Discussions about money — specifically salaries — are moving out into the open. Recent studies show pay transparency attracts more job candidates, particularly Gen Z jobseekers, who are more comfortable talking about salaries than previous generations were.
New York City this month joined seven states and several cities across the U.S. that have enacted legislation requiring employers to disclose salary ranges — either in job postings, after an initial interview or if an applicant requests that information. California, the nation’s largest state, is expanding its 5-year-old pay transparency law to require published salary ranges starting Jan. 1. Similar legislation is pending in New York State.
From where I sit, pay transparency is good for employees and employers — and not just because it’s another step toward pay equity.
Potential employees can use transparent pay to decide if a posted salary is financially viable for them. Employers can take the opportunity to reassess their pay structures to ensure that pay is fair for their workers with similar skills and in similar roles. Posted pay ranges provide a starting point for negotiations — something that’s especially valuable for new college graduates just entering the job market.
Pay transparency should be a key strategy for any company looking to build a stronger early talent pipeline. Here are three reasons companies could be proactive about disclosing salary ranges.
Pay transparency can help companies attract more applicants.
Pay transparency laws are already starting to have an effect: A recent survey found that nearly one in six companies that disclosed pay data attracted more job candidates. Generation Z — today’s early talent — tell us they’re more likely to apply for a job if they see a salary range. They’re much more comfortable discussing salaries than previous generations. Our own data shows that salary is far and away the No. 1 reason why Gen Z chooses a particular employer and sticks with a job.
In fact, when asked to rank their top factors related to gender diversity that might compel college students to apply to a company, Gen Z put pay equity above seeing women in leadership roles, having dedicated programs to support women and employing a chief diversity officer.
Companies that keep salary information close to the vest risk losing applicants and draining their talent pool. A recent survey of adults who have looked for work within the past five years found that a third of them would not go to a job interview unless they knew the pay.
It can enhance equity and diversity efforts.
Salary disclosure laws are intended to promote fairness as we continue to learn more about chronic wage gaps between men and women and disparities rooted in race and ethnicity. Handshake data shows that companies get 13% more applications from Black students when they include salary information in job postings.
Public salary disclosures won’t rectify all of these long-standing pay equity issues, but they let early talent know that companies are serious about working to fix them.
It can improve company morale.
It’s clear that not every company is thrilled by this trend toward greater pay disparity. A survey of North American employers found that nearly a third say they are not ready to take this step.
Companies that delay might undermine efforts to attract and retain employees. When job applicants don’t see salary information on a posting, they’re likely to think a company is hiding something or might underpay them. It further suggests that a company might be untrustworthy.
Yet another survey found that 60% of employees — especially Gen Z and Millennials — would consider switching jobs to gain more pay transparency than they have at their current company. Indeed, studies suggest pay transparency has positive effects on job satisfaction, job performance and workers’ perceptions of their employer.
If trends continue, pay transparency could be the law of the land. Before that happens, it makes good business sense for companies that want to attract early talent to adopt pay transparency policies.
Empathy is a teachable skill. Based on repeated practice, synaptic plasticity is key to teaching empathy.
What we do or do not practice will shape the neuroarchitecture of our brains as we respond to things in our environment.
Parents can scaffold difficult social concepts by breaking situations into small chunks and providing tools to make learning easier.
I perched on the edge of an undersized plastic chair across from my daughter’s teacher at our first elementary parent/teacher conference of the year. “Your daughter listens well and is so well behaved, but her reading level is not exactly where it needs to be, and she’s having trouble with some math skills. But she is very sweet and kind, and that’s so important too—you can’t teach those things, but don’t worry, we can teach her the math and reading.
It’s the Oreo cookie approach to giving parents bad news—They sneak the negative in as white filling surrounded by thin wafers of good. But as a neuroscientist, I was stunned by the complete inaccuracy of the last statement.Of course, you can teach those things. You can teach empathy, teach kindness, and respect. These are not innate talents or solely genetic gifts. They are teachable skills.
We understand how learning works for things like 2+2=4 pretty well. Teachers typically use active participation and frequent practice spaced out over a period of time to teach classroom content. But there aren’t special neuroscience rules to help learn empathy, creativity, or countless other life skills–they follow the exact brain mechanisms as learning math facts.
