Every person’s professional journey tale currently has changed. Earlier people would complete their studies or degrees and join office. They would either utilize their knowledge or learn things from their experience and continue doing their jobs until they retired .Then came the era of professional courses or degrees; when people started taking breaks from their jobs to pursue those courses. These courses were quite expensive but definitely promised individuals a cream job with greater pay .Currently this kind of education is also witnessing a transformation. With the advent of MOOCs and gradually developing online education a change in students’ educational behavior is witnessed. Also nowadays needs of modern employees and companies have also changed .Employees of current times are no longer a mere obedient worker. He has transitioned to a growth oriented individual having aims and ambitions. This can be achieved only by proper L & D training programs. Millennial and Gen’zers constitute a major proportion of working population .They always want to create a personal brand and bring more value to their company .So they always like to keep on up skilling and re-skilling themselves. Even nowadays many progressive companies and learning organizations boost and foster continuous learning among its employees.

MYTHS SURROUNDING THE BENEFIT OF ONLINE EDUCATION

The need for learning among professionals and unique format of online education increase the latter’s popularity in recent times immensely. Its flexibility cost-effectiveness and universality are the few features that attract people’s attention. Yet, there are still seeds of doubt, apprehension among many regarding the value or worth of an online course or degree from career perspective. Many still consider it as over hyped, fails to deliver properly and future dwindling industry. Many are still comfortable with the traditional classroom training program with face to face interactive classes with teachers and learning together with other students. Another reason of resistant attitude towards online learning is its flexibility and learning on your own design .Still now most tutees prefer fixed class timing, the carrot and stick motivation in the form of exam and grade system. People cannot imagine to set their schedule on their own to devote some time as per their convenience. They feel they won’t be able to manage time for such a course. Most professionals also believe that online degree or course is not respected or recognized by employers. Snob or Veblen effects also guide people to refuse taking online course. They believe the quality of online content is inferior since they are cheaper compared to same regular courses offered by any prestigious university.

ARE ONLINE EDUCATION REALLY HELPFUL: INSIGHTS OF A SURVEY

Though there has been a resistive perception to adopt remote or virtual learning yet the popularity and prominence of online platform has been on the rise over the last few years. Post Covid-19, educational industries had to adopt the online format and offer virtual classes. A survey was conducted on US hiring managers by education forum. Few important tenets of the survey appointed below:

• Around 75% of employees feel that they need to rethink the hiring process of applicants with online degrees or education since the pandemic
• 40% of hiring managers perceived online education as very valuable
• 75% of the survey group relied on online training tools and courses
• Around 47% of employees placed value on online education while hiring or promotion
• 58% of employers agreed that people with online education have high potential of greater remuneration.

REAL WORTH OF ONLINE LEARNING IN YOUR CAREER

Nevertheless to say currently the business landscape is transforming so rapidly, every professional feel the need to acquire more specific skills and training some point in their career. A specific degree or certificate may be required for a promotion. A new skill is required to change your existing line of profession. A simple up-skilling is needed to shine and excel in your current job. With full time work, it becomes very tedious to undergo rigorous classroom training. Online training programs act as a boon to these professionals. Below I am pointing out how online learning can really benefit you from career angles.

• STUDY AND WORK IN PARALLEL: Earlier professionals have to quit their jobs or reduce the working hours to pursue a full time course. With online learning, people get the flexibility to study as per their convenience. They are able to continue their jobs as well. So there is no scope of work gap in the resume which otherwise may give a negative impression to the future employers. Also while you study and work you can bring in your newly added skills into your work styles. You can apply your learning to get a more comprehensive understanding of the learning at hand .It also adds up to your expertise
• FUTURE SKILLS BECOME NOTICEABLE: While you start taking an online program seriously, your time management skills soar up. Few of the valued skills that becomes appealing and noticeable to employers among employees who had undergone some online boot camps are ability to work independently, use technology , stay on task actively, be diligent to work at a proper pace, better technical knowledge, better problem solving skills and self motivation skills. This group of skills really creates a better impression for online learners than their counterparts who are not.
• ONLINE EDUCATION IS RECOGNIZED: Nowadays the perception about online education and the respective credentials attained from it are changing among hiring managers. Specially, the pandemic have worked a bit to change the attitudes toward the perceived worth of online learning. Employers do accept and praise online learners and put credence for online education while hiring or considering promotion. Person taking up online education also portrays himself to be a resourceful who has taken the initiative to improve professionally.
• NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES ARE POSSIBLE: The notion of alone learning and virtual learning was synonyms once. Currently different online forums try their best to create networking opportunities for their learners. Video chatting, live sessions, group sessions and virtual peer panel discussions are few ways by which learners gets to connect with people around the globe.
• TAILORED OR CUSTOMIZED LEARNING: Nowadays it has become quite easier to acquire a tailored or customized degree or skill as your need and choice. The different universities and forums cater to your learning style and needs. They offer multitude of nano degrees or crash course get good courses to equip professionals with contemporary needed skills. Tailored courses are also time and cost saving.
• CHANGE YOUR LINE OF PROFESSION: Online courses presently are capable of educating and skilling people to the extent that they can think of taking a 180 degree turn from their current profession. With lots of Nano degrees and micro learning becoming a trend among learners many specialize and embark on their new career path.

In words of Seymour Papert, MIT educator “You can’t teach people everything they need to know .The best you can do is position them where they can find what they need to know when they need to know it.”

This is what exactly online education currently caters to.

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