Continuing Education Best Route to Career Advancement
by Tracy Benbrook (November 19, 2007)Staying current on the skills required to advance in your career has taken on new meaning in today’s tumultuous job market. A failure to keep learning could mean stagnation in your career.
For decades, the way to experience career advancement was to find a job in a great company and work your way up. If you possessed a degree, diploma or certificate, you were almost guaranteed to enjoy upward mobility in management throughout your career. In these days of mergers, off-shoring and rapid technological changes, it takes more than longevity and a degree to find success in the job market. You must incorporate continuing education into your career plan to remain competitive.
Continuing education has many faces. It is everything from job-relevant training to topic-specific workshops to degree completion. At the heart of continuing education is the goal to keep you updated on the skills, trends, practices and principles governing a particular industry.
At CIGNA, a leading healthcare benefits provider, continuing education is a regular part of the job for brokers and consultants. “CIGNA has a strong commitment to our brokers and consultants, and Academy by CIGNA is part of our ongoing efforts to provide them the tools and resources they need to deliver the best solutions to their clients,” said Gary Kirkner, Senior Vice President of Sales and Distribution at CIGNA.
“Employers are using opportunities for education and training to attract and retain the best employees,” said Gina Mauller, author of Workforce Development Trends Reflecting the Importance of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning. “Training of employees is an investment. A more educated employee tends to be more productive.”
Although continuing education is not a guarantee for career advancement, it certainly increases the marketability of someone seeking to move into a management position or simply remain competitive in the job market. By taking the time to invest in continuing education, employees are saying that they understand the industry they work in and are better prepared to continue to move forward in that industry.