There are spines on the edges of neurons that mediate synaptic connections between neurons and govern how we learn. In kids, the spines are super dynamic. They appear or retract based on experience and how frequently they are used. If you keep using a pathway, the spines are more likely to stick around. This results in the reshaping of synapses and long-term learning.
That school conference was a moment of profound insight into the bare-bones social skills my daughter was (not) learning at school, and it explained a lot about why her perfect classroom presence was completely train-wrecked when she got home from school.
I knew the social landscape of this classroom was terrible. A girl in my daughter’s class plays a game called “bus,” where the other girls line up to take rides on her back at recess. The girl is the bus, and she carries passengers around. It looks benign to the teachers who stand and monitor play at recess. But in this game, the girl charges for rides. Usually, the fare is an imaginary five cents, but my daughter gets charged $100 to take her ride every time. Why? Because the girl said, my 20th percentile weight daughter is just too heavy.
I knew complaints were flowing in about the class social situation—It wasn’t just the “bus” game. Another parent, fed up with her daughter being picked on, made T-shirts that said the girl was a bully and tried to pass them out at school. This is the real reason I was at the parent/teacher conference. Yet, when I brought it up, I quickly detected a relatively new teacher overwhelmed with classroom dynamics who was grateful for an “easy,” compliant kid. I saw a classroom in which my daughter was figuring out how to react to bad social situations on her own and failing.
It’s here that parents need to think carefully about the qualities we want our children to possess and then consistently and purposefully create opportunities for our kids to practice those skills. Deliberate parenting will make children who live deliberate lives. In my daughter’s classroom, I could see that math was being practiced—there were even memorized arithmetic songs.
But they were not teaching kindness, conflict resolution, or even problem solving, which are the things I prioritize as a parent—the building blocks of empathy. The school is not just relying on parents to teach empathy at home. They are actually assuming that kids either come in with these skills, or they don’t get them. If, in turn, parents think kids are getting social skills at school, then all our kids drop through a crevice.
My daughter saw two choices with the bully in her class: Confront her or tell on her. Unable to do either, she felt completely stuck when the girl price gouged her on the playground. With repeated practice, she is learning to stand there and internalize it.
Those are not the synapses I want firing in her, so I taught my daughter how to practice empathy. It’s not just the queen bee who needs to be taught empathy. Cognitive empathy is a powerful skill, and it’s the underdog that needs powerful skills.
First, I asked my daughter to explain the girl’s actions as if she were her best friend. “I guess she feels like she doesn’t want to be alone on the playground, so she’s in charge, and if she’s in charge, she can decide which friends to have.”
Next, my daughter became a detective, looking for body language to find motivation and predict patterns in the girl’s behavior. Even at age seven, becoming a social sleuth enabled her to understand the situation better. This gave her back a measure of personal control, and eventually, the power to speak up for herself, instead of standing there, glued to the asphalt, feeling terrible.
Then, we learned conflict resolution skills the same way as math, using active participation and frequent practice spaced out over time. I became the girl, and in our living room, I rudely charged my daughter $100 a ride until her reactions to it were second nature.
We came up with a system so she could be heard in these situations: STAFF:
Say how you feel.
Tell them it’s not okay.
Ask for what you want to have happened.
Find a friend.
She wasn’t frozen—she knew what to say, and it rolled off her tongue. There was a scaffolding to cling to. We used these social skill pathways repeatedly—on our terms—until spines had formed between newly used neurons, the pathways were solidified, and learning had happened.
Since neuronal connections that have been used are more likely to fire the next time, it’s second nature for her now. If we expect our children to be socially independent and to do it well, they need tools to do it with.
Neuroscience tells us that practice defines us as people, that the pathways we choose define our nature. Activity influences the brain’s architecture, and this neural plasticity is constantly occurring, even when they are still watching TV, eating dinner, or choosing which birthday present to open first. These spines are actively growing and shrinking, and the experiences are actually turning on and off genes that support this process.
Eventually, the neuronal pathways we use most become more likely to fire as our “default” setting. In essence, we practice being ourselves until we become who we are. Viewed through this lens, every moment is a critical period to teach critical skills important to us—skills like creativity, self-control, social awareness, and compassion.
Several proven social learning curricula target empathy, social learning, and conflict resolution skills in the classroom that have gotten great results that last for years, including roots of empathy (K-8), positive action (K-12), and responsive classroom (K-5). Still, you don’t have to wait for the teachers to do it. The window for explosive synaptic formation doesn’t close when children hit elementary school or even high school.
