Stay Competitive With Advanced Education

By now, you’re probably aware of how online learning can be beneficial if you’re considering a return to school. As an adult, you’re trying to tool work and education to fit your lifestyle as opposed to the other way around. For both those in traditional work environments and telecommuters, schedule management is critical to making sure you strike an effective work-life balance. Distance education programs are smarter and more sophisticated than ever, offering not only advanced learning environments but tying the relevance of their curricula to current trends and events so that learners remain competitive.

Use Job and Industry Outlooks to Guide Your Choices

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics mostly publishes outlooks for those typically seeking hourly or salaried employment, it doesn’t hurt to pay attention to its statistics if you’re self-employed or an entrepreneur. Job outlooks provide some indication of the level of growth the BLS expects in your industry in the coming decades. Using these as guides for future planning is wise, especially if you’re looking at expanding your enterprise.
One field expected to stay strong for the next few decades is the sports industry. If you’re in sports licensing or merchandising, you probably have some idea of what the future may hold. It’s probably no surprise to you that the BLS predicts employment for advertisers, marketers and promotions managers increasing by 9 percent through 2024, or Forbes Online speculating that sports industry revenues will rise to $73.5 billion by 2019.

Educational Programs Strive to Stay Ahead of the Curve

In response, sport management curricula are also keeping pace with anticipated and future

trends. Programs such as the Master of Science in Sports Management at Adelphi University keep an eye on the horizon, helping learners understand the basics of their chosen field while ensuring they remain informed of future developments. What makes courses of study such as these additionally beneficial are the online learning environments, which facilitate both ease of access and time management for their students.
Moreover, health informatics is anticipated to grow in the next few decades. Several factors, including an aging population and potentially more individuals with insurance seeking care, could contribute to this expansion. These and other factors are expected to drive what Deloitte called “connected health” in its 2016 Health Care Providers Industry Outlook, and health informatics professionals will be shaping the systems and networks that create this. This includes traditional health facilities, extended care networks, retail clinics and even pharmacies, as discussed in Adelphi University’s Master of Science in Healthcare Informatics program.

Seize Your Opportunities

As a self-employed individual or entrepreneur, it’s important to stay informed about your chosen industry as well as consider additional tools to make yourself more competitive. This can include advanced education in your field. While it can be a significant financial investment, it often gives you an edge with the knowledge and skills you learn. Additionally, most graduate and undergraduate programs remain focused on future developments to assist their learners. Using industry outlooks is a wise idea to help you plot your course, and returning to school now may be a prudent decision.