To make it legitimate, this school is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Medical assisting online courses from this school allow students to complete labs and lectures online with the option of in-field clinical experience at local campuses across the U.S. This quality training requires a tuition fee of $24,133.

2.Kaplan University

This is going to impress you. It is very important to note that this program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Kaplan University’s online bachelor’s program is known for their quality online medical degrees, and it’s no different for their medical assisting online program either. You can get this quality training for $14,241. If you are not able to fully fund yourself, the school offers financial aid based on the FASFA application.

3.Harrison College

Harrison College is a for-profit college that offers a degree and diploma in medical assisting. Harrison is one of two distance learning CAAHEP accredited medical assisting programs in the nation keeping in mind that CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field. The online associate of applied science in medical assisting program takes two years, with a medical assistant externship included in the tuition fee which is just $17,100.

4.Liberty University

This is one of the world’s largest online universities. Liberty is a non-profit, Christian school that offers degrees from the certification to the doctoral level. Too good to be true? It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This school offers an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Office Assisting program that prepares students to work as assistants in healthcare environments.The tuition fee caps at $20,109 which is fair considering the school’s rep and the quality of training provided.

 

As you can see, these are just but a few options. There are other schools out there that offer such programs. This article has highlighted the best in quality and price to make it easier for your student to make a better decision.

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career colleges, careers

4 Questions to Ask Your Child Before They Decide to Study Medicine

 

study medicine

There is many a student out there with grand ideas of entering the medical profession, with all the prestige, salary, and pride that goes along with doing a job connected with helping others. However, while you’ll understandably be excited that your child is showing an interest to study medicine and join such a worthwhile profession, it’s important to remember that the cost of putting a child through medical school is expensive. As such you’ll need to make sure your child is fully determined to see the course through if you’re going to part with your cash. Below, we take a look at five questions you should be asking your child before they decide to study medicine; it might make them think twice, or give you all the encouragement you need to fund their education.

1. Why?

It’s easy to fall for the image of being a doctor or other medical professional, but the image and the reality are worlds apart. Your child might have a solid understanding of what is driving them towards the medical industry, but you won’t know until you’ve asked them. If they’re especially interested in helping people, understanding how the body works, and working hard, then it might be the right career choice for them. If they have only a vague desire, then try to draw out of them what they want to do – it might not be becoming a doctor, and you’ll be setting them on the right path.

2. Do They Know the Commitment?

Nothing worth having comes overnight, and this is true for becoming a medical professional. It requires a lot of schooling, right through from the time at college, to postgraduate studies, to getting experience in the hospitals. All in all, it’ll be well over a decade until they’re finished with their studies and bringing home a good income. Are they willing to play the long game to get their dream job?

3. Will they be Happy with the Work/Life Balance?

Working in the medical industry isn’t so much about having a job as it is adopting a lifestyle. For instance, asking “how much does a Radiologist make?” is a good question to ask, but it’s important to weigh he potential income (which is high) against the number of hours worked. The good news is that doctors do tend to get more free time as they get more experienced, but the early years can be particularly draining.

4. What Branch of Medicine?

Obviously, the medical field is massive, and as such there are many jobs that a person going down the medical route could end up doing. They could become a surgeon, general hospital doctor, a cardiologist, radiologist, or a whole host of other options. It’s not so important that they pick which discipline they’re most interested in before they start, but it’s good to keep an eye on which jobs will be safe for the future; doctors will always be in demand, but some surgeons might see their procedures automated.

If they can answer all these confidently and positively, then you might have a future doctor on your hands!

careers

Is Nursing Right for Your Student?

 

nursing

One of the most important things that everyone should do before choosing a career is to look into their chosen field in great detail. This should include the bad and the downright ugly bits as well as just the good stuff. Why? Well, it’s because only by knowing the challenges you will come up against will students be able to determine whether it is truly something that they want to dedicate their life to, or whether their talents are better used elsewhere. With this in mind get your students to check out all three parts of this post introducing nursing,  to see whether it is a good match for them.

The Good

Helping people

Of course, at the top of many students’ lists is finding a career that enables them to help others. Nursing is great for this because not only do they get to provide physical care and aid with people recovery, there is also the aspect of bedside manner. The emotional care that can help people feel better when they are in difficult situations. In fact, this element is often cited as a reason why people chose nursing over being a doctor because they have more one to one time with patients to be able to establish this.

