Best Apps for Remote Learning
By Kris Powers | January 19th 