Many full-time workers feel like they are at a loss for advancing in their careers when they need their job to make ends meet. The truth is that, even with full-time work, there are ways to move forward by using part-time coursework that aligns with your next career goals.

Managing a class load when pursuing a certificate or degree from Portland Community College is entirely possible. Still, you'll experience your days as less hectic if you do some serious prep before starting the work-plus-school lifestyle. Here is how to balance classes and full-time work because you still want your life to have balance during this busy season! 

While we linger on the difference in earnings between bachelor's degree holders and high school graduates, many people still find themselves in a situation where a four-year, traditional residential bachelor's degree wasn't the right fit after high school. Often, life has carried people to a time when they have to make different calculations than an 18-year-old typically must make when it comes to answering, "Why is college worth the cost?"

While average data can tell us a lot about how education improves outcomes for many people, from access to healthcare to financial stability, it's also essential to think through what you want that education to do for you. If your goals are to progress away from entry-level, less-skilled positions, you need to determine whether a four-year degree will even give you access to those higher-level roles. If you need a particular certificate or credential, that might be much less expensive to obtain while providing a similar result when combined with your prior experience.

Many of the benefits of attending college, things like forming social bonds, may not be your priorities when deciding if college is worth it. Non-traditional students of all kinds can find a valuable way to make post-secondary education work for them.

Here are three ways to make college worth the cost at different stages of life.

Every term, thousands of students benefit from the valuable in-person and online coursework at Portland Community College. While some coursework results in long-term enrollment for multiple years, shorter programs quickly move students from their first course into their first job in a new industry.  

Living in a diverse area like Portland, you're likely to encounter people from other countries than you. People who speak different languages and who have different norms for how they receive healthcare. 

Electricians in Portland need to pay attention to Oregon’s Electrical Specialty Code, which will implement regulations based on the National Electric Code (NEC) throughout 2020. Even electricians who are familiar with prior NECs need to take the time to read the newest regulations, as Oregon is known for adding state-specific amendments to prior NECs.

Stacy has been with PCC coordinating dental health education courses over the past three years. She was a dental assistant for 14 years before completing her degree in 2012 at PSU in Community Health Education.

Our world is continuously changing and evolving, meaning it's crucial to keep your skills up to date. This is particularly important if you're in the field of education, as others are looking to you to provide leadership and newfound knowledge on a variety of topics. It's all too easy for your information of key topics to become outdated without continual study. These reasons for ongoing education should be all the motivation that you need to continue learning so you can properly educate today's fast-thinking students.

Hallie Puncochar has taught Computer Applications at Rock Creek for ten years. Before that, Hallie was a Global Account Specialist with a trims manufacturer that served major apparel giants such as Nike, Adidas, Columbia Sportswear, and Kroger. After a competitor acquired the parent company, Puncochar pursued a Master’s in Teaching. She found training others so enjoyable that, soon after graduation, she applied and was hired to teach at PCC. Learn more about the instructor for Technology Professional Development below.

Mediation Instructor Tsipora Dimant is a former program manager with PCC’s Community Education program – but her connection to Portland Community College runs even deeper. She arrived in the United States from Israel in 1974 and earned a GED, then an Associate’s Degree from PCC. Tsipora began studying mediation in 1992 and became an instructor for the subject in 2005. Inspired by the conflict in her native Israel, Tsipora strives to find resolutions to complex communication challenges. Her experience in mediation training spans decades and encapsulates diverse fields including small claims court, business, nonprofits and higher education.