Top 5 Tips for Adult Learners Returning to Study

Whether you are looking to develop in your current role or for a complete career change, there are plenty of opportunities to study as an adult. You could do anything from an online master’s to a custom-designed course at work. It’s important to keep learning and focus on developing your skills throughout your life. This will make you stand out to future employers and will help increase your job satisfaction. Returning to study can be challenging, but also very rewarding. Here are five tips to get the most out of it.

Choose a course that interests you

Choose a course that’s relevant to you. This could be related to the type of work you do or want to do, or your personal interests. Decide how much time you can commit and whether you’d rather attend lectures in-person or study online. There are plenty of amazing courses online that you can prepare remotely, such as an online mba in health administration, for example. You can also attend conferences in-person to support these.

Find the right routine

If you are going to be dealing with work, school, and family life you need to find a routine that works for you. Find your best time of day for studying. This could be early in the morning or later in the evening. Aim to get the bulk of your work done when you are most productive. You might need to make a few small lifestyle changes to make time for your studies.

Speak to your employer

It can be challenging to juggle work and school especially if you’re working full-time. It could be a good idea to speak to your employer about flexible working hours. Let them know about the challenges you are facing and give them the opportunity to help you if possible. If you get a new qualification this will benefit the company so hopefully you’ll be able to get your employer’s full support. 

Work with your skill set

There are certain soft skills you need for studying an online master’s, for example. You need to develop your research skills, written communication, technical skills, and more. Choose a course that aligns with the skills you’ve developed over your career. You could also consider taking short courses to work on other areas such as your IT skills. These types of soft skills are transferable and applicable to many job roles.

Network with your peers

Look for events you can attend, in-person or virtual, that will allow you to network with your peers. You can share tips and techniques with other students and even make a few friends along the way. This will help to boost your confidence, reduce anxiety about difficult assignments, and increase your overall enjoyment of the course. There’s no need to worry about being a few years older than most of your peers. Even simply discussing your lectures and webinars you can reinforce your learning. You’ll be surprised how quickly you readapt to studying and this can be very satisfying.