It is always hard to come to terms with the fact that your career has not turned out exactly as planned. As a child, you dreamed of becoming something grand. You promised yourself you would be at the top of the game and become the best there ever was.

Fast forward a few decades later and you see yourself as you are today: Generally happy and satisfied, but with a career that doesn’t exactly match up to what you initially dreamed you would be doing. Careers are a tricky subject to address. On the one hand, we all need to work, so there is a level of necessity in the equation. On the other hand, however, we all deserve to lead a good fulfilling life, and that includes a career that makes us glad to wake up in the morning, a career that really excites us.

The workplace is where most of us spend the majority of our day, so it is important that we’re engaged and challenged by our jobs. But what if we’re not? What are those who have dedicated ten or twenty years into a career have suddenly realized that their career isn’t enough for them, that they need something more? Do they quit and start over? Do they stay still in fear of taking a monetary risk?

There is no one clear solution to this dilemma, but a part of the action plan will likely include continuing education courses and programs. Continuing education can offer the possibility of a career change, and provide anyone with the necessary training for lucrative employment in the real world.

Today, there is a way to change the course of your career at your own pace. Continuing education or distance education programs are designed to allow people to enroll in courses at night or strictly online, thereby allowing them to fit school into their already packed schedules.

The wide variety of courses and programs available makes it so that there is something for almost everyone. From astronomy to criminology, all continuing education programs aim to give students an added edge in a given field. After that, a diligent level of studying can open the door to any number of rewarding and truly enjoyable careers.

Distance education options allow students to enroll in classes without ever stepping onto a college campus. Most distance education courses are taken online, allowing students the flexibility to complete courses from wherever they are, be it on their sofa at home or on an airplane that's flying half way across the world. The only requirements for most distance education courses are access to a computer and a wifi connection. 

If you feel your career has hit a low, or if you’re just ready for a change, then continuing education may be the path that you need to take. Do a little research to find a focus of study that appeals to you, and speak to an academic advisor to ensure that you are making the right decision. Your studies will open the gateway to your future career. All you have to do is enroll.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on online learning.

Are you tired of working for other people? Do you keep being left behind when promotion time rolls around? Maybe it is time to consider taking business courses. Being educated makes you more valuable, and can ensure a promising future. There is no point in losing out on a great job due to a lack of qualifications.

Business programs can range anywhere from a year to three years. There are many concentrations to choose from, including small business management, accounting, administration, financial services, advertising, marketing, insurance and tourism. Since most of us need to maintain gainful employment while studying, financial aid is available to make things a little easier. With such flexibility being extended to potential students, it is difficult to find a reason not to enroll in a school of higher education, especially if you are lacking credentials.

Properly prepared

With the economy in the state that it is today, it is becoming more and more difficult to depend on secure employment. Often, it is out of your control. Having the proper certification can improve your chances when it comes time to make workforce cuts. Being sufficiently qualified is one of the best ways to ensure consistent and rewarding employment. It will also provide you, as an employee, with a significant amount of value. This is essential in the competitive business workforce that exists today.

Ready for the real-world

Despite the academic environment they are provided in, business courses don’t only cover the scholarly sides of things. In addition to teaching you how to create a comprehensive business plan, they also prepare you for real world employment. Programs offer up the opportunity to network and meet other people in your fields of interest, through discussions and workshops. Professors are available for one on one consultations in order to ensure that everybody is learning (and understanding) at the same pace. There’s much that you can learn by going to school, but it is also equally important for you to be prepared for employment in an everyday work environment. The right business education can help you do that.

Foot in the door

Although not for everyone, some business programs can lead to eventual entrepreneurship. Every day, more and more people are starting their own small businesses, and it’s a lot easier than you think. Having your own business is also one of the best ways to ensure consistent employment, regardless of the state of the economy. In addition to job security, what’s better than owning your own business?

Whether you are just starting out, an already seasoned member of the business world, or an individual looking to start a small business, the right qualifications can carry you a long way. Certification on a resume is a necessity today – without the proper education, you will be sure to encounter barriers. Enrolling in a school of business is one of the best ways to ensure that you get noticed for the right reasons.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on enrolling into a school of business.

