The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) recently conducted their annual survey and found that the numbers of adults in the UK interested in further education has hit a 20 year high!

Apparently 47% of the UK adult population are planning to participate in some form of study in the next three years which is great news. Interestingly, the survey discovered that the adults who stated that they were ‘very unlikely’ to sign up to further education in the next three years has significantly dropped from 47% last year to 34%.

One of the obvious reasons for this surge in further education interest is the current recession and fears about job security as a consequence.

• Three in five full time employees stated that they planned to study in the next 3 years. This is a jump of 13% from 2009.
• 58% of part time workers have indicated that they also planned to participate in further education.
• Two thirds of job seekers interviewed also said that studying was high on their agenda.
• The under 25’s are particularly keen to get involved in further education this year, as youth unemployment is currently high. Apparently three quarters of 17-24 year olds who have just left full time education plan to study again within the next 3 years.
• A third of those aged between 55-64 and a fifth of those aged 65-74 are also planning to further their knowledge and career prospects by signing up for further education.

The Chief Executive of NIACE, Alan Tuckett believes that a “growing appetite” for adult learning in Britain is a positive consequence of the recession. He stated that “We must make sure that provision of all sorts is available to respond to it. The government will need to resist the temptation to cut back on further education and training as it seeks to balance the books, employers will need to reverse the reductions of the past couple of years, and we will all need to be creative in exploiting the opportunities presented by the new technologies. For a country that relies for its prosperity on the creativity and skill of its people, investment in adult learning is as important as investment in the banks.”

I think we should be thankful to internet for providing us another option for education, online education. Considering those people who are not able to earn a degree via regular classroom based colleges, online degree is a best option.  Some people are well suited to it, while others find that traditional classrooms work better for them. But, there are few pros’ & Cons of online learning. Online Learning is a type of distance learning in which student and teacher interact with each other via the message board, chat, emails, and schedule web-meeting or video lecture.

One primary benefit of it is Convenience, especially for those who are working or living far from college. Other-side, many students lack face-to-face interaction, which can create problems as instructor cannot reach every student and their learning capability.

Online learning requires students to be self-disciplined, keeping up with their studies without someone holding them directly accountable. If a student lacks time-management skills or is more of a dependent learner, the absence of in-classroom contact may be considered a disadvantage of online learning.

There are many online degree programs and college in many areas like culinary courses, accounting degree and many more.

Another disadvantage of online learning is the technology we use for study. If computer or an internet connection fails, student can fail to attend scheduled lecture. Student can miss an assignment or important lecture. Online learning may work best for individuals who are computer and technology savvy.

Please give your view about this topic; I am trying to figure out the effect of online education.

Reference:

culinary courses

accounting degree

Hello, I just wanted to send a very  warm welcome to all of our new members….its great to see so many new faces on My Jotter.

My Jotter is packed full of hints and tips to help you with your studies.  I hope that you find these useful.

It’s so easy to get connected with other members studying the same subjects.  All you need to do is to join the appropriate groups.  You can effectively become online study buddies – ask questions, share experiences, give help and encouragement to others or perhaps just have a chat with someone who shares the same interests.

Looking forward to seeing you all get involved and wishing you the best of luck with your studies.

Culinary Art is booming career option for students. We can see that the number of culinary arts schools are increased. If you’re looking forward to making culinary as your career then you should consider few points like:

• Begin Early:- Start Looking Schools for early stage.
• Select Your Additional Activities Carefully:- Your input in different non-school activities specially related to culinary can add a unique feature.
• Selection of a Reputed School:- select college by great reputation among chefs, restaurateurs, journalists, etc.
• Look for Placement rate of Student:- try to find out the rate students’ placement of that school.
• Get Ready for Credentials:- After Selecting College, find what documents you need.
• Look for Deadlines:- Always aware of Important dates.

If  you want to know about scholarship for culinary art degree then, the James Beard Foundation is a non-profitable organization based in New York named after James beard. The organization works to encourage culinary arts by awarding chefs, cook book authors and wine professionals at the annual award ceremonies and offer educational opportunities and scholarships to the aspirants.

Information Source:- CulinarySchoolsU Blog.

