No matter your career, the benefits that come from continuing your education are vast. It’s not only useful, it’s profitable to be consistently expanding your knowledge base. The following are a few reasons why continuing education should always be one of your top, professional priorities.
Use it or Lose it
You’ve heard the expression ‘use it or lose it’ many times. Often, people use this phrase to express the importance of utilizing a skill or risk losing the ability to perform it. For example, if a person is able to do the splits, but stops stretching, they will eventually lose their flexibility. This also means that they will inevitably lose their ability to do the splits. The same goes for brain function. If you’re not challenging your brain and learning new information/skills, it will become harder and harder for you to do so. Keep your mind stimulated and don’t let your brain power dwindle.
Teach Others
Your employer should be consistently offering you opportunities and resources to continue your education. It can have a major positive impact on everyone you work with. Taking a course or attending a conference/seminar will provide you with some of the latest, greatest knowledge by experts working in your field. Once you’ve soaked up the information like a sponge, you’ll be able to take it back to your office and teach it to your co-workers. For a relatively small amount of money, you’ll be able to bring a wealth of resources and knowledge back to your colleagues. Natalie Benfell, a writer for emeraldworks.com writes, “People who’ve acquired knowledge or skills can pass that information to others. Indeed, Agrawal says, “The only way to mastery is through teaching. One of the best feelings in the world is teaching others what you’ve learned. As a leader of your organization, you need to make learning a part of your culture. Teach others what you’ve learned.’”
Increased Opportunities
When you take the time to increase your knowledge and skillset, you become a more employable individual. You can use the information you learn to benefit you in your current job as well as bolster your resume. If you’re unhappy in your current position, use your newfound skills as talking points as you apply for new jobs. Explain to your interviewer your educational goals. Ask potential employers about whether or not they fund continuing education. Make it a priority and you’ll certainly reap the benefits.
Relevancy
If doctors held on to the same information they learned during school and disregarded new technology and practices over the years, we’d have some awful doctors. Learning the latest and greatest advancements in your field will keep you relevant. You’ll be able to help people with the most helpful and current information available.
Seek opportunities to learn at every stage of your professional career. If your employer is not offering continuing education opportunities, implore them to start. The professional benefits that come from supporting continuing education are worth the costs.