Canadian Career Guide

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LIKE GENETIC CODE, career pathways
are unique to the individual. Unlike
genetic code, there are times in life when
one needs a career change—sometimes
a slight re-direction or at other times a
paradigm shift. Whatever the case may
be, when is going back to school a
good option? Well, the continuing
education students we talked to said
they considered three things in making
the decision. The considerations were:
timing, or where the person was on their
career path; experience, including a
level of experience, knowledge and
understanding of career options and;
goals, having a clear and specific idea of
what you want to achieve.
Most new grads, for example, have
less opportunity cost than someone 10
years into their career heading up the
corporate ladder with a six-figure income.
Losing that earning potential plus tuition,
may make a return to full-time education
unattractive for many. That being said,
at present, there are endless options
for continuing education, with many
part-time, virtual, and affordable
opportunities to learn while balancing
work and family.
Experience is one consideration that
Alison Carrow, a continuing education
student in nutrition, weighed heavily
in her decision to go back to school. “I
knew I wanted to specialize in something
healthy, sustainable and therapeutic but
wasn’t sure what, so instead of
continuing at university after my
undergrad degree, I went away, tried
some things and took time to clear my
mind and gain perspective on what I
really wanted.” Gaining additional and
new experiences can be eye opening in
two ways, first, to gain focus on a
specific path and second, awareness of
what is possible.
Having clear goals of what you
want to achieve is also valuable to
understanding whether continuing
education is the right option. Some
are obvious like changing careers from
grain trader to veterinarian, a robust
educational component would be
required! Other career changes that are
not so clear could forgo continuing
education for other learning options such
as volunteering, something as simple as
this can give experiences that support
goals, rather than more certificates for
the wall. To explore further career path
options, check out the Education Profiles
on or contact us to learn
more about continual education options.
by Kathryn Doan, Director of Global Business Development
GO BACK TO SCHOOL
WITHOUT GOING
BACK TO SCHOOL.
The University Partners page is a designated
area of ’s website for colleges and universities
throughout North America to showcase their online educational
advancement opportunities to students and professionals.
A diverse listing of degrees and certificate programs can be
found on the Online Degrees page on .
The following pages advertise participating schools
and programs.
WEIGHING THE OPTIONof continuing education
28 Ag & F ood CAreer guide UNIVERSITY PARTNERS
AG