IN ASSOCIATION WITH throughout life makes your mind sharper , and more able to keep up with a changing world , and more able to combat the negative effects of old age .
For so long our society has been focused on working to the point of exhaustion , but having hobbies and exploring lost passions makes us all better people , and better workers . ‘ Professionally speaking , continuously learning more about your profession puts you at the forefront of industry trends and developments . It also helps to motivate you , giving you the opportunity to step away from daily practice and get excited about new ideas and developments ’, says Kent-based development coach , Emma Franks , from Busy Bees Education and Training ( busybeestraining . co . uk ). Sarah-Jane McQueen , general manager of CoursesOnline ( www . coursesonline . co . uk ) agrees ; ‘ Being proactive about learning not only gives you the ability needed to say to an employer ‘ I have the knowledge for this role ’, but also shows them that you have the drive and desire to push yourself to do better .’
In terms of continuing lifelong learning for personal pleasure , Franks continues : ‘ On a personal level , learning throughout your life has many positive outcomes . It not only keeps your mind active , it gives you confidence in your abilities and inspires creativity .’ Dr Debbie Reed and Dr Anne-Maria
Brennan from the University of Kent ( www . kent . ac . uk ) add that lifelong learning in any form ‘… represents a real achievement , one that raises self-esteem and improves general outlook and quality of life .’
Going through a pandemic and multiple lockdowns have pushed many people to pursue lifelong learning . With so much time on our hands there is no longer an excuse to push that thing you ’ ve always wanted to learn to the back of your mind . Not only has the current state of the world given us an excuse to pursue long forgotten passions , learning during this time has also helped many people find communities of individuals that share a passion , and to feel a lot less lonely in an extremely isolating time . It has also provided many with the opportunity to reconsider careers they may not have been happy with before . According to Franks ‘ Google search terms ‘ online teaching ’ and ‘ online learning ’ saw a 328 % and 187 % increase respectively ’ demonstrating that desire for lifelong learning has skyrocketed during the last year .
If you are wanting to pursue learning within your current career McQueen advises discussing your goals with your employer ; ‘ Organisations spend £ 44.2 billion per year on employee training so the financial support is often there if you have the willingness to take part .’ If you are looking for noncareer based learning , why not look at something a little closer to home ? The University of Kent ’ s department of digital and lifelong learning offers incredible adult learning courses . Dr Reed and Dr Brennan explain ; ‘ Our courses offer the opportunities to study at a pace that suits most learners .’ Whilst Franks recommends one of Kent ’ s many adult learning centres ; ‘ Kent has adult education centres located in some of the towns which offer courses to adults , some are evenings to suit the working person / childcare needs .’ If these options are a little structured for your taste , why not take out a subscription to online learning platforms SkillShare ( www . skillshare . com ) or Masterclass ( masterclass . com ), both of which offer classes in just about anything you can imagine , all run by experts in their fields . There is no pressure and you can learn at your own pace in your own free time .
Lifelong learning is a privilege that most of us are fortunate enough to be able to enjoy . As a society we need to stop collectively thinking that learning and education stops after we ’ ve collected that university degree . After all , as Viney , puts it ; ‘ Learning isn ’ t just for school , the highly intellectual or the young , it is for everyone and it is there for the taking .’ So go out there and take it !
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