Doing an essential job

Nursing is also a great role, for those that are concerned with doing a job that is essential to society. Nurses are vital and will remain so. Meaning anyone studying in this area can be confident in the fact that they will be doing a useful and meaningful role once they are qualified.

Specialisms

Another appealing facet of going into nursing is that their air many areas that individual can specialize in. From things like wound care, gerontology, and intensive care work, to outpatient rehabilitation and new baby checks. It’s likely that there will be something in this field that is the perfect match for most students.

Flexible training life long learning

Nursing is also a profession where you are expected to never give up learning. Always being on the ball with new research in your area as well as being able to do additional training to help you move up the career ladder. In fact, you can even do an Online RN to BSN Degree now. Meaning that you can continue working in your RN position and study for your BSc in a flexible way. Something that can save on cost, and also is much more convenient as you can work on your assignments at home around your shifts.

Lots of jobs

Something else that is most definitely in favor of choosing a nursing career is that it’s a role where there is nearly always a demand for employees. This is great news for students going into the profession because they can be fairly sure that they will have job security. Something that is very important to many, especially when they have bills to pay and a family to support.

Can travel the world

Lastly, in the good section, it’s worth mentioning that nursing is one of those careers that provide you with the opportunity of traveling while you work. This is because nurses are often categorized as essential workers. Meaning that getting a temporary work VISA in another country, and well as emigrating permanently is often a lot easier than it would be if you have another profession.

The Bad

Shift work

Of course, nursing isn’t all roses, and there are some things that student need to know about this profession before they take the leap. In particular, that shift work that can be at night as well as in the day can be a challenge for many. Either because it can mess with their own sleep routine, or it can create problems with relationships and even childcare.

On feet all the time

Nursing is also one of those professions where it’s all go a lot of the time. That means nurses are often always on their feet, with little chance for breaks or rests in between tasks. This can be incredibly exhausting, especially when done over a long period of time. As the body never gets to rest and rejuvenate probably. This can lead to issues with things like plantar fasciitis, back pain, and strains that can be painful, and impede a nurse’s ability to work.

Understaffed and low budgets

Lastly, in the bad section, it is worth noting that depending on the area you work in as a nurse you may come up against issues such as there not being enough staff for the work that there is. This is often a budgetary issue and is more likely in facilities that provide care for those that cannot pay for it themselves.  

Of course m if you do find yourself working in such a situation, it can be stressful as well as rewarding because you will be asked to do so much more, as there isn’t anyone else there that is qualified to do it.

The Ugly

Have to deal with the public when they are their worst

It’s also worth mentioning that while the chance to make an emotional difference in someone’s life is a vital aspect of nursing. It’s not all about mopping fevered brows and offering words of wisdom. Nurses also have to deal with the public, usually, when they are hurt, ill, or in pain. Meaning that they are not always at their best. This can be something that is truly stressful and difficult and is definitely an issue to be aware of before embarking on the profession.  

Strong constitutions

Lastly, being a nurse definitely not a career for students that are faint of  heart. As they have to deal with extreme situations, injuries, bodily fluids and even the fragility of life each and every day. This is something that can be particularly tough to get to grips with, and as nurses are really on the front line with regard to these issues, it should be something that is factored into any career decisions before they are made.

 

careers, college majors

Is Your Student Interested in a Digital Career?

 

digital career

 

Let’s face it; the world is changing at a rapid rate. One of the things this has a big impact on is jobs and the labour market. If you choose the wrong career, it could all go horribly wrong if new technologies make your redundant in a decade or so. That’s clearly not something anyone wants to go through. So, you should start looking for a digital career that has legs. That way, you won’t be left behind by the tides of change.

Security Analysts

These days, every company out there is in need of people who understand security matters. It’s a huge issue, and it’s one that is not going to go away anytime soon. When companies have money and information, they are immediately targets for hackers and cybercriminals. This is something that all companies are worried about and thinking about. As a result, security companies are more successful than ever, and security analysts are the one that are most in demand. So, this career path definitely has legs.