Hope my suggestion are helpful..Thanks!!!

According to a study, Culinary Chefs earned an average of $53,000 annually.  In other case a executive Chef have little upper hand in terms of earning. They can earn up to $59,000 yearly. Wages are largely based on location of employment and kind of establishment culinary chefs work in

In one Article i read the expectation regarding jobs forstudents having Culinary Arts Program. Read below:

^{“Over the next decade, jobs in the culinary field are expected to grow very steadily. In fact, National trends suggest that there will be a 17% increase in culinary chef positions through 2014. Since people are becoming increasingly aware of what they eat and the interest in culinary arts is rising rapidly there is a need for more culinary chefs.“}

What do culinary chefs do?

Main tasks of culinary chefs include:

• Creating recipes
• Preparing kitchen
• Cleaning work areas
• Monitoring temperatures
• Cooking dishes
• Ordering food
• Developing menus
• Weighing ingredients

However, A executive Chef Works with Complete Staff of Kitcten experts and helpers in prepration of Food and orders.

Find Out More at Culinary arts schools

Many distance learners have thought about their own personal development and career path when selecting a course to enrol on.  Some have chosen to study to further their existing career prospects in the business sector that they are already associated with, whilst others are looking for a complete career change and wish to gain qualifications in order to make that switch.

The job market can be quite unpredictable at times as it’s always changing.  So, when thinking about your career and where you want to be you have a lot to consider – it’s not just the job itself.  You have to consider the working hours, the environment, the salary, training and development opportunities, your role and responsibilities, how you can progress and where you want to be – you need to think about your end goals and then take constructive steps to get there.

Have you ever watched a home improvement show on TV and thought to yourself ‘I could be doing a much better job than Lawrence Llewellyn Bowen’?

Can you see yourself as your own boss? Would like to learn how to become a plumber or electrician? Or perhaps you want to get more involved in the construction industry and need to gain the appropriate certificates and qualifications?

Are you a bit of a petrol head who would wants to understand how to effectively maintain or repair cars and bikes – and make your passion your career?

Perhaps you’re a ‘people’ person and want to develop and utilise your skills so that you can work in the travel, hospitality or retail sectors? Or maybe you see yourself in the beauty industry pampering your clients for a living? If fitness is your thing, can you see yourself becoming an aerobics instructor?

Are you interested in working in social care and love the thought of working with children, the elderly or individuals with specific social needs?

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, you should research what a distance learning institute has to offer as there are many great vocational courses out there, covering a large range of subjects. You can achieve the necessary skills and ‘know how’ from the comfort of your own home and gain the qualification whether its for your chosen career or a new hobby.

The internet has changed our lives in many ways.  It was only a matter of time before it was effortlessly incorporated into everyday education.  ’Traditional’ teaching and methods still have their place however students are now enhancing their knowledge and qualifications with online learning. Some have been quick to dismiss the merits of online learning, some think that its just a quick way of getting a qualification, so I thought that this would be a good opportunity to address some of these preconceived ideas and set the record straight.

Online learning is easier because it doesn’t take as long.

To sign up for any online course needs a great deal of commitment. Individuals have to be focused and dedicated.  Students have to be prepared to get through vast amounts of study materials which are demanding.  Many distance learning students are already in employment and have family commitments so time is precious.  Students usually study alone so have to also be highly motivated in order to get through the course work and the exams.  The course work may be done in a shorter period of time, but the level of knowledge required to pass is the same. Distance learning is no short cut.

The quality of online courses is lower than traditional class taught courses.

Most online courses cover the same amount of course work in a shorter period of time.  Many professional qualifications and degrees can be undertaken online and these meet exactly the same criteria in terms of content, structure, course work and examinations as the traditional classroom syllabus. Its important that any student thinking of applying to study via distance learning does their own research to find a reputable distance learning body.  Remember online educational institutions have their reputation to consider.  They have to maintain standards of excellence and will not pass students if these standards are not met.

There is no-one to help me if I have questions about my course.

Participating in distance learning does involve alot of autonomous study but students are not just left to their own devices.  Most reputable online institutions provide full study guides, comprehensive technical support and now interaction with other students studying the same course on blogs and forums.  Its up to the individual to get involved and interact.  Distance learning is much more about community now.  A collective of people interested in the same subject coming together to share and learn.

