Learning while earning
THE ongoing and voluntary pursuit of knowledge while also building a career is a journey that requires self-motivation.
An increasing number of people in the workforce are opting to further their studies while working full time or part time, leading to more tertiary education institutions offering work-study options.
Skills learnt in the workplace lend depth and perspective to theoretical studies in the classroom while theory learnt in the classroom allows one to perform professional duties with more understanding and consistency.
Some fresh university graduates may choose to pursue further studies soon after getting a job while others who have been in the workforce for a number of years may choose to further their studies to qualify for a promotion or new opportunities in their career.
As a student pursuing your postgraduate studies while working, your classes will most probably be made up of people of various ages from many different professional backgrounds while your professional life may not contain a lot of people sharing the same experience.
If your education institution of choice offers counselling services, be aware of where you may obtain help from when facing challenges in handling both aspects.
People considering pursuing further studies should consider a few issues before taking the leap, including financial and emotional costs, type of commitment (part time or full time), options of distance learning, how much time you are able to allocate to studying in a week, whether your job allows you to take time off when you need to study and how much free time you can give yourself.
Working and studying at the same time requires one to focus on the end goal. Perfecting your time management skills and recognising what to sacrifice to accommodate both study and work should be included in your preparations before going down this path.
Lastly, keep in mind that both studies and work are of equal priority, and readjusting your commitment in both aspects to suit your abilities is perfectly acceptable.
Undoubtedly, it will be challenging to work and study at the same time, but it can be done. Using your time strategically and being fully dedicated to your goals will help give you the best chance in achieving them.