Training and Further Study

Tips

You may wish to consider undertaking further study to improve your chances getting employment in an area that interests you. Further study may help you gain additional technical and transferable skills or qualifications.  Some courses may also enable you to gain work experience as part of a programme of study which could help you to get a foot in the door with an employer. 

Further study can be expensive and time-consuming so you need to select a course carefully and be sure you are able to commit the time to completing successfully. In order that a course meets your needs, you need to thoroughly research the content and what past students have said about the benefits and how it has helped them achieve their goals. Check the institution’s website and prospectus for career opportunities, case studies and feedback from past students and contact the admissions tutor for further information about the time commitment needed and the expectations placed on students.  Prospects provide a very helpful guide to the pros and cons of postgraduate study. 

Masters Courses

Getting funding for a Masters course is no mean feat these days, but there are some important tactics you can learn and particular places you should look. See Find a Masters for a list of Masters courses. Consider using your network to gain commercial sponsorship. This works well if you have a project element of your Masters course that you can adapt to suit a particular employer’s needs. Also make sure you don’t overlook sources such as the educational trusts, charities and foundations. See the Prospects guide to finding funding or head to university websites for information about grants, awards and other funding support. The University of Reading has an advice sheet on postgraduate funding for further help.

Part-time and flexible courses

Local further education colleges can often offer cheaper part-time courses with more flexible entry requirements. HotCourses.Com enables you to search for courses at all qualification levels across the UK.  Colleges normally offer open evenings to enable you to find out more about what’s on offer or enquiry numbers and drop in sessions for more information.  Always check for up-to-date information on course availability and fees as websites are not always updated regularly.

The Open University provides an excellent opportunity to study a vast range of subjects economically and flexibly from home.  Entry requirements are also flexible. Students benefit from one-to-one tutor support, online forums and networking opportunities with other students who are often more mature students from diverse backgrounds.