Tag Archives: Degree
Knowing what to study as an adult
After several years of being in the work world, you are likely to find yourself in a position where you are wanting to move jobs, get a promotion or start your own business. It is definitely a period of change and a deepening of understanding which direction you want to go into. It is often the pivotal point in your long-term career, where you have built some experience and have had some exposure but not if you’re ready to forge a clear way forward. It can be hard knowing what to go on to study that will equip you with what you need to make the next move. Here are a few ideas to picking your next learning pathway.
Project management course
You can do a diploma in project management because project management is underlying that supports just about anything you do in business and in your job. Having good project management will help you know how to manage people, manage budget and prioritise and execute tasks. You can choose whether to do your course online or through a university or college, but make sure that it is a recognised certificate or qualification that you can use to improve your resume.
Business acumen ability
Being in business you will want to have a better understanding of how business works overall, whether it be how money is made, money flows through the business or how the practice of management strategies, such as lean management can help improve cash flows and profits. There are several courses that can help develop your business acumen. Popular ones would be a diploma or master’s in business administration and while the name is a bit misleading, you will learn the basics of all aspects of business. This includes marketing, economics, accounting, and even human resources and logistics.
Go industry-specific
Depending on what industry you are in and what direction you are wanting to go and grow into, your further learning may be best suited around doing something that is industry-specific and helps. It could stand you in a good position if you’re looking to improve or motivate for a bigger paycheque because if you’re better skilled and qualified in your position, you will be highly valuable to your company.
General short courses
There are tonnes of short courses available online which don’t necessarily have the credibility of a university or college but do offer comprehensive learning tools to learn a particular skill. This could be a great way of identifying and boosting your skills and knowledge in something like software skills or in public speaking. The range of what is available is vast and you can almost do just about anything. Try to find a way to map your skills and identify the areas that you are lacking. Speak to your colleagues and bosses about what they’d like to see you do better at and find a course that can address that. The cost of these courses can be incredibly low because they work on a model of scale.
What is the importance of a Masters in Agribusiness?
In today’s world, agribusinesses refer to the products and services that feature advanced internet of things, technologies that help farmers raise livestock, grow, produce and manage machinery and process and ship products more efficiently. The field of international agri-business combines efficient production at farm level with a well-ordered supply chain, managing the delivery of food products into international markets.
Countries with farming industries face consistent pressures from global competition and therefore relies on agribusiness to operate efficiently. Agribusiness has developed into a well-integrated system that focuses on the processing, warehousing, distribution, marketing and retailing of products used in farming. The main purpose of this line of business is to improve operations in order to keep prices reasonable. Read this blog to get a good insight into the benefits of studying masters in agribusiness.
Academic institutions providing postgraduate degrees, as well as trade associations, foster the development of various agribusiness fields. Furthermore, students may also choose to conduct research in agribusiness, in areas such as the academic fields of agricultural economics and management studies or agribusiness management. Completing an agri-business course at MSc level will:
- Enable you to use and evaluate business management techniques;
- Help you assess their relevance to commercial practice under different technical and cultural constraints;
- Assist you in estimating the dynamic legal, economic and political environment within which businesses operate;
- Give you the ability to collect, analyse and interpret qualitative and quantitative data, as well as technical and commercial information;
- Help you become proficient in evaluating and identifying solutions to business management problems encountered by local, national and international firms.
A Masters in Agribusiness course enhances students’ knowledge of finance and human resource management in the field of agriculture. It also provides a detailed insight into agricultural management and the industries supporting agricultural production, processing, transportation and supply chain strategy. This course is the perfect way for students to obtain an advanced understanding of the principles, issues and practices of modern international agricultural business.
To acquire employment in the international agri-business environment, students need to be well-aware of the wide variety of functions, which encompasses the following topics related to the field of agriculture:
- Finance;
- Human resources;
- Customer services;
- Logistics;
- Marketing;
- Cross-cultural exporting, importing and purchasing.
Opting for an MSc International Agribusiness programme will help you become well-equipped with the essential skills that are required in a variety of management and decision issues relevant to agricultural businesses in an ever-changing international environment. If you are looking to enhance your career prospects in this dynamic sector of business, then apply for the course today!
What Else You Can Study Before a Social Work Career
Social work might be the noblest profession. Not only do you devote your career to helping the less fortunate navigate the world around them, but you work long, hard hours and get paid laughably little. Still, the rare satisfaction of improving people’s lives and improving the community pushes a few more people into the field social work every year.
There are social work degree programs – but they aren’t the only way you can get into social work. Because you can find accredited online MSW programs, you can gain the necessary credentials for a social work career while studying a broader, more widely applicable subject for your bachelor’s. If you are afraid of pigeon-holing your career with a niche degree before you enter the workforce, here are a few other programs you can pursue in undergrad.
Sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of society, which often involves studying the development of society as well as the structure and function of existing societies. Sociology can also entail the study of human relationships, which form the backbone of society. Sociology is a relatively new discipline, only just over 100 years old, and it intersects with dozens of similar fields of study, including behavioral economics and social psychology.
Social work can easily be explained as sociology at work; social workers apply what sociologists study and theorize. Therefore, sociology is an exceptionally useful major or minor for those eager to become social workers. Studying sociology will help you understand many of the phenomena affecting modern society, so you can more effectively respond to your clients’ needs and create positive change in their lives.
Political Science
Political science focuses on the theory and practice of government. In the classroom, students of political science study how power is distributed in different systems, how effective certain systems are at meeting the needs of their people, how political thought has evolved over time and more.