By living in the big city, one has the advantage of having all of society’s urban amenities just steps from your front door. But every so often, it is wonderful to escape into the countryside, where fresh air, clean lakes, and peace and quiet replace the concrete jungle of cars, crowds and hustle. Some urban dwellers are lucky to be able to get out to the countryside on a regular basis. For others, with busy work schedules and regular family and social obligations, finding the time and means to get out of the city is much more difficult. This is especially true if one is balancing work and studying at the same time.

But what if there were a way to take advantage of the wilderness as part of an education? Nature is not only a wonderful environment to learn in, due to its tranquility and absence of distractions. It is also a great learning tool in itself. There are numerous valuable skills to learn in the countryside, covering everything from learning to identify which plants and trees are edible or medicinal, to learning overall survival skills living in the wilderness.

Now, it is safe to assume that the average person, or even the student of nature, does not actually require wilderness survival skills barring some grand urban catastrophe. Nevertheless, continuing education programs that offer non-credit workshops in the wilderness can be practical for everyday living, not to mention loads of fun. Most importantly, the experience gained from a real wilderness course is one hundred per cent irreplaceable, meaning these things cannot be taught in traditional classrooms, nor can they be learned in books.

Here are some activities one can have in a wilderness workshop:

·         Building shelter: learning the proper set-up of tenting gear, or even creating shelter from natural materials

·         Long-distance hiking and trekking: learn about appropriate packing, nourishment, and weather protection for extended journeys on foot, as well as navigation with or without a compass

·         Plant and Tree identification: learn to distinguish edible plants from harmful and poisonous ones, and learn to use plant life for first aid purposes

·         Fishing: learn techniques for proper fishing for recreation or consumption, how to properly prepare fish for eating, as well as conservation rules for preserving water wildlife

·         Animal Safety: what to do in case confronted with aggressive or dangerous animals, such as bears or wolves

·         Fire-making: effective techniques for safe and controlled fires, what to do in case of accidental fire spread

·         Water-Procurement: how to locate water, as well as treat and filter it if necessary

Activities such as these can give a whole new meaning to the concept of distance education. You will certainly be far from the traditional school setting, but that just means that the great outdoors is your expansive classroom to explore.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on continuing education and online learning courses and programs.

There’s little doubt that today, many people love sitting down in the comfort of their own home, flicking on the television, and enjoying some nail-biting crime show. The increase of interest in this style of police show, which focuses on the criminals more than just on the crime, is most likely related to the fact that we are no longer simply interested in seeing the law upheld and criminals punished. As a culture, we have taken an overall interest in understanding the psychology of the criminal or the roots of criminal motivation. Action, chase scenes and violent interrogations are fun as entertainment up to a certain extent. But as a culture becomes more educated, the relationship between psychology and the law have a greater appeal precisely because they appeal to our desire to penetrate beyond flashy entertainment to deeper understanding of why human beings are pushed to the extremes of criminal behavior.

If our quest for knowledge is the reason why the work of a Jason Gideon (Criminal Minds) or a Patrick Jane (The Mentalist) is more fascinating than, say, a Dirty Harry or Baretta, then it is no surprise that more and more people are interested in turning from television shows to real-world education in the forensic sciences. And just as we engage in these programs from home, so can we take advantage of online learning to get an education in criminal or forensic psychology. For those considering this exciting field, here are a few of the subjects one can expect to cover:

·         Criminal Psychology – This branch focuses on criminals, specifically, what motivates them into crime. It penetrates far deeper than regular motivations based on financial need. It employs the knowledge of profiling, mental disorder, and sociological pressures.

·         Police Psychology – Learn to evaluate personalities of law enforcement officers to determine their ability and efficacy in dealing with serious crimes. This also learns to help officers who have experienced traumas in the line of duty.

·         Victimology – Help victims of violent crimes learn to deal with their traumas and adapt back into everyday society. Focus on making it easy for victims to help the police and justice system track and prosecute their offenders.

·         Court Psychology – Understanding the special dynamics in court as criminals, victims, the police and the law are all brought together. Court psychology often works with criminal psychology for offering testimony.

·         Correctional Psychology – This branch studies the rehabilitation of criminals and offenders in prisons and other correctional facilities. Also serving to evaluate criminals for parole.

