Are you standing at the mid-life crossroads and wondering about going back to study?

If you know what you want to study, then that’s a start, but if you have been busy with bringing up the family or working to put food on the table, then the choices out there can be overwhelming.

There are a few questions to ask yourself:

• For what purpose am I doing the study?
• What will it get me?
• Is it for pleasure?
• To extend my mind?
• To recreate my job into a vocation?
• What level course do I need/want to do?
• Can I trust the organization that is providing the course to deliver?

As with most big decisions, research is the key.

Firstly, be clear about your purpose in returning to study.

Next, ask another question.  “What will it give me in the long-term?”

Sometimes a non accredited, industry specific course, recognized by a peak body is worth more than a course from an RTO and will save your wallet thousands of dollars in the long-term.

Not all providers are equal.

It’s pretty much a case of Caveat Emptor – Latin for “Let the buyer beware”.

It is easy to be seduced by the glittering promises of a course that will enable you to earn a dazzling income – only to find out that you continue to spend your hard-earned dollars on upsizing courses as you reach out to grab yet another carrot dangled in front of you.

Research or shopping around can also save you months of study time.

The jobs market is full of job seekers who find that they are “over qualified” for the positions they have applied for. When you are starting out, an introductory course or weekend taster, if it is available is a good way to get a feel for the course content or provider.

Some TAFE courses lead to credit transfer points to Certificates, in turn leading to credits for higher qualifications, which can be handy. Sometimes all you need is a Certificate grade course to get entry into a field that you find fulfilling.

A case in point is a client, whom I shall call Beatrice.

Beatrice enjoys studying and the challenges sometimes presented. She qualified as a teacher after leaving school and in between teaching and raising a family of 3 boys, she managed to complete her Masters Degree in Education and gain more post-graduate qualifications in librarianship as well as a second Masters Degree in Management.
Her marriage fell apart when she was in her mid 50’s and she needed to return to work full-time to support herself. Interview after interview ….”Too qualified”.

After some Crossroads Coaching , she discovered that what she really wanted to do was to something new and exciting, so she signed up for a Certificate IV in Hospitality with plans to run her own boutique tea house.

The course gave her the skills to move into a different, practical area, quite removed from her teaching experience although her existing time management and people skills are valuable assets.

The coaching gave her the clarity to find out what it was she really wanted to do and the courage to move on.

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life

Confucius