How working adults can improve their business skills

Advancing your business education can give you a workforce advantage and transform your career.

Feeling stuck in your career? You are not alone. Farid Bin Noordin, Manager of Strategic Recruitment and Enrollment for his program of business at Athabasca University, said that working professionals are less likely to be “stuck” in their careers by completing his courses in leadership and a master’s degree in business education. said he often sees

If you resonate with these sentiments, there are many ways a business education can help you advance your career further. Noordin says a business degree, like an MBA, can help you stand out from your peers. “If you have an MBA and these three letters after your name, people in upper management [in the company] It will get you noticed,” he says. The skills you learn in your business education, such as critical thinking, leadership, and communication, can be practiced and implemented in your current role and workplace.

Or, if you’re looking to move to a new organization or switch entirely to another industry, a business course or degree can help you become a working professional, from fellow students to course instructors to special guest lecturers. “The power of your network will help make the transition to new industries and careers easier,” explains Bin Noordin. With professionals working in many areas of business, students gain insight into other industries and learn how decisions are made differently across industries.

If you’re lost and unsure of your next move, a business education could help you discover a new job that resonates with you. “We have students from so many different industries in our program, including nonprofits, oil and gas, insurance, and even the military,” he explains Bin Noordin. “Our program puts everyone in the big pot. We learn from the same textbooks, but we apply those theories to real-world models. Everyone brings their own approach.”

Whether you’re planning a vertical or horizontal career move, Bin Norddin says business education will help you “land on your feet” wherever you end up. “Wherever you go, the same business problems and business functions remain: marketing, leadership, project management,” he says. “Every company has these pillars.”

With the pandemic changing the way we work and challenges such as inflation and recession impacting our day-to-day work, getting a business education will help us maintain working skills relevant to current needs. “Develop solid leadership skills and learn how to lead people remotely or in person,” he says. “How do you stay relevant and stay resilient in a time of high inflation and a possible recession?” asks Bin Nordin. “How do you maintain that flexibility when times are tough? An MBA can help you get through tough times and prepare for the times ahead.”

Whether you want to advance in your current job, change careers, or find a whole new path, business education can help you take the next step. “It really boosts my confidence and sense of accomplishment,” says Bin Noordin. “You can make better decisions based on data and develop your critical thinking skills. It makes you a more balanced person in the business world.”