These studies are not an exact science and many moral and ethical issues are constantly shaping the way we treat criminals, their victims, and their relationships to the law. As these subjects are continuously under investigation, the opportunity to study them in continuing education programs will only ensure more educated professionals will help to improve our understanding for generations to come.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on distance education programs.

Art is all around us. It isn’t just sitting on display in museums and hanging on the walls of trendy Soho galleries. We’re dressed in art, and even paint our faces or mould our hair artistically. We work and shop in gigantic artistic structures which turn our commercial downtown streets into a giant exhibit. In our very homes, we sit on art, we dine on art, and we sleep on art.

It is true that some of the greatest artists have understood their calling since childhood: Mozart began composing at five years old; Picasso began his training as a painter at the age of seven. But because today art is no longer restricted to the pure forms of pictorial and musical compositions, to name a few, one doesn’t need to be committed their entire lives to realize their creative aspirations. One of the biggest deterrents that most people believe keeps them from an artistic career is that art does not lead to a guaranteed career. This simply is not true. No matter how old you are, and no matter how important it is to have a steady career, it is never too late to get formal creative training that can be applied to steady and useful work.

There are plenty of university programs that specialize in creative and visual arts that are what are known as ‘applied arts’ as opposed to pure or ‘fine arts’ Applied arts simply refers to the creative production of objects that also serve some everyday use, like designing a table, a nightgown or a building. Continuing education is a great way to integrate an education in these creative applied arts while still managing your day-to-day life. Here are some examples of programs:

·         Make-up and cosmetics: combining the visual arts on the human canvas. Careers range from make-up artist for television and film, designer of new cosmetic products, or working at a beauty salon.

·         Fashion: also working with the human figure. Exciting careers can lead to dressmaking, wardrobe for television and film, or even take you the runways of Paris and Milan.

·         Decorating: whether specializing in upholstery or interior design, these careers let you turn our everyday surroundings into an artistically satisfying environment.

·         Culinary arts: even cooking is an art, which any gourmet will tell you. It goes beyond taste and smell to even the visual presentation on your plate. Aside from chef, other careers are sommelier, caterer, or restaurant and menu manager.

These are just a few examples of creative careers one can pursue at any point in life. With the popularity of online learning, getting a good formal training does not require you to give up your current life and take a major risk to get creative.

Visit Mohawk College for information on distance education programs.

Crime is everywhere. Whenever a new medium is created to help along business, crime will soon invade that new medium. With the advent of the internet, fraudulent criminals have found a whole new breeding ground for their dubious activities. Combining anonymity, home-security, and manipulating complex computer language in which the average person has no proficiency, criminals now have new, unchartered avenues to commit theft, identity theft, and fraud..

                                                                                                  

Because of this new phenomenon, an entire educational program within the field of investigation has become available in the online world. That is, these programs don’t merely train investigators to deal with online crime, but much of that very training is done online itself. This combination of medium and content is the most superior form of learning, because the future investigator is learning directly from experience, and is immediately placed in control of the tools that will be the tools of the trade.

There are many ways to apply investigative techniques with the use of computers and the internet. Two examples of these are computer crime and corporate crime.

Computer Crime

Computer crime, or cybercrime, has been in existence as long as computers have been the primary method of storing and transmitting sensitive data and information. Since the internet’s prevalence in communication, internet crime, or netcrime, has become a major problem for both individuals and businesses. Ranging in severity from mail spam and harassment to identity theft, illegal pornography and cyber warfare, the need for highly skilled cybercrime investigators is always growing. These professionals learn the technology and legal procedures surrounding the seizure and organization of digital evidence to help with criminal prosecutions. If one is investigating crime committed on computers and online, what better way to train for a job than by an online learning program?

Corporate Crime

Corporations have always been a difficult case regarding criminal liability, because depending on jurisdiction, corporations sometimes have and sometimes do not have the legal status of natural persons. Sometimes referred to as white-collar crime, this can also include organized crime and state crime. The need for specialists in this field is great because the victims are often not only individuals or other businesses, but society as a whole. One can easily see that because many corporations are multi-national with their information, business and assets spread over the globe, and the web, that a distance education program for professional investigators will put them squarely within the arena of these corporate criminals.