Social connections are being formed even more so in tween and high school kids, continuing into adulthood. Your child’s critical period for development is now. There’s no bad age to start working on these skills, and there’s no one correct way to do it, as long as you’re consistently practicing and folding it into your everyday life.
Find a way that works for your family, and if you’re consciously empathetic in spirit, then it will seep into your child.
By: Erin Clabough, Ph.D.
Erin is a neurobiologist, author, mother, and professor interested in understanding neurodevelopment in children.
With other 60,000 tracks being uploaded to Spotify daily, it can be easy for an upcoming musician to get lost in all the noise. Despite the oversaturation in the music industry, record labels are still shoveling out multibillion dollar marketing budgets for their artists.
In some ways it pays off, especially when a smaller investment breaks an upcoming artist. However, some artists never truly get to live up to their full potential if their music doesn’t pop out early. This can create a frenzy of confusion within the industry, as dollars are almost flushed down a drain without any real plan of action. This is where some of the most vital marketing decisions are made incorrectly, wasting away marketing budget dollars because of a poor plan.
The rise of social media has brought with it new marketing opportunities for rising artists. These social platforms, like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, allow for the grouping of fans and target audiences. Never before have people been able to be reached so easily and efficiently. Compact groups of fans tend to stick together in small pockets on these platforms, usually appearing in the form of fan pages.
Most upcoming musicians believe that they will be able to find a specific audience for their sound. The interesting part of this is the opposite of the type of mentality an artist should have when trying to figure out what to release.
There is no use in wasting marketing dollars in hopes a specific audience will like you. It goes much deeper than this. Luckily, I was able to connect with a well-known figure in the music marketing space and get some amazing advice on marketing to a specific audience.
Entrepreneur, film director, and founder of Oeuvre Media, Brad Dervishaj, better known under his online alias Nilladriz, knows all about the in’s and out’s of marketing to these compact audiences on social media. His work with artists like Fetty Wap, Reggie Mills and Hefna380, among others, has helped these talents reach their specific target audience.
I decided to chat with Nilladriz and get some good insight on how he goes about curating a successful marketing campaign for an individual artist. Nilladriz’s most important experiences have come while creating visual content for the artists he’s worked with.
Know your audience
With an oversaturated market, it is important to stand out as an artist. This is why rather than trying to force a style of music upon an audience that might not like it, Nilladriz crafts his music videos to appeal to the specific audience.
He reverse-engineers his videos to make the whole video production based off the target audience’s interests. In order to sell music and gain a real fanbase, it’s necessary to know who you are trying to win over as a supporter.
Reverse-engineer content based on the target audience
This means Nilladriz puts in the time to figure out exactly who his client’s supporters are and tailors his videos to appeal to a chosen demographic. He knows that a video will be successful before it even releases if it includes elements that the target audience will respond to in a positive manner.
An amazing recent example of this is Nilladriz’s efforts while shooting a music video for one of New Jersey’s biggest rising stars, Hefna380. Their most recent video together for Hefna380’s track “1am Freestyle” included elements that were tailored specifically to his audience.
The two individuals knew that a majority of Hefna380’s fans were interested in anime and content related to that type of audience. They decided to craft the video accordingly by implementing specific special effects that the anime/meme audience would enjoy seeing, i.e., when Hefna380 breathes fire out of his mouth. This method allowed for a successful release of the music video that has now amassed almost 200,000 views to date.
Image is everything
Rather than listening to artists based on sound only, Nilladriz pointed out that consumers are buying deeper into an artist’s personal brand and the way they look. This is why Nilladriz’s role in creating music videos is so important.
If fans are consuming music (the product) based off an artist’s aesthetic, then what better way is there to portray them in a certain light than in a music video? This is why it is common for artists to drop a visual that couples with their new audio release, which allows them to control the image in which they are portrayed and marketed.
Work with what you have
Nilladriz has spent most of his career working with upcoming artists that don’t always have a label budget, making his role in the overall creation of the video vital. Despite sometimes having to work with low budgets, Nilladriz relies on his editing skills and overall ability to carry out a certain vision.
Nilladriz’s “1am Freestyle” video with Hefna380 was shot inside an air bnb in New Jersey. Despite having little to work with, the end result came out exactly as planned. You don’t always need to have a huge, movie-sized budget if you can make the most of what you have.