Online education is only for those who live in remote areas.

At one time this was the case, however now its more about lifestyle.  Many students wish to gain qualifications to further their career but perhaps can’t afford to become a full time student. Distance learning is a fantastic option for those looking to further their career and maintain their life balance.  Distance learning is more about career building than remote learning.

I need to be computer literate to undertake an online study course.

Distance Learning institutions understand that some of their students on some of their courses may have limited web / pc knowledge.  Therefore many course modules have been developed to make the online tuition completely user friendly they include helpful hints and tips for the users. Usually you will find you have online tech support and also access to an online tutor so any issues can be addressed quickly and effectively.

Unfortunate signs of the times

New figures released this week indicate that the numbers of unemployed university graduates is due to exceed the 100,000 mark shortly. As the numbers of graduates looking for employment are currently so vast, Graduate recruiters have set stricter criteria for entrants onto their graduate programmes.  Even companies like Sainsburys are not accepting any entrants into its graduate programme with a degree lower that a 2:1, which not so long ago, was the minimum requirement for many of the top city companies. Competition for employment is fierce.

The National Office for statistics has also published figures this week stating that the number of unemployed people under the age of 25 has now passed the 1 million barrier – 8% of those under 25 without a degree are currently unemployed.

There have been discussions about suspending National Insurance contributions for the under 25’s and Government subsidies for companies who employ younger people to address the situation.  Hopefully action will be taken soon to ensure that these students can achieve the future they dreamt of.

If you are thinking about a career in science or research & development there are many opportunities for you in which to apply your scientific skill and knowledge for both social and commercial benefits.  As science covers a broad spectrum of fields, opportunities for graduates are many depending on the science degree you have studied.  Posts are available in industry, research, healthcare or education and you can choose to work in high tech labs, offices, out in the field, in a classroom with students or a TV studio.  One thing is certain – a career in science is a varied and rewarding one.

Many research and development positions are available which require scientists from all backgrounds, something which is prevalent for biologists and chemists whose opportunities lie in the health, biotechnology or pharmacuetical sectors. It is no surprise that a third of chemistry graduates find themselves working in a laboratory, and that Physics graduates are more than likely to gain employment in the technology, engineering, IT and telecoms sectors.

Obviously, certain roles require specific scientific expertise and some postitions require additional postgraduate qualifications.  Many students do continue their studies to Postgraduate level.  A masters degree will greatly enhance your knowledge of a particular subject and may give you the ‘edge’ in terms of employment opportunities. Doctorates also give individuals the opportunity to completely embed themselves in their chosen subject matter before commencing employment.

A guide to some of the specific areas of opportunity for each sector are noted below:

Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology:

• Drug discovery & development
• Clinical trials & manufacture
• Marketing & regulation
• IT / HR support

Chemical Industries:

• Food
• Agriculture
• Pharmaceuticals
• Biotechnology
• Environmental science & energy efficiency
• Safety
• Research
• Development scientists & engineers

Aerospace & Defence

• Research & Development
• In air transport
• Aerospace defence
• Space development

Healthcare

• Prevention, diagnosis & treatment of illness
• Pharmacy
• Pathology
• Live sciences
• Physiological sciences
• Clinical Engineering
• Physical sciences

Other ’science’ opportunities:

• IT
• Working with engineering & tech companies
• Financial organisations
• Management consultancy

In additional to actual qualifications gained there are certain characteristics which employers seek from their graduate intake each year.  These skills include: logical thinking, problem solving, good analytical skills, objective thinking and numerical skills. In addition to these core skills candidates should also have good communication skills (both verbal and written), commercial awareness and understanding, working well in a team and have good interpersonal skills to bring out the best in their team members, they should have excellent planning and organisational skills and should be highly motivated individuals showing enthusiasm.

In order to demonstrate the diversity of the opportunities in the Sciences, the current top 10 careers are listed below:

• Sports science
• Computer science
• Forensic science
• Political science
• Environmental science
• Health science
• Exercise science
• Animal science
• Life science
• Social science