Career advancement courses: Alaska universities offer professional development.

AuthorWallis, Kailee
PositionEDUCATION

The days when people clocked in and out at the same company for years (and years) are over--no one expects that anymore. So what if, while climbing the career ladder, the next job is slightly out of reach? The pursuer might need a technical skill they don't possess, he might want to explore a career in a different field, and she might need her Master's degree. Seeking career advancement options while mid-career can be daunting, seemingly impossible. "It's only going to benefit you," says Tiffany Casey, a marketing coordinator at DOWL, an Anchorage consulting firm.

Casey, who balances her classes with her full-time workload, is taking two graphic design classes at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). Casey describes her steady balance of her career and school projects, trying to meet work deadlines while in the middle of class critiques and due dates. "The good thing is that I've already received comments on improved document design by coworkers and management, so the fruits are ripening. It's definitely worth it."

Whether the goal is to fluff the resume for the next big job opening or improve the work that is in front of them, career advancement tools are available. In Alaska, there are several universities that offer everything ranging from seminars to certificates to occupational credit to a degree--with career-minded adults in mind.

For instance, Alaska Pacific University (APU) has a whole program set within the parameters of the working professional. Additionally, the University of Alaska system has a wide array of different studies available to take in the evenings or online, whether through the University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Southeast, or UAA. Finding the right balance between a career and additional education can be difficult, so it is best to explore the options before beginning the venture.

APU

APU features a unique Professional Studies program, designed around students who wants to begin or continue their education while working full time. The university refers to these programs as their "Accelerated Degrees." These select degrees offer a nontraditional combination of night, weekend, and online classes to achieve three business related degrees: an Associate of Arts in Business Administration; a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management; and an Accelerated Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management/Master of Business Administration.

Stephanie Morgan, PhD, assistant...

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