Final thoughts
Nilladriz has played an important role in the careers of many artists he’s worked with by helping them meet their fans in the middle. His visual content brings artists closer to the audiences they are trying to reach, and sometimes it is the most important medium by which potential supporters will interact with artists.
Our society’s shift to a new, more digital age requires marketers to get clever with their strategies. The rise in usage of social media platforms across the board have opened up new opportunities for creators to reach their audience. With careful planning and correctly-curated content, artists now have the opportunity to reach new supporters and create content that appeals to a specific fan base.
Sony Corporation announced October 1, 2008 that it had completed the acquisition of Bertelsmann’s 50% stake in Sony BMG, which was originally announced on August 5, 2008. Ref: “Sony’s acquisition of Bertelsmann’s 50% Stake in Sony BMG complete” (Press release). Sony Corporation of America. Archived from the original on October 3, 2008.
“Mobile World Congress 2011”. dailywireless.org. February 14, 2011. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved February 28, 2011. Amazon is now the world’s biggest book retailer. Apple, the world’s largest music retailer.
For the “darky”/”coon” distinction see, for example, note 34 on p. 167 of Edward Marx and Laura E. Franey’s annotated edition of Yone Noguchi, The American Diary of a Japanese Girl, Temple University Press, 2007, ISBN1-59213-555-2. See also Lewis A. Erenberg (1984), Steppin’ Out: New York Nightlife and the Transformation of American Culture, 1890–1930, University of Chicago Press, p. 73, ISBN0-226-21515-6. For more on the “darky” stereotype, see J. Ronald Green (2000), Straight Lick: The Cinema of Oscar Micheaux, Indiana University Press, pp. 134, 206, ISBN0-253-33753-4; p. 151 of the same work also alludes to the specific “coon” archetype.
Mario d’Angelo: “Does globalisation mean ineluctable concentration?” in Roche F., Marcq B., Colomé D. (eds)The Music Industry in the New Economy, Report of the Asia-Europe Seminar (Lyon 2001) IEP de Lyon/Asia-Europe Foundation/Eurical, 2002, pp.53–60.
McCardle, Megan (May 2010). “The Freeloaders”. The Atlantic. Retrieved December 10, 2010. industry revenues have been declining for the past 10 years
Goldman, David (February 3, 2010). “Music’s lost decade: Sales cut in half”. Retrieved December 1, 2018. […] it would appear all is well in the recording industry. But at the end of last year, the music business was worth half of what it was ten years ago and the decline doesn’t look like it will be slowing anytime soon. […] Total revenue from U.S. music sales and licensing plunged to $6.3 billion in 2009, according to Forrester Research. In 1999, that revenue figure topped $14.6 billion.
Segall, Laurie (January 5, 2012). “Digital music sales top physical sales”. CNN. Retrieved April 24, 2012. According to a Nielsen and Billboard report, digital music purchases accounted for 50.3% of music sales in 2011.
When contemplating the pressures entrepreneurs face when starting a new venture, fundraising often springs to mind first. Tech talent, however, can be scarcer than capital and may, in fact, be the biggest issue businesses face. Securing funding is naturally the first hurdle but building a cohesive and knowledgeable workforce is the cornerstone for stable growth and not so easy to achieve.
Attracting investment, although a daunting milestone, remains achievable, even in spite of the chaos caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. 2020 is on track to be a record year for investment in European tech in particular, with an incredible $12bn was invested in SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) companies alone.
However, with nearly two thirds (65 percent) of technology leaders claiming that challenges around hiring talent are hurting the industry, the issues around skills shortages firmly remain. Demand for tech talent continues to grow at a pace unrivalled by any other industry: an issue exacerbated by an existing skills gap. And, while it’s predicted that this gap might begin to close as people retrain post-pandemic, it remains a significant problem right now. I’ve seen first-hand otherwise promising new ventures and start-ups struggle due to a lack of skills.
Moreover, as the Silicon Valley mantra of ”move fast and break things” persists on both sides of the pond, it’s increasingly important for businesses to take ideas from notes on a napkin to marketable reality in a matter of months. It’s vital, therefore, that companies find the personnel that can deliver – and deliver quality – at pace in order to help them stand out in a crowded marketplace.
We live in a digital age where speed is paramount to the success of businesses across all industries. Traditional operations must adapt to a digital-by-default model if they are to survive – let alone thrive. It’s clear, then, that entrepreneurs need to look beyond funding when building their business. In addition to fundraising, they should be surrounding themselves with the people that will help them to bring their ideas to life in the smartest, quickest time possible.