Data Management Specialists

Data is a big deal right now, and that’s only going to increase in the years ahead. People who can read and interpret data and make it useful to companies and organisations are increasingly in demand. And that makes data management and data analysis great things to get into if you’re looking for a career path that offers something that is a little different. Access training for Microsoft might be a good place to start if you want to understand more about data and databases. See if it’s something that interests you at all.

Product Designers

This is one career that is not going anywhere. It requires very strong digital skills, and it’s something that companies require as they look for ways to get their products notice in a competitive market. And the great thing about creative careers like this one is that they are not going to be taken away by computers or robots in the future. That’s something that is simply not going to happen, so you won’t need to worry about it at all. Product design might be the ideal future-proof job for you.

Nanotechnology Specialists

The name might sound cool, but this career path has much more going for it than that. Many people believe it to be the future of everything from engineering to medicine. It’s a very complex field with lots of different strands. It’s thought that nanotechnology will make our lives safer, and could even be used to detect early signs of serious illnesses in the future. So, it’s a great time to start learning more about this and making it your career path of choice. Read more about it and learn what it all means before you decide whether or not it’s something you should consider getting involved with.

As you can see, there are plenty of options out there if you want a modern and digital job that is going to be in demand for a long time to come.

careers, gap year, graduation

Exploring the Options After Graduation

 

graduation

As exciting as college is for high school graduates, it’s terrifying for parents – especially when your child is the one who wants to dash across the country to another school.

For some, college is a chance to spread their wings as far and as wide as they can go. The chance to live in another state and meet entirely new people is exciting and can be life-changing, especially if you’re already from a small town. But, what if your teen isn’t sure what they want to do post-high school graduation? What if they have no idea the options available to them? What if going away to college is too daunting, too much to handle? This is the job for parents. You need to all sit down together and talk about the options ahead of them after high school and how those options can affect their choices in later life. College is an important stepping stone into an ideal career and if you harness their creativity and passion when they’re young, they’ll thank you for it later. So, what options are on the table for your teenager?

College.

Okay, so obviously the first option out of high school is going to be college. Whether that’s studying in college thousands of miles away, or doing an online MBA program at home instead, college is the first and most preferable option. Finding work without a degree can be difficult and if your teenager has specific ideas of what they want from their future, it makes sense to walk them through college application time. They don’t have to go to the opposite end of the country when there are local community colleges and the option to study online at home.

Work.

Working right out of high school is an option that some take over going directly into college with their friends. This option may be a temporary one, but they could also secure a position at the bottom of a company doing an internship with the promise of progression through the ranks. It’s not a bad option to think about, especially if your teen needs a break from studying to earn money toward tuition.

Travel.

A gap year between high school and college that is filled with places to see and things to do is a popular option among students. Some kids work their way through high school, saving every penny they make so that they can have an adventure around the world and gain some cultural experiences before they settle into their studies.

Whichever way your high-school graduate chooses to go, as a parent you must support their exploration of all the options and while you can help and guide, the decision cannot be yours. College is a time for growth, and not just for the kids.

careers

How to Help Your Student Pursue a Teaching Career

 

teaching career

The desire to be a teacher is something that a lot of people carry with them from a very young age. It’s right up there with astronaut and fireman when you’re asking children about what they want to be when they grow up. As a young person matures, however, that desire might stay with them and very well become the path they want to take. Perhaps they’re good with children or they’re passionate about education. As a parent, there’s a lot you can do for a child who really wants to become a teacher and will make every effort to see that dream become a reality.

Be real with them

It’s easy to grow up with a romanticized idea of what it means to be a teacher. For our generation, watching the Dead Poets Society shaped that romantic idea for a lot of people. The new generation might be a bit more connected with the reality of being a teacher thanks to the internet but it’s important to make sure that an idealistic idea of what it means to be a teacher will thoroughly ruin their chances of enjoying their career. Talk to them about both the pros and the cons. Yes, they can shape young minds and if they feel the calling they should go for it. However, it might also involve dealing with troublesome students, belligerent parents, and a system that often doesn’t allow them as much flexibility to teach as effectively as they would like.

