The global job market is constantly changing, resulting in demand for professionals who can learn and adapt quickly. Therefore, continuing education is an inevitable requirement among professionals to stay current with the latest developments, skills, and new technologies required for their fields.
For finance and accounting professionals, Continuing education, known as CPD (Continuing Professional Development) or CPE (Continuing Professional Education), is required to comply with laws, remain licensed or certified, or maintain membership in an association or licensing body such as ACCA, CFA, CIMA, and others. CPD or CPE is also a mandate in certain professions like medicine and engineering.
Learnsignal has been instrumental in helping budding managers acquire essential and industry-relevant skills that help them with growth and career advancement. This article will discuss 7 ways continuing education will benefit you professionally.
1. Improved earning potential
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”
– Henry Ford.
It can be a straightforward equation; the more valuable you are to a company, the more you earn. Building your skill set will make you an invaluable employee and open new doors and opportunities.
2. Networking Benefits
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
-Mahatma Gandhi.
Online continuing education can allow you to meet new people and build a new network. Webinars allow you to engage with academic experts and with other professionals doing courses alongside you. It might even work out that the connections you meet in your course provide a way to enhance your career and business opportunities.
3. Better Job Opportunities
“We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.”
– Peter Drucker.
People applying for jobs with multiple qualifications are not unusual, so you need to ask yourself how you will stand out. Having additional recent certifications shows how crucial your own personal improvement is to a potential employer. This is something that will help you stand out from the crowd.
4. Climb the Career Ladder
“Wisdom…. comes not from age, but from education and learning.”
– Anton Chekhov.
Continuing education is not limited to those people who are seeking new jobs. Your day-to-day job can benefit from you becoming better at your current tasks and qualified to take on new responsibilities. A great way to get promoted in your work is by improving your performance. Taking additional courses means that you will have skills that nobody else has, and you will get noticed when the promotion opportunities come around. Hard work is only one crucial part of climbing the career ladder. Learning new skills can make it easier to get more work done and do a better job overall.
5. Stay Sharp and Look After Your Mental Health
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
— Malcolm X
There is a strong relationship between education and mental health. Ongoing learning keeps your brain active and healthy and improves memory. A lot of research shows the link between learning and positive mental health. Treat it like exercise for your brain! Prioritising education is correlated to a longer lifespan and will help you develop healthy behaviours to maintain your physical and mental health.
6. Expand Your Professional Horizons
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.”
―Sydney J. Harris
People sometimes let the world dictate their future careers, so the areas that some people study can be very narrow because of this. Follow a different path by trying to expand your knowledge in different areas. It will improve your overall offering within your company or make it a better place to start a new job or your own business – education can make your dreams a reality!
7. Be innovative, be successful.
“Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.”
— Brian Tracy
Going outside your normal scope or extending your knowledge will allow you to explore new concepts and discover new ways of thinking. The broader your knowledge base, the better set you will be for solving problems or being creative. The best entrepreneurs are always looking for new ways to learn.
No Better Time than Right Now!
Hopefully, you now have a better answer to the question of continuing education. Being ‘done’ with school once they graduate or get a qualification is not always the best idea. If you stop pursuing learning opportunities once you start your career, there’s a chance that you might get stuck in a rut.
Continuing education is key to your personal growth, but it can also help you succeed in your career by:
- Giving you access to better job opportunities.
- Keeping you upskilled and industry-ready
- Preparing you to think differently, adapt, and innovate
Read more on Strategies to Get your Company to Foot the Bill for Your Continuing Education
CPD Training & Employers: What are the Benefits?
How to Write a Great Accounting CV
3 Emerging Roles in Finance, Accounting & Taxation
7 Benefits of Continuing Education & Professional Development
Deep read Continuing education is certainly a career booster, enhancing skills and opportunities. This blog effectively highlights the many benefits, emphasizing the importance of lifelong learning for a fulfilling career path.
Thank You! We appreciate your kind feedback!