Expertise and experience.
But it’s not necessarily about taking on new personnel. Entrepreneurs can tap into a range of targeted communities in business and personal networks, which they can harness to open up access to entire ecosystems of expertise and experience. This is where early-stage accelerators such as Crowdcube, Founder Factory, and Y Combinator can really add value, connecting entrepreneurs with experience as well as fellow founders, so collective lessons can be shared. Online communities found on LinkedIn and Twitter shouldn’t be overlooked either: knowledge is power, but there’s no knowledge without people.
The guidance and counsel that these communities can offer could prove invaluable in enabling entrepreneurs to build and ship higher quality digital products – faster – while, at the same time, developing the skills of their existing employees. Building a community of experts with experience across the enterprise landscape enables companies to embrace digital skills alongside traditional models and grow their business, adapting to the skills and processes they need to succeed in today’s marketplace.
Interestingly, the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic has expanded the size and scope of these ecosystems. With lockdown measures forcing most people to work remotely, they aren’t constrained by a typical nine-to-five working day in one set location, making more people accessible and available. What’s more, many of those workers who have been furloughed or, worse, made redundant over the last 12 months have taken the opportunity to retrain for new careers. Offering a mix of experience and capabilities, approaching this particular set of people can help bring a fresh perspective to an entrepreneur’s vision and new business proposition.
Tweaks to technology.
Making tweaks to the way a business employs technology can also go a long way to improving the speed and quality of its product delivery pipeline. Often, however, knowing which tweaks to make – and then actually making them – can be beyond the reach of a company’s existing skill set. Hiring in-house may be the right move for some, but founders should also seek out specialist third-parties whose technical expertise lies in the domains their business needs, such as software engineering, UX design, or delivery optimization. If time is of the essence (as it usually is), this can often be the quickest route to optimal outcomes. Where possible, make sure to pick a partner that helps to build your team’s skills whilst accelerating your delivery.
Sometimes, it’s just a question of unlocking the value of data you might already have. It’s no secret that most modern companies now generate vast quantities of data, but there is a very big difference between capturing raw data and translating it into decisive or predictive action, and competitive advantage. The right personnel or partner can prioritize actionable data to create a winning transformation agenda – from setup, to ongoing measurement and analysis.
And the benefits here shouldn’t just be reserved for early-stage startups or tech companies. Whether it’s a major high street bank, an iconic high street retailer, or a craft brewery, joining forces with a suitably skilled technical partner can help supercharge any organizations ambitions and delivery pipeline. Technology now plays a critical role in every business – perhaps more than ever during the current coronavirus crisis. The secret to creating a successful company is increasingly the way in which its businesses utilise technology. And while it’s important to raise funds to invest in the right technology, it’ll be for nothing if no-one within the business knows how to use it to its best ability.
For this reason, it’s in the best interest of entrepreneurs to ensure they’re surrounded by the best possible tech talent, whether they’re on the staff, part of a community of trusted advisors, or a third-party specialist. Embarking on new venture will produce any number of challenges. While funding certainly matters, taking care to find the right tech talent will help overcome many of these.
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Watch Sarah and Rich take us through their thoughts on what it means to be unbound, and how it can change your perspective on the potential around you.
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At certain moments in anyone’s life, it is tempting to think of education as a thing of the past. Maybe you’ve graduated high school, college, or even a master’s or doctorate program. Maybe you’ve found yourself securely in the workforce. Whatever your situation, you can benefit from continuing education.
In every stage of life, a commitment to continuing education brings benefits you may not have considered or thought possible. Whether you are learning a new musical instrument, a second language, or new technical or vocational skills, revitalizing your skills and knowledge will benefit you throughout your life.
After all, the world is constantly changing and progressing — shouldn’t you?
Here, we’ll explore how continuing education can be utilized in every stage of life, from young adulthood, middle age, and even retirement.
Continuing Education in Young Adulthood — Beyond the Classroom
When you’re young, it can be difficult to think of education as anything but an obstacle, a stepping stone for future goals. However, a commitment to lifelong learning can have immense benefits through every stage of your life.
Creating the attitude of a lifelong learner in young adulthood gives you a step up in life, raising your prospects and improving your outcomes. Continuing education as a young adult — from adolescence into adulthood — means going beyond the classroom in various avenues of education.
