Why more people are turning to online study

This is content for Charles Sturt University

Flexible study, personal growth, increased knowledge, a fulfilling career with stronger employment prospects and higher earnings potential … Yes, the benefits of further education are plentiful – and with online study, you won’t need to take time off from your current job to do it.

In today’s job market, studying an online course can help you remain competitive, offer greater job security and more opportunities while you’re working or raising a family. Smart operators are getting skilled-up with further study to score promotions – and pay rises – and take on the jobs of the future. And many are doing it via flexible online study.

According to an Australian Bureau of Statistics report, Characteristics of Employment, Australia, the mean weekly earnings for someone with a postgraduate degree was $1,794 in 2015, compared to $905 per week for those without a non-school qualification*. That’s a big pay discrepancy that can make online learning a very attractive proposition – even if you don’t have the cash upfront to pay for study.

HECS-HELP (for undergraduate) and FEE-HELP (for postgraduate) loans allows eligible students to defer payments so they can study now and pay through the taxation system once their income reaches a certain threshold. And if you’re already working and your course is linked to your profession, there could be tax benefits too, so speak to your accountant.

Money aside, perhaps one of the greatest draw-cards to online study is the flexibility that it offers. With those who work or have family commitments, online classes give you the option to study in your own time, which is critical when balancing multiple obligations.

Kylie, 40, began her online Bachelor of Social Science (Social Welfare) degree two years ago, after a wrist sprain prevented her from working as a hairdresser.

“I’m a single mum with two children and had been working as a hairdresser for more than 20 years,” Kylie explains. “When I sprained my wrist and had ongoing issues, I knew I had to retrain in a different career, but time and money are hard to come by! I’d always been interested in social welfare so I enrolled in a part-time online course, took up the HECS-HELP plan and I study at night – when the kids are asleep. I’m only two years into the course but, through work placement, I have scored a related job in the field, so I’ve got my foot in the door. I absolutely love it! Instead of hairdressing every weekend, which my job required me to do, I now get to work Monday to Friday and can spend more time with my kids.”

Kylie says one of her main fears was that she’d ‘forgotten how to study’ and that she wouldn’t be able to find the time to commit to the course, but this was quickly overcome.

“I’d been in the workforce for so long that I wasn’t sure how I’d go studying again,” she says. “But the teachers’ support has been amazing – I’ve been more motivated and excited about studying and learning than I thought I’d be. I set aside 90 minutes every night, and now have a great study routine. I love that I’m learning and have more job options to choose from. I feel more secure about the future financially, enjoy working again and I have more flexibility to be with my children. And my wrist is healing beautifully!”

Online study can actually alleviate pressure, allowing you to learn independently and commit more or less time according to your pace. You can study when your energy levels peak, whether that’s early morning or at night, and have course material at your fingertips at any time.  It can also save you time – and money – commuting to and from campus, fighting traffic, finding a car park, leaving work early to get to class and sitting around between lectures – when you could be with your family or friends.

In the past, those with low organisational skills and motivation may have shied away from online education. But universities have addressed this with great support from both teachers and fellow students via dedicated online discussion groups, online journals, video and rich media resources, small groups for projects, dedicated social media groups and online forums, to ensure students are engaged, motivated and feel connected. In fact, shy students can actually benefit because they have the opportunity to join class discussions without the face-to-face fear. And if you’re easily distracted by your classmates, your concentration levels could benefit too.

Teachers can identify struggling students in real time, and students can see their progress and share their accomplishments in personalised ways via digital technologies.

And when it comes to scoring a promotion or job, students with further training and qualifications are more competitive than those without. Studying online shows employers that you are ambitious, committed, good with time management and are enthusiastic about increasing your knowledge, personal growth and learning the most up to date information – as Ben, 33, discovered.

After working full-time as a web developer for the same company for four years, Ben had been overlooked for several promotions, but online study changed this.

“I had a Sound Engineering Diploma but because all of my colleagues had a degree, they were promoted and I wasn’t – even though I was a better web developer than them!” he says. “I enrolled in an online Bachelor of Computer Science and I’d only completed one year of the course when I got a promotion! I thought I knew a lot about web development, but technology changes so fast that it’s actually been hugely beneficial for me to keep up to date – as well reaping the perks of scoring a pay rise and new doors opening.”

Universities can also help get you a foot in the door, like Kylie discovered, since they have great affiliations with industry leaders and employers. With some courses requiring job placement, students have the opportunity to meet and work directly with employers and recruiters, building relationships that could benefit them with a job offer as well as on-the-job training.

With a variety of programs and courses, from traditional three-year full-time degrees to part-time diplomas available, online study today offers a vast variety of options for students. And the selection is incredible. Agricultural business management, accounting, nursing, ecotourism and sport and recreation, you name it – there will be and online course for the dream job you want. So what are you waiting for? Enrol today!

* (Non-school qualifications include qualifications at the Postgraduate Degree level, Master Degree level, Graduate Diploma and Graduate Certificate level, Bachelor Degree level, Advanced Diploma and Diploma level, and Certificates I, II, III and IV levels.)