There are a great many benefits of returning to education or taking up a course of study for the first time. The learning can be challenging, but enjoyable, and can bring a lot of benefit to you, your role and the organisation you work for. A few things to consider:
Costs
- Would your organisation support you? Many organisations do, it could be worth checking if your organisation does.
- Springboard – if you are employed you can get 90% funding for a chosen programme through Springboard+ and 100% funding if you’re unemployed or returning to the workplace. https://springboardcourses.ie/
- Tax back – You can claim tax relief on fees paid at the end of the tax year.
- Skillnet are a resource for certain sectors, they provide funding for upskilling https://www.skillnetireland.ie/
The benefits
- Continuous professional development allows you to continue to develop the knowledge and skills you need to continue your professional growth and development.
- New contacts, a broader network and in lots of cases friends for life.
- Engagement in new sectors, learning about new trends, identifying new career paths and industries.