Continue your education beyond the classroom through learning life skills, expanding your talents and hobbies, and participating in vocational training programs. In the process, you will transcend academic learning and pick up usable skills that will translate across every stage of your life.
1. Life Skills
Life skills are anything and everything that help you maintain a healthy, highly-functioning lifestyle. This can mean the daily living activities that have aided in your development since childhood or skills learned in adulthood, like the process of filing one’s taxes or investing for the future.
Many young adults exiting high school and even college are often astounded by the level of complexity in adult life. They find that little of that complexity is discussed and taught in the classroom. This is where a commitment to lifelong learning can be immediately beneficial in your day-to-day life, and it’s easier than you might think.
There are many options available for learning life skills. From signing up for a community class, enrolling in a course on a digital learning platform, to even watching a series of useful YouTube videos, you can learn a lot about life and how to navigate it.
Online courses that are not affiliated with traditional academia are gaining in popularity. This is a market expected to swell to a $350 billion industry by 2025, boosted by the increased importance of digital learning caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Platforms like Udemy, Lynda, or Skillshare serve users in thousands of fields to navigate life skills and progress their abilities. You can find anything from generalized soft skills to highly specific topics in the ranks of courses available online.
The availability of learning opportunities in an easily navigable digital marketplace makes continuing education a breeze. Why not give yourself a leg up in life by progressing your learning outside of the classroom?
2. Talents, Passions, and Hobbies
Learning is easier when the subject is something we are really passionate about. Often, we don’t even think of developing our talents, passions, and hobbies as an educational experience. However, everything from learning an instrument to building model cars has real-world applications that you can carry with you throughout your life.
Take music for example. Listening, playing, and experiencing music can have profound effects on the development of our brains. Studies have shown that when we accompany our lives with music, cognitive ability, neural processing, and even high school retention rates are improved.
Engaging our passions and hobbies in creative ways lend benefits that last a lifetime, growing our minds and bodies:
Physical activities boost our health and well-being.
Hobbies can reduce depression and improve mental health.
Social opportunities through hobbies increase social and interpersonal well-being.
Hobbies can stimulate our creativity.
Creative and constructive activities allow for introspection and self-improvement.
However minimal you may think it is, your talent or hobby can provide a phenomenal avenue for continuing education and self-improvement. In turn, you’ll receive social, mental, and emotional benefits that can help you across a lifetime.
3. Vocational Programs
No matter what your education level or career aspirations, looking into vocational training can ensure you have a fallback and a way to securely make money and invest in your future.
Interested individuals can take advantage of hands-on learning opportunities rarely offered in a classroom while working side-by-side with industry professionals in a field that interests them. Because of their significant disparity in cost and time commitment compared to a traditional university degree, vocational programs are a way of expanding your exposure to real-world experience and helping you find a career and interests that truly suit you in an affordable capacity.
Additionally, vocational training can offer you an environment in which to meet new people with shared interests. Making friends as an adult isn’t always easy. Expanding your skillset with like-minded individuals is a great place to build a community.
Taking the time to participate in vocational training can be a fun, educational, and social experience that also provides you useful tools to begin a potential career in a field you are interested in. For any young adult expanding their skills through continuing education, vocational training offers paths to success that could last you a lifetime.
The Lifelong Benefits of a Commitment to Education in Middle-Age
Perhaps you are established in a career field or maybe even looking for a new one in your middle age. Continuing your education is paramount in any case. Offering opportunities for career advancement, social networking, and developing new technical skills, education in your middle age will give you the tools to thrive and grow.
1. Education for Working Individuals
Whether you are a boss or an employee, you can learn and help others learn through useful training programs and vocational opportunities for self-betterment. Continuing education makes for the greater potential within a workplace, with a reported 218% increase in average income per employee among companies that integrate employee training programs in the workplace.
Education has a real financial value that can help you or your employees advance and grow, bettering their prospects and hope for the future. With continued training in and out of the workplace, you can build a substantial nest egg for your retirement all while advancing your current or future career.
2. Social Learning on a Busy Schedule
A great way to continue your education even with a full-time job and a committed family schedule is through Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). These tools enable many people to receive education through a flexible online platform, and in a post-COVID world, they are all but a necessity in ensuring the continuing of education at all.