Because the days of criminals having to hide behind facemasks and braving real world law enforcement officers are somewhat a thing of the past, we need a new breed of investigators who meet criminals right in their own home turf. While they may sit at home and scour the web for victims, it is comforting to know that society’s investigators are able to learn from their own homes how to stop them.

Visit Mohawk College for information on continuing education.

A recent Canadian study indicates that women spend 600 dollars annually on daily facial beauty cosmetic products and treatments. And that’s just on the face! Imagine what that total amount would look like if it included the cost of hair, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. How is it possible that women are not taking on extra part-time jobs just to cover the cost of all this stuff?

Before we jump in on the details of a fool-proof way any woman can save money on beauty costs, let me first assure you that I am not criticizing the female tendency towards beautification. We all want to feel great, and taking care of our body is a part of that. If it so happens that polished nails or a fresh haircut makes you feel good, then more power to you. But, there is a difference between grooming to feel good and being overly-obsessive about how you appear to others. Be wary of how much time and focus you put on your appearance. Looks only matter as much as you let them.

Now, back to the part about saving money. The easiest way to cut back your spending on aesthetics is to do as much of it as you can on your own. That is not to say that you should be handling piping hot wax right off the bat. Like any other practiced trade, the aesthetics field involves specialized skills that take many years of experience to perfect. To jump start your knowledge of the craft (or potential career path), you may want to enroll in a continuing education program in Aesthetics. Here is a quick look at the types of courses you can enroll in:

- Skin Care

- Body Massage and Treatments       

- Colour Theory for Make Up and Fashion Co-ordination     

- Business and Marketing for the Cosmetics Industry           

- Manicure and Pedicure Techniques

- Waxing                     

- Make up; Bridal, Glamour, Runway

- Hot Stone Massage

Because aesthetics is a very hands-on trade, most colleges will not be able to offer the related courses through their distance education programs. Whether you want to find ways to save money or are thinking about starting your own beauty salon, taking aesthetics courses is the first step you need to take.

And remember, even when you do become a money-saving, self-beautifying aesthetics expert, you can still drop some coin to indulge in the occasional trip to the spa.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on online learning.

Let’s admit it: After watching a slew of those police TV dramas, most of us have at some point seriously considered a career change. The high-speed car chases, the drug busts, the intense interrogations. All of it leaves us with an image of police officers as having pretty much the most thrilling job out there.

The only problem is that we don’t live in a TV set, and unlike actors, cops truly put their lives on the line when they go out on duty. Realizing this is what makes everything that TV shows depict as exciting suddenly seem terrifying. The fact that their holsters are holding real guns, and those car chases can lead to real crashes, means that real lives are being put on the line.

But what about the cops with not-so-thrilling responsibilities? If TV shows don’t paint cops as brilliant investigators that unravel the most complicated crime schemes, then they are likely to depict them as overweight doughnut eaters that just sit around and wait to retire. Even though we know better than to believe everything we see on TV, it seems that at least a little part of what we’re watching is reflected from what really goes on in real-life police work. While there is no doubt that these qualities exist, it is impossible that they are a true representation of police forces worldwide. There must be a middle ground somewhere.

A great way to get a better idea of what cops deal with is to enroll in a Police Foundations course. Most Continuing Education colleges that offer Police Foundations will also offer online learning courses, meaning you can spruce up your police smarts from the comfort of your own home. Here are some of the distance education courses offered:

- Canadian Criminal Justice System
- Conflict Management   
- Contemporary Social Problems
- Criminal Code & Federal Statutes            
- Criminology - Police Foundations
- Forensics 9-1-1                 
- Interviewing and Investigation 
- Principles of Ethical Reasoning  
- Traffic Management      
- Youth in Conflict with the Law

From the looks of it, aspiring police officers are required to study a wide range of topics to equip them with the various scenarios that they can find themselves in once they begin working.

Maybe your love for The Wire isn’t reason enough to quit your day job, but taking a course or two is a really great idea for those who wish they could. Being a cop involves serious dedication, to the force and to the community at large, and requires skills that go way beyond doughnut eating. 

