Life has a funny way of taking us to places we never intended or never really expected. That doesn’t mean that are bad, not always, but if we are not careful we can get stuck in a place which was only supposed to be a stepping stone.
These “life ruts”, as we will call them, are hard to break free of and have a way of dragging us down as they are fine for the time being but are hardly where we want to put in our 20 years. Careers are the easiest to fall victim to such permanent place holders. Just ask your fellow travelers.
According to Salary.com’s Employee Job Satisfaction Survey most employees, about 65%, are only “somewhat” satisfied with their jobs while at the same time employers think 30% or better of their work force are extremely satisfied with their jobs.
Proving that employers are a bit more out of touch than they realize, those same 65% are currently looking for a “just incase” position. But is it really a step towards a more satisfying career or is it just another placeholder?
And let’s face it, stepping out of the comfort zone and into something that could be really satisfying can be, well, scary.
The prospect of going back to school for another four years of more, just to change directions, can be dismal at best. After all it was hard enough the first time around.
Luckily we live in a society that serves up almost everything a-la-cart, and that includes education. Instead of trying to tackle a whole new education to go with a new career, why not take advantage of a trade education.
Below find a listing of trade schools that will allow you to beef up that resume, retrain yourself, and change careers in less than 24 months.
ITT Tech: ITT Tech has 130 locations across the country with a heavy focus on technology. They offer several certificates including criminal justice, computer & electronic engineering technology, business administration, computer drafting & design, computer network system, web development, multimedia, software applications & programming, technical project management, and information system security.
University of Pheonix: They offer a little more extensive programs from certificates to doctorals, and have locations in most major areas of the United States. University of Pheonix is leading the way in online education and online degrees.
Kaplan University: While Kaplan University offers several different degrees, they specialize in business. Kaplan also offers online degrees in business, from certificates to master’s degrees.
Northeastern University College of Professional Studies: Unlike the others, Northeastern offers students a way to finish their degrees in 18 months. They will assist students in transferring up to 60 credit hours from any accredited college or university. Students can even finish up online, even if the other credits were earned in the classroom.
By Cutter Mitchell
jcuttermitchell@gmail.com