Whether you’ve been laid off, furloughed, or are just in need of a change and simply want to advance your career, you have plenty of options. And even better, many of them won’t require you to leave the safety and security of your own home, making it less likely that you’ll be exposed to COVID-19. Since the pandemic has profoundly changed the face of a lot of careers, leading to small businesses shutting down, restaurants and bars laying off workers, and more, now is the best time to get a jump start on a new career. The many programs available through the Dean College School of Continuing Studies (SCS) will help you get on the path to a brand new position in the same field that you’re currently in.

Moving Ahead in Your Field

There’s no time like the present to move ahead in your field. The biggest issues that many people have are A) time, and B) finding the best program. One of the best things that emerged from this pandemic is the solution to the first issue – time. Laid-off workers can spend their days and nights studying, and even those who still have a job can find a way to make the time needed to advance their careers, thanks to part-time programs. As far as the second issue? Dean College has a few solutions that may be calling your name.

Choose a Certificate Program

Sometimes, all that you need to advance your career is a certificate. These require fewer courses than a full degree program, although they can transfer to one should you decide to move forward with your educational career. Certificates focus solely on the skills that you need to learn to be successful in your chose field. Rather than starting out in a full Bachelor’s Degree program, where you’ll need to take general education courses and others, a certificate program gets right to the nitty-gritty. As a result, you’ll focus on just the courses that you need in order to learn accounting, early childhood education, human resource management, and more. If you’re already in the field and simply want a program that makes you more desirable, this is your best bet.

Degree Programs Are Another Option

With that said, depending on your goals, a full bachelor’s degree program may be the right option for you depending on your situation. At Dean College, you can take the necessary courses online, in-person, or through a mixed program that allows for both in-person and online studies. Both full-time and part-time programs are available as well. These options make it convenient and easy for a full-time worker (or even someone who’s furloughed and simply wants to stay safe during the pandemic) to take the courses that they need.

Get the Experience You Need

In order to truly advance your career, you need more education. Whether you’re an accounting assistant and want to become a fully certified accountant or simply want to move up from aide to early childhood teacher, there are programs designed just for you. Dean College’s School of Continuing Studies is designed for adult students who want to learn the skills that they need to move up in the workplace, despite (or because of) the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s no time like the present to advance your career and become the most desirable employee possible!