The Alternative Valentine’s Day Gift – A New Career

What will the Valentine gift be for your loved one this year?

What will the Valentine gift be for your loved one this year? An over-priced box of chocolates? Or an expensive meal at an upmarket restaurant, perhaps. Or, you may opt for a large bouquet of red roses that on all other days of the year would cost you half as much.

The gift of learning

Whilst we don’t want to come across as mean-spirited nor appreciative of loved ones, there is another possibility. There are times when a present should truly be a gift – and this is exactly what home learning courses are, given with love from you to your partner.

Learning is no longer only available in the classroom on a Monday to Friday, 9 till 3 basis. It happens all the time…

The chap on the bus reading a chapter from a textbook as part of his home learning course.

The lady who served you in the supermarket will go home after her shift and spend an hour studying for an A Level in Psychology. She intends to go on and complete a degree in the same subject.

The teaching assistant who helps your child at school is studying for a specialist qualification in au-tism so that she is better placed to understand the needs of students. She completes her study on a weekend.

The list could go on and on, with examples of all kinds of people from all walks of life studying vari-ous courses because they want to, they have a passion for the subject or as a means of applying for better or different jobs. Learning changes people – and for the better.

So this Valentine’s day, why not see if the gift of learning will be something you would buy your loved one?

The benefits of home learning courses

Level of qualification
All qualifications are given a level; for example, as in the graphic, GCSEs grade A to C are considered level 2 qualifications. A level is the next step up and so on.

Getting the right level to start with can make a huge difference to how well received the course is. For example, for someone ‘dipping their toe’ into a subject, starting with level 2 courses can be a great help in deciding if this is what they want to do.

At one time, the only way to progress using this learning ladder was to take each step at a time. In some academic institutions and for some career options, this is still the case. However, with home learning courses, you can choose to study at any level with very few, if any, pre-requisite qualifications needed.

Range of courses
We have hundreds of home learning courses available. From nail art to psychology, from autism awareness to maths, we have a course that is suitable.

It can be helpful to split the courses into two broad categories as you consider which course would make the best Valentine’s gift: vocational or career related courses can be an important spring-board from one role or career into another.

Interest courses are another category which includes all kinds of courses that many people find interesting or are passionate about. Learning does not always have to mean a bigger pay packet or more responsibility. Qualifications and learning can be about widening and broadening horizons in subject matters that people find fascinating and stimulating.

Learning format – online or paper?
How you or your partner chooses to learn depends entirely on you. You can opt for online materials, or you may a prefer paper-based course. Neither is more advantageous than the other, as it is your own preference.

A home-based learner will also complete their studies at a time and a place that suits them. This could be in an evening, at home or maybe spending an hour or two in their local library or internet café.

It may mean reading a textbook on the bus, or securing work experience to back up studies in a local school or volunteering at a local charity.

Flexible payment
There is no doubt that any qualification in any subject area is an investment. Studying and learning enriches life, opening doors to new and exciting opportunities.

With flexible payment options, such as paying monthly, studying for a qualification is not as expen-sive, nor as debt-ridden as you may believe. You carry on working as you study and so your lifestyle does not need to suffer either.

This Valentine’s day why not give the gift of learning? Qualifications never go out of date – but chocolates do.