Know their requirements

Different states and different careers have a lot of different requirements. If your child wants to go into education, then majoring in it is usually required. They may then require further certification to teach children, as well as being subjected to background checks and be required to have up-to-date vaccines. If they want to teach in further education, then they’re likely going to need a Masters or a PhD in their field of choice. On top of that, they may need both experience in the industry they’re teaching and some academic publication credentials.

Know the career is changing

The skills that it takes to become a teacher nowadays aren’t necessarily the same skills their teachers had while they were growing up. Curriculums and teaching methods change all the time. But perhaps the most notable change is the trend in the inclusion of technology in the classroom. Besides training a teacher, it’s a good idea to help your child get more computer literate. There’s a good chance they’re already more computer literate than you, but many still grow up without truly mastering these skills and focusing on them can prepare them for the more practical side of a future teaching career.

Keep their options broad

Many people get into the classroom just to find out that it’s not for them. But that doesn’t mean that their enthusiasm for educating others and the skills they’ve build up to that point are useless. There are many ways they can branch out from a traditional career in education. They can specialize in teaching children with disabilities. They can go private and work as a tutor on a one-to-one basis. They can apply teaching skills to the world of business and become a corporate skills trainer. By going through online TESOL graduate programs, they can even be qualified to teach overseas. They can go from classroom to company meeting room to an entirely different country. Teaching has a lot more career mobility than many expect if they don’t look at their options. They’re never stuck if they find they’re not in the career they want.

Find their fit

It’s not just that your child might be able to teach in a different physical environment to a different demographic. They can take their passion for education into an entirely different space. For instance, more people are making careers from teaching online, whether it’s providing e-learning lectures or preparing and distributing materials for distance learning. Others are moving to work in behind the scenes of the education systems as consultants and advisors. Again, this gives your child a better knowledge of the different branches they can take from becoming a teacher. It’s a way to support that passion and calling while also keeping their thinking practical.

admissions, careers, college planning, parenting

Key Questions to Ask Your Student Before College

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key questions

As a loving parent, aiding your child’s educational development is a priority at all times. Helping them gain the strongest foothold in college is undoubtedly the greatest support you could ever provide. Rather than forcing them, though, it’s imperative that your child gains the motivation and traits needed to do it for themselves. Here are some key questions that will enable you to achieve that goal of pointing them in the right direction. Get this right, and they should gain a far better chance of reaching their potential.

Q: What careers interest you?

A lack of direction is perfectly normal throughout those school years. In truth, it’s probably a good thing that your son or daughter spent this time embracing various aspects of life. However, college is a time to focus on a profession. After all, following a career in the medical industry is far different to becoming a lawyer for example. In today’s climate, many graduates do change their mind upon completion of their degrees. As such, making this choice probably isn’t as crucial as it once was. Nevertheless, studying in the right field will give your child a far better chance of reaching the top. Careful consideration is key.

Q: How will you stand out on your college application?

The competition for college places is higher than ever. Naturally, a better institution results in a better education for your child. So if you want them to receive the best, it’s imperative that they go the extra mile to stand out from the crowd. Whether applying to an ivy league school or another college doesn’t matter. Grades alone won’t be enough, which is why hiring an education consultant could be one of the best steps you ever make. By taking applications to the next level, your son or daughter will be in a far stronger position. In the meantime, it should enable them to place greater focus on their exams and school work too.

Q: How will you supplement your academics?

Education is a great platform for any successful career. However, the volume of graduates means that even a first class degree won’t guarantee a grad role. Therefore, your son or daughter should think about part-time or voluntary roles that can be used to supplement their studies. Let’s face it; the skills gained from those roles will aid their development for the course too. The key is to find the right balance so that it doesn’t stop them from achieving their academic goals. Apart from anything else, this is a great chance for them to create useful connections. With a little bit of luck, this could open up a number of doors later on.

Q: Are you ready to live independently in college?

 The college life isn’t exclusively about education. Gaining the best degree possible should be your child’s priority at all times. But there’s no doubt that their standard of living throughout those college years will have a huge influence on their ability to succeed. So, teaching your child the fundamental skills of cooking, cleaning, and financial management will serve them very well. Without that life knowledge, those struggles will cause negative impacts on their studies. Besides, it’ll allow them to focus on the development of other key skills that are born from spending time at college.