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How can I further my Skills and Qualifications?
If you are looking for the next step up in your career or considering a
change of direction, then you will probably be thinking about training.
Getting a qualification is the first step towards achieving your goal.
Depending on which qualification you choose, it can be the key you need
to get you through the selection process when going for a
job.
Choosing the right direction from the outset is vital. You want to
choose the course that will ultimately give you the qualification for
the position you want. Studying can take up a lot of spare time, but it
is usually worth it when you land the job you want. Potential employers
will see that you are prepared to work for what you want, and that you
are professional. Here's a quick run down on some of the qualifications
that are available to you. |
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Qualifications Available To You
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VCE - Vocational Certificate of Education
The VCE is a vocational A level offered in 17 subjects. Generally taken
at colleges of further education. They are designed for people who want
to get grounding for a specific subject. VCEs can be taken on a day
release or evening basis or as a full-time course. The foundation
courses are year long courses. |
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NVQ - National Vocational Qualification
NVQs differ from VCE's because they apply to those already working in
the field of their chosen profession. This way they can be assessed on
skills used in the workplace on their knowledge. Anyone over the age of
16, in current employment can apply. There are five levels to choose
from. More information can be obtained from City
and Guilds. City & Guilds also offer hundreds of
other courses that might be useful to you. These can be taken over a
period of six months to five years, full time or part time. |
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HNC - Higher National Certificate
The HND is a vocational qualification, aimed at those with some
experience in the industry, in which they are working. There are other
qualifications that follow on from here. Generally University based
because of the amount of studying to be done, but they are available as
part time courses. |
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Bachelors Degree
Normally the first degree to be gained. BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BSc
(Bachelor of Science) being the most common. |
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Masters Degree
A Masters degree follows after a Bachelors degree. Most are taken on a
full-time basis. A list of Colleges and Universities is available at
the library or at UCAS, and the media are often
sources of training establishments. There is no end of possibilities
for those who wish to change careers or to further their professions. |
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Universities In The UK
UK colleges and universities offer a range of degrees and courses. You
can visit their websites for more information and contact them to
enroll on a course. Most University courses begin in September of each
year and although all courses have different lengths, most courses last
for 3 years. (Here are just some of the many Universities in the UK
where you can enroll to increase your skills and qualifications):
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Online Degrees
If you find it difficult to travel and you are a busy person but still
want to learn and complete a training course, there are a number of
options for degrees on-line. This means you can do it in your own time
and from your own home. Earning a online degree has never been easier.
By taking this link you can make it easy for yourself to pick the right
online degree for you. There are many Universities and Colleges that
offer such programmes but here you will find the highly rated
and best courses on offer. |
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You can take a search the courses on offer and apply to a range of
online Universities from the following: |
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DeVry University
Study for an undergraduate programme or Masters degree at DeVry University. |
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University of Liverpool
The online Masters degree for business professional worldwide can be
found at The University of
Liverpool
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University of Pheonix
They offer Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Accounting,
Administration, Marketing, Information Technology, E-Business plus many
more. For convenience and flexibility you attend classes whenever and
wherever you want via the Internet here at the University of Pheonix. |
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The Open University
The Open University
offer a variety of degrees and diploma programs, a practical choice of
courses and certificate programs. You can choose a course from a range
of options, from law or business to sciences to art or nursing and you
are bound to be able to find the course or qualification you are
looking for. The courses are available whether you're just starting
your career or you're adding to your current list of skills and it is
possible to combine any of the courses to obtain the qualification you
want. |
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Learning in The UK - Courses
Looking for a course of English, do you want to improve your computer
skills, or you want to learn more about film or art? There are
thousands of short and part-time courses, run by Further Education
colleges, local authorities and associations out there to choose from.
They tend to offer good value for money courses so you can impress
everybody at the office with your new skills!! You may want to take
these courses in the evening or at weekends outside of work, but you
will need to find out when they are running as they all differ, as does
their duration.
So, how can you decide which one to do? And how do you find out which
college or Universities do the course you want? You can search and
apply for a whole range of full time, part time and evening courses in
the UK using the largest and most accurate course database. The courses
offered last for a few days to 2 or 3 years and all have different
starting dates. Search for courses here
on a number of criteria to streamline your searching.
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Other relevant Career articles......
Benefits of keeping on top of professional development
Professional Qualifications
Training Companies
How to ensure a smooth transition back to work after accident
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