Build your prospects with a nightcourse

A nightcourse can help you take control of your own career development and speed your ascent up the corporate ladder...

One of the main reasons why people decide to take a nightcourse is career development. A nightcourse can give you the extra skills, professional training, work experience, industry contacts and insider know-how to allow you to take your career onto the next level.

On the job training is now a reality in most occupations. The idea of the same person doing the same tasks each day for forty years is long gone. Modern work practices and equipment, as well as broadening of career horizons and individual ambition, have changed all our working environments. Today's worker must be highly trained, flexible and technologically adept.

Bigger companies generally have HR departments that look after the training and learning requirements of their staff. Structured career development programmes can guide staff up the corporate ladder, but many people decide to take control of their own careers themselves and find the right course that suits their particular interests and ambitions. Either way it can be possible to persuade your employer that your further learning is a good investment for the company, as you can bring your new skills and knowledge to bear on their behalf.

It is common to augment a CV with a qualification in a discipline that is related but not exactly the same as your basic degree. For instance someone with a business degree may take a nightcourse in PR or marketing, while a design graduate can add a multimedia qualification to his or her resumè. There are some subjects - such as an extra language, IT qualification or communications skills - which are useful for people of all backgrounds and careers. In today's fast changing and competitive job market, employers often require candidates to have shown initiative and gained extra qualifications, especially when hiring for highly sought after or prominent positions.

A nightcourse can also be the easiest way for people to move careers. Many people reach a stage in their life when they need a change, but it is not that easy to walk out of one career and into another. The option of going back and applying to third level as a mature student is not that plausible for many people. Taking a nightcourse, while continuing on in your present job, is a very useful way of smoothing the transition.

This website also contains many courses that act as a gateway to the professions. For example, law or accountancy graduates - who already have a third level qualification - still need to pass exams to gain entry to the professional societies and work as solicitors, barristers or accountants. Many people study for these exams at night, while working full time during the day in a related job. Professional societies also run many career development diploma or certificate courses (examples of subjects include marketing, HR, engineering, IT and sales) for people to augment their skills and progress their career.

Enrolling in a nightcourse can be a big commitment, and takes a good deal of dedication and investment of time and resources. However more and more Irish people each year are making these sacrifices to open up new and exciting opportunities, and ensure that their career develops in the most challenging and rewarding way possible.