MOOCs offer a plethora of benefits for anyone in any stage of life. In middle age, the flexibility they present can be a lifesaver. With weekly lectures in short form — less-than-ten-minute videos and quizzes — and accompanying assignments, continuing education students are able to glean what they need in a way that is conducive to any schedule.
The best part of MOOCs is that they do not require a compromise in education quality. Top-notch universities like Harvard and MIT are even participating in these platforms, allowing students to find quality instruction for a variety of topics ranging from professional development to cultivating new skills.
For anyone looking to expand their abilities and prospects later in life, MOOCs are worth joining.
3. Learning New Tech
You may find it difficult on the job to keep up with all the new developments and inventions, especially if you work or hope to work in a field that utilizes a lot of technology. In any field, however, you won’t be able to escape a greater shift towards technology and digital platforms. This can be strenuous for many for whom new tech does not come easily.
To keep up on the tech your company is using — or to learn how to use new tech that can benefit you or your company — continue your education into your middle age and beyond.
In the next 10 years, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in nearly every workplace is expected to change a variety of roles. Understanding how this new tech is used and integrated can help ensure you maintain relevance in your field or build it in a new one.
Through continuous education, you can pick up skills and knowledge of new technology that will translate into a more secure and empowered present and future. In a world as rapidly changing as our own, maintaining a firm grasp of new innovations and their place in business processes is all but a necessity.
A Fulfilling Retirement through Learning
It’s now easier than ever to continue your education into your retirement. With programs across the country designed to assist older folks in their dedication to never stop learning and growing, you can find the perfect social and educational outlet for you.
In fact, more retirees than ever are returning to college through programs like the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. These programs are created to accommodate those on a fixed income. That means fees far below those of traditional college course tuitions. Retirees can learn and pick up new skills as it best suits them.
Whether you choose to learn through teaching, pick up a new hobby, or take community classes for a social outlet, continuing your education in retirement can be just the stimulation and entertainment you’re looking for.
1. Learning by Teaching
An amazing tool of the digital age is the ability to share one’s knowledge and create a community of reciprocal learning through online education platforms. These handy tools are relatively easy to use and can provide an additional income for educators looking for an outlet.
One of the best aspects of these online education platforms like Udemy or Lynda is that they do not require a specific set of qualifications. Regardless of the path, your life has taken, you likely have knowledge that others will find useful. Structuring that knowledge into a data-driven course can help others while also teaching you the valuable skills needed in setting up a digital course.
Introduce yourself to online learning through the tools provided by online learning platforms. You can even take courses designed to help you create your own. The process of learning how to teach will give you the means to grow your income while also building your skill set, no matter your age and experience.
2. Picking up New Hobbies
You are never too old to pick up a new hobby. Doing so will benefit you mentally, emotionally, and physically while offering new opportunities to meet people and grow. Additionally, consistent participation in stress-reducing or physical hobbies has been shown to boost the immune system and even prevent chronic illness.
Many retirement and senior centers offer options for seniors looking to pick up a new skill or trade. Additionally, you can venture online or explore opportunities in your greater community for the advancement of your passions and interests.
3. Taking Community Classes
Almost every state and city offer some varieties of community classes designed for and around senior needs. These classes can help you maintain an active, interested learning lifestyle that will benefit you in every aspect of your healthy life.
Since many organizers of these classes understand the challenges posed by living on a fixed income, free and cheap options exist to help you maintain a commitment to lifelong education. Whether you are painting, creating pottery, writing, exercising, or so much more, you will reap the benefits of a stimulated and social outlet on a budget.
Nearly every community offers courses that could be an option in continuing education that you can use throughout your retirement. Check out what is available near you or consider taking on a digital education experience to gain familiarity with the rapidly changing world. It’s never too late to pick up the skills and knowledge that you can use throughout the rest of your life.
The Benefits of Being a Lifelong Learner
From adolescence to retirement and beyond, learning helps invigorate and sustain our lives in healthy and fulfilling ways. Continued education can be utilized in every stage of a person’s life, providing them skills, opportunities, social networks, and increased well-being in every facet of life.
Continuing education can have benefits for every pillar of your health, including but not limited to:
Mental.
Emotional.
Spiritual.
Physical.
Social.
There is never a time in which these aspects of life cease to be important. By committing to continuing education, you can live a longer and better life with more of what you love in it.
It is never too late to learn new skills, grow your talents, and become the person you’ve always wanted to be.
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