Some people believe that the definition of politics is who gets what, when and how. If that’s the case, then social workers equipped with a political science background might be better at obtaining the services their clients need. Especially if you plan to work in a government agency, you might want some experience in political science to help you navigate the complex rules and regulations of the public sector.
Psychology
It should be of little surprise that psychology appears on a list of potential courses of study for social workers. Psychology is an essential tool for the social worker, who must explain, encourage and otherwise embolden clients to improve their lives. With a psychology background, you will be capable of analyzing your clients’ psychological processes and moving them toward healthier emotional states and behaviors. What’s more, you can do the same with yourself, helping you remain calm, stable and productive in your own life.
If you hope to climb the social work career ladder, experience in psychology will become even more useful. Accredited online MSW programs draw heavily on psychology theory and practice, so your undergrad major or minor will provide a solid foundation upon which you can build.
Foreign Language
Unfortunately, the populations most in need of social assistance are often immigrant groups who have come to American seeking a better life. Though they might have marketable skills and a supportive community, they might lack the language capabilities necessary to find a job or a place to live, or they might fear interacting with the government in any way. By studying a foreign language and becoming fluent, you can serve these groups and ensure they adapt better to their new lives in the U.S.
Spanish is perhaps the most useful language to learn because the Latinx population is most underserved and is growing swiftly. However, you can also study French, Romanian, Hebrew, Portuguese, Russian or similar tongues spoken by oft-overlooked immigrants to America.
Business Administration
No matter where you work – no matter what you do – you will be part of an organization, which means knowledge and skill in business administration will be useful. With a business administration degree, you will be better prepared to communicate with colleagues and clients, balance budgets, improve efficiency and manage your time. Undoubtedly, these skills are useful in social work.
Many social workers pivot their careers toward entrepreneurship later in life. Because they see the struggles and challenges of large swaths of the population, social workers are well-positioned to generate solutions prime for the market. If you suspect you might follow this path, a business administration degree would again be useful in the management of your own business.
5 Sports Management Career Paths to Consider
Have you been dreaming of a career in sports ever since you were little Now that you’re older, that dream might seem far-fetched – especially since there are only 11,800 professional athletes in the entire U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But you don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy a long and fulfilling career in sports. There are tens of thousands of behind-the-scenes (and in-the-scenes) sports jobs that you can do, even if you’re not an example of peak physical conditioning. A sports management degree can prepare you to follow one of these sports career paths, among many others.
1) Sports Agent
Every professional athlete needs a competent sports agent to guide and advise them when it’s time to negotiate deals and sign contracts with brands and companies. As a sports agent, you’ll need to have a good head for business and strong negotiation skills. You’ll be responsible for handling all of your clients’ corporate and legal obligations, as well as helping them manage their money.
As a sports agent, you’ll travel to meet clients, potential clients and league representatives. Contract negotiations will occur during the spring and summer, while much of the winter and fall will be spent meeting with clients. You’ll take care of your athletes’ taxes, negotiate their salaries and bonuses and set up their product endorsement deals. Some background in contract or tax law would be useful.
2) Public Relations Assistant
Professional athletes spend much of their career in the public eye, especially those at the top of the field. Sports public relations assistants and other PR specialists in the sports field work to build and maintain a positive public image for the athletes they represent. They do this by attempting to control the information that flows from the team or athlete to the press and by working to soften the blow of any negative attention an athlete may garner.
Daily tasks for PR professionals in sports include preparing media reports and press releases, drafting speeches, arranging media interviews for athletes, responding to communications from journalists and crafting promotional campaigns. You’ll have a role in any activity that increases or bolsters a team’s or athlete’s positive public image.
3) General Manager
As a sports general manager, you’ll be in charge of managing a sports team’s deals and business transactions. General managers may work for teams in the minor leagues, as well as in the major leagues, with minor league general managers earning a starting salary of about $112,000. You’ll hire head coaches, manage the team’s revenue and budget, draft new players and speak for the team at media conferences.
A successful general manager has strong people skills, business acumen and communication skills. He or she must be able to hire and manage staff, including coaches and other support staff, as well as come up with new marketing and business strategies to increase the team’s revenue. A strong background in sports management will help you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your team and then find and recruit the players who can best help your team improve.
4) Sports Event Coordinator
Do you want to help plan and coordinate major league sports competitions? Perhaps you’d like to work on coordinating sports events for amateur or minor league athletes. Maybe you’re even interested in planning community sporting events or helping young people answer the question, “What can sports teach you about life?” Sports event coordinators get involved with planning sports programs and events on every level, from local amateur athletics and community or youth sports to major league competitions.
As a sports event coordinator, you’ll need an eye for detail and skills in marketing, business and organizational logistics. You’ll also need to understand the sports environment and the specific physical activity involved in the event you’re coordinating. In addition to planning the event itself, you’ll be responsible for logistics surrounding the event, such as making sure teams find their way to and from their hotels and that they’re comfortable in their accommodations.
5) Fitness Director
As a fitness director, you’ll be responsible for organizing and implementing fitness and group activities, which may or may not be for the benefit of professional athletes or even sports fans. For example, a fitness director may work as the face of a university’s student wellness program and may also be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the university’s fitness or recreation center.
You’ll need strong budgeting skills and may need management or supervisory skills. You may also need to teach fitness classes or train fitness instructors, provide customer service for participants and conduct teaching observations.
If you love sports and want a career working in fitness or with athletes, a sports management degree may be right for you. A degree in sports management will open up a range of fulfilling career paths in the sports industry, so you can build the sports career of your dreams.
