There may be a number of reasons why going back to school isn’t an
option in your life right now. It could be that you feel those years
are behind you and you are now in the workplace. Or, it could be that
due to a variety of different reasons, maybe you never really were
able to figure out what you wanted to do and what degree you should
get.
No matter what the reason, is doesn’t mean you can’t continue to
educate yourself. After all, education isn’t just about classrooms and
exams. It’s about having a wide and unblinkered view of the world, and
knowing what is going on in it. It’s about identifying your weaknesses
and strengthening them of your own volition. It’s about discovering
the skills you feel you need to improve yourself or increase your
chances for a promotion or raise at work. Once you obtain the skills
you need, then it’s all about going out there and getting what you
want!
Whatever you do, don’t think that not having a degree is the end of
your own personal education. With the internet, there are hundreds of
options available to you. Here are a number of ways that you can
continue learning without the help of traditional academia.
1. Stay current news: A great way to self-educate is to keep up to
date on current news, events and affairs around the world. Read the
news and know what is happening in the world. You don’t have to buy
newspapers (which can be quite expensive); pretty much all of the same
news and information is now available online. Sign up to news outlets
mailing lists, and they will send you their main headlines in an
automated email each day. Set aside at least 30 minutes per day to
browse the news. You can also watch videos, join discussions and share
interesting articles with friends and family on social media. Our
favorite way to stay up to date with the news is by reading
theskimm.com every morning.
2. Sign-up for online courses: Thanks to the many wonders of the
Worldwide Web, the classroom is no longer the only place you can learn
things. If you want to educate yourself on a topic, or skill, or
subject, find and sign up for an online course. For example, this
English speaking course is taught 100% online, with no need to even
leave your computer! You can teach yourself pretty much anything
online these days, or at least the absolute basics. Great places to
find affordable (or even free) online classes are Udemy.com, Khan
Academy and Lynda.com. Make sure you check out CCG’s job search and
entrepreneurship courses too!
3. Don’t dismiss the arts: Valuable lessons are not just learned
through subjects like math and science. The arts are also a goldmine
of valuable lessons. Best of all, many arts can be done by yourself or
taught by yourself. You may even be able to find a free local class or
a free co-working environment where you can meet like-minded people
while you get artsy! Not only will you learn new skills, but you will
also learn things about yourself by being creative and exploring a new
artsy side of yourself.
4. Find a mentor: Whatever industry or profession you want to work in,
there is somebody else who has done it before you. Others have years
of knowledge and experience above you, and they don’t necessarily want
to keep that all to themselves! Finding a mentor who is happy to teach
you what they know could be a life changing experience for you and
sometimes, even more valuable than another degree.
5. Attend courses through your current employer: If money is holding
your back, ask your manager or Human Resources if they have courses
available or tuition reimbursement to attend education classes. Is
there a course you want to attend that your employer might be happy to
pay for? It never hurts to ask! Just be prepared to make the case
about why the course will help benefit the company and the new skills
you’ll be able to take back to your job once complete. Hopefully, you
see that self-education is often even more important that formal
education. No matter what, always continue to educate yourself because
your most valuable investment is you.