Most of us know what it feels like to spend the entire week counting down the days until the weekend. Most of us also know what it feels like when it seems like it’s taking an eternity for a week to be done with. But do the weekdays really have to be so treacherous? Aren’t there ways to speed things along? Of course there are. Below are a few key tips to move your work week from the slow zone to the fast lane.

Get a Job You Like

The average person spends half of their waking life working. So, if you don’t like your job, odds are you’re not really going to like your life either. A huge reason why many people find it unbearable to get through the week is because they don’t enjoy how they’re spending their time. Finding a job you like (let alone love) isn’t easy, especially in our current economic downfall, but that isn’t a reason to stop hunting for one.

If you truly detest your job, then begin looking for a new one. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to quit your present job, but you can at least stick your nose in the market to get a whiff of what is out there. If you keep at it, eventually something will bite, and you will find yourself job where not only will you be able to do something you are good at, but that you also enjoy. Guaranteed once this happens, your work week will fly right by.

Don’t Eat Lunch at Your Desk

Whether you work at a desk in an office, or you have a job that needs you to constantly be on the go, do yourself a favor and be sure to step away from it all when you sit down to have lunch. If you don’t take a proper lunch, you’ll eventually feel overworked and stressed, which isn’t good for you, your employer, or the quality of your work.

A strained work environment is what makes the week seem like an eternity, so give yourself a break (literally) and ease up the workday by taking at least twenty minutes to sit without any work in front of you. The uninterrupted down time you allow yourself will be a lot more productive than plowing away at work while your sandwich falls apart on your lap.

Do Some Non-Work Work

I’ll admit that after a long day at work, all any of us want to do is relax. But if work is the only place where you really set your brain power into gear, then your brain won’t be stimulated anymore, which means you’ll be bored, thereby making the week seem like it’s dragging on and on and on.

What you want to aim for is balance, and to spread your time and energy over a few things rather than just one. So, instead of spending your evenings being deadweight on the couch, it’d probably be better to do something that will actually get your mind rolling.

This can be as easy as taking up a class on a subject that interests you. Most Continuing Education colleges allow students to take on courses one at a time, so you can have as light or as heavy of a workload as you see fit. And don’t use the whole “I don’t have time,” excuse. Distance education courses give you the freedom to complete courses online and according to your own watch. Online learning is the new black, and with topics from Criminal Psychology to Photoshop, there are enough courses options to keep your brain busy for quite a while.

Let’s admit it: After watching a slew of those police TV dramas, most of us have at some point seriously considered a career change. The high-speed car chases, the drug busts, the intense interrogations. All of it leaves us with an image of police officers as having pretty much the most thrilling job out there.

The only problem is that we don’t live in a TV set, and unlike actors, cops truly put their lives on the line when they go out on duty. Realizing this is what makes everything that TV shows depict as exciting suddenly seem terrifying. The fact that their holsters are holding real guns, and those car chases can lead to real crashes, means that real lives are being put on the line.

But what about the cops with not-so-thrilling responsibilities? If TV shows don’t paint cops as brilliant investigators that unravel the most complicated crime schemes, then they are likely to depict them as overweight doughnut eaters that just sit around and wait to retire. Even though we know better than to believe everything we see on TV, it seems that at least a little part of what we’re watching is reflected from what really goes on in real-life police work. While there is no doubt that these qualities exist, it is impossible that they are a true representation of police forces worldwide. There must be a middle ground somewhere.

A great way to get a better idea of what cops deal with is to enroll in a Police Foundations course. Most Continuing Education colleges that offer Police Foundations will also offer online learning courses, meaning you can spruce up your police smarts from the comfort of your own home. Here are some of the distance education courses offered:

- Canadian Criminal Justice System 
- Conflict Management            
- Contemporary Social Problems
- Criminal Code & Federal Statutes     
- Criminology - Police Foundations 
- Forensics 9-1-1          
 -Interviewing and Investigation          
- Principles of Ethical Reasoning           
- Traffic Management               
- Youth in Conflict with the Law

From the looks of it, aspiring police officers are required to study a wide range of topics to equip them with the various scenarios that they can find themselves in once they begin working. 

Maybe your love for The Wire isn’t reason enough to quit your day job, but taking a course or two is a really great idea for those who wish they could. Being a cop involves serious dedication, to the force and to the community at large, and requires skills that go way beyond doughnut eating.