Going back to school is a great way to achieve your goals, whatever they may be. You may be pursuing a new career, looking for ways to boost your current job, or following your interests. Throughout life, we never stop learning. Knowledge is power, and it’s never too late to feed your brain new information.

Enrolling in college or university at any age can be daunting. It offers a unique experience that takes you out of your comfort zone. While exciting, the idea of meeting new people and knuckling down to study can trigger anxiety and self-doubt. As an adult learner, the experience can feel even more overwhelming. If you feel this way, you’re not alone.

This article discusses common challenges that you might face as an adult learner and how to overcome them.

4 Potential Problems For The Adult Learner

Whatever your background, interest, or resources, there are some obstacles that mature students tend to face. It can be helpful to determine your concerns before starting your program. That way, you can prepare yourself in the best way possible for any hurdles.

Time Management

Some students struggle to manage their time, and that’s without juggling the demands of adulthood. Often, the biggest problem mature students face is scheduling school around other commitments. Careers, children, and relationships are some of the responsibilities that might impact your studying. Courses and lessons are typically at set times, and you will need to account for the commute time to and from campus.

Adult learners can benefit from flexible schedules that work around other obligations. Citi College offers flexible learning opportunities, with various courses running in the evenings and on weekends. You can also benefit from online learning for hybrid working, which saves you time.

Financial Barriers

Education costs money. Tuition fees, books, living, and travel costs quickly add up. With other financial commitments like paying bills, buying food, and providing for your family, money can become a problem. Coming up with the funds to pay for a class or course might begin to feel like an impossible expense.

There is financial support available to adult learners. It’s best to discuss funding with your chosen college, as there may be financial programs like loans and grants. For example, Citi College has professional career counsellors who can explore your options before you enroll.

Lack Of Self-Confidence

Many mature students battle with self-confidence when returning to college after some time out. If you’re older than your fellow students, you might feel misplaced or that you don’t belong. Additionally, the competitive side of securing a place at a private career college or institution might make you question yourself.

However, don’t let your mindset hold you back. Returning to school might feel like you’re moving backwards, but it’s actually a step forward. Changing your mindset and acknowledging the opportunity you have can help you stick in and achieve success with your chosen program. Getting your degree or diploma can open doors. Keep this in mind when those negative thoughts creep in.

Lack of Motivation

When you’re working full-time, making money, and living a hectic existence, making time for studying might feel like a chore. Furthermore, if you’re attending a program that doesn’t interest you, it can be challenging to pursue. The trick is to make sure you study a subject that interests you and is sure to benefit your professional needs or career goals.

On the other hand, you might feel more motivated to complete your course to acquire the perks. Usually, when a person returns to learning, they’re there for a reason.

Build Your Future with Citi College, The Private Career College

Citi College offers business, information technology, healthcare, and engineering diploma programs. Those who attend our campus join a supportive and vibrant community that ensures our adult students are set up for success. We welcome students of all ages and from all walks of life, with flexible learning and enrollment dates to accommodate all candidates.

Contact our private career college in Mississauga or our private career college in Toronto, and advance your career prospects today!

Professional networking is about building and maintaining relationships with the people in your field. It can be the people you work with or others in your industry who may be able to help you in your career journey.

Networking is an incredibly important part of any professional career, but many people shy away from it. Some find it too difficult, while others question its importance. But, networking is one of the best ways that you can build and nurture your career.

In this article, we’re going to look at a few different methods of networking and how they can help you to build a stable career. Keep reading to find out more.

Methods Of Networking

You’ll be glad to know that in-person networking isn’t the only method of meeting new people in your industry. With the advent of social media and other forms of technology, networking is the easiest it has ever been.

Below, we have summarized some easy methods you can use to begin networking with others in your field.

Take Advantage Of Social Media

Social media has its negative aspects, but for networking, it is one of the best tools you can use. From Instagram and Twitter to LinkedIn, there are so many different avenues of connecting with people through social media.

Following or connecting with people in your field who inspire you is not only a great way to see their content, but it also puts you in touch with them. You can send direct messages to certain individuals, interact with their content, and get the ball rolling on a lucrative relationship.

Networking over social media is a great way to start, especially if you find it more difficult to network in person.

Reach Out For A Coffee Chat

While social media is a good stepping stone for beginning professional relationships, once you’ve begun to develop a relationship with someone, you should move the relationship off of social media.

Instead of bombarding people in your field with questions over Instagram, you could ask them to meet up for a coffee. Heading out for a coffee chat with someone you admire is a great way to build the relationship further.

Head Out To Networking Events (Or Events In Your Field That Involve Networking)

If one-on-one meetings aren’t your thing, networking events could be a good place for you to network. Networking events, and other events in your field, are the perfect place to meet people in your industry – you’re basically in a room full of people who can help you advance in your career!

Join conversations, take down details, and use these events as a place to lay the groundwork to build a few professional relationships.

Don’t Ask For A Job, Aim To Build A Connection

While the aim of networking is job growth and career advancement, it is more important to build a relationship than outright asking for a job. You may ask for a job they don’t have at the moment and it could come across as though you’re using them to advance your career.

If you build a relationship with another person in your field, however, they’re more likely to let you know when jobs come up that you’re suited for and may even recommend you for roles within their organization. In addition, job growth doesn’t always come from getting a new job with higher pay.

By building professional relationships, you have someone to turn to for advice that knows your industry as well as you do. This kind of guidance can be useful for both brand new jobs and for growth in your current occupation.

Take The Opportunity To Help Others

Relationships go both ways, and no one will stick around long if you spend all of your time asking for favours from them without giving anything in return. Make sure you hold up your end of the professional relationship by offering advice, letting people know about jobs that might suit them, and recommending your colleagues for roles you think they’d be great in.

Ask For Suggestions On How To Keep Building Your Network

Networking can be intimidating, especially if you’re new in the field. People who have been in the industry for longer than you have probably found handy ways of building their network and they may be willing to offer you some tips too.

Don’t shy away from asking for advice from people in your field, after all, good networking is key to a good career.

Follow Up After The Initial Conversation

After meeting someone who you think could be a good contact to have, make sure to reach out after your initial meeting. This is a great way to start a back-and-forth and build what you’ve got into a useful professional relationship.

This may be a quick email or a connection on social media. However, you do it, make sure you do it sooner rather than later so that they remember you!

Try Joining A Committee Or Professional Organization In Your Field

Committees and organizations within your field are groups of people in your industry that meet up regularly. Joining a group is an easy way of networking within your field on a regular basis. It can be an incredibly natural way to build professional relationships too.

Set Some Goals For Yourself When Networking

Having a plan of what you want to achieve from networking makes it much easier to go out and do it. Before networking events, you should give yourself a goal of making one or two new connections in your field to ensure that the event has helped you to grow in your career.

Try setting goals each time you attend an event so that you gradually build an extensive professional network.

Be Sure To Prepare Your ‘Elevator Pitch’ About Yourself & Your Career

When you’re at events, getting tongue-tied isn’t an option, so make sure you have your elevator pitch ready. Networking is all about selling yourself and showing people why you’d be a great person to get connected with.

You can practice your elevator pitch at home to get it right and even ask for advice from others in your current network before heading out to meet new people.

An elevator pitch should be short but informative and should show the value that you bring to your field. There are countless examples and guides online to help you curate a compelling pitch, whatever your industry.

If You Are Looking For A Great College To Study At, Call Citi College Today!

Citi College is a private career college, dedicated to producing industry-ready graduates. We offer an extensive list of courses and offer workshops and guidance in a variety of soft skills to help you start the career you want.

Networking can feel intimidating at first, but here at Citi College, we can help you to build your confidence and your network while you study with us. To find out more information about Citi College, get in touch today!

Starting your education at a private career college (like Citi College) can be daunting. It’s a big step in your life and can feel a little overwhelming. At Citi College, ensuring our students are comfortable and confident is at the heart of all we do. We want to help you get the best out of your course.

Whether you’re attending Citi College or another private career college, your first day of college may feel overwhelming, but there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself. Below, we’ve gathered some recommendations for having a great first day at college.

Grab All Your Supplies

Whether you’re joining a business course or pursuing a healthcare diploma, you should come prepared with all of your supplies. You’ll need items like writing equipment, such as pens, pencils and paper, and you could need technological devices like your laptop or tablet.

There may also be handy apps you can download at your private career college, like your timetable app or a campus map. Make sure you have all this sorted out the night before so that you’re not scrambling for your things on the morning of your first day.

Become Familiar With The Most Important Locations On Campus

Find out what building your classrooms are in so that you can be on time for your classes each day. You should also locate the library in case you need somewhere to study and check out books. Other places you should look out for include the lunchroom, cafeteria, medical centre or common room, and you could seek out student services just in case you ever need their help.

Head To Class Early

We recommend heading to your classes early every day, especially on your first day. For starters, you will make a good impression if you arrive on time. Being late won’t be acceptable in your job, so you should get into the habit of being on time now. Second, if you’re late, you may miss important information, especially at the beginning of your course.

Start Developing A Routine

Falling into a routine can make college feel easier. If you develop healthy habits, like ensuring you’re up in time to eat breakfast and getting to class on time, you will have a better time at college.

Building healthy habits while attending a private career college can set you up for a good work/life balance. If you’ve gotten into the routines that make life easier during college, you’ll find it easier to implement them when you start work.

Get To Know Everyone

It can feel overwhelming on the first day to meet so many new people, but it is important that you build relationships with your teachers at college. Building a good relationship with them will ensure that you get the help you need and they could help you get a job when you leave.

Making friends with your coursemates can make college life more fun and manageable. It will mean having others know what you’re going through, creating a support system for yourself and your fellow coursemates. You’ll also be able to work with one another to get the best out of your course.

Though you may find it difficult, make an effort to speak to other people on your first day at college to start building bridges now.

Looking For A Great College To Study At? Call Citi College Now!

Are you thinking of attending a private career college? Get in touch with Citi College today to find an extensive range of courses for you to try! We’re dedicated to making the transition to a career college as easy as possible, and we’ll have you industry-ready in no time!

Whether you’re just graduating from college or university or taking the leap and making a career change, thinking about the soft skills employers want is integral to good job applications.

Your soft skills are personal, developed over time, and may come naturally to you. They are different from industry-specific technical skills and can help to set you apart from other applicants. Here at Citi College, we’re committed to helping our students to develop their soft skills, as well as career-related skills, when they study with us.

Keep reading to learn more about the soft skills employers look for.

Communication Skills

Communication is key to all roles, no matter your field of work. Good communication can be the difference between a smooth-running operation and an absolute disaster. In your career, you’ll likely need to communicate with various people, including clients, customers, vendors, employers, and more.

Precise, polite communication is integral to a working environment, so you’ll need excellent written and oral communication skills. Good communication means being a good listener, presenting, and having the social skills to work with others.

Teamwork

Teamwork means working with others and is a valuable skill in your career. Good teamwork creates the happy and productive environments employers are looking for.

Teamwork includes a range of aspects, including accepting feedback, having the skills to collaborate with others, dealing with office politics, and having the emotional intelligence to work well with your colleagues.

Having A Strong Work Ethic

A strong work ethic is exceptionally desirable to employers. It means you’re more likely to arrive to work on time, complete tasks promptly, and be focused and organized in your work. Following instructions and meeting deadlines are valuable skills in any job.

A strong work ethic means being attentive to details, being dedicated, having good organizational skills, being a reliable employee, and being able to self-supervise.

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a valuable skill for employers. It means that their employees can problem solve and make informed and effective decisions. Critical thinking means taking the time to analyze a situation, understand a problem, and come up with a solution.

Employers are looking for people who can adapt and be flexible, have a sense of curiosity, a desire to learn, and are resourceful.

Having A Positive Attitude In The Workplace

A positive attitude is desirable to employers because it means you will come to work in a good mood, be friendly to others, and be eager to work. It means having the confidence to do well in your work, the enthusiasm to progress, and the energy to meet deadlines.

Time Management

Time management is one of the most in-demand soft skills employers will look for. In the fast-paced, digital age we live in, being able to work productively, meet deadlines, and manage your time effectively will set you apart from other candidates.

At the end of the day, employers are looking to make money, so if you can get your work done on time, you will be a desirable employee.

Become Job Ready With Citi College! Contact Us Today!

Citi College is a private career college committed to producing career-ready individuals. We offer multiple quality programs where you will learn technical, industry-specific skills, as well as the soft skills employers look for. And when you leave us, you will still have access to our services, which help with resume building and interview preparation.

If you’re looking for a private career college to get you ready for your choice of career in the GTA, get in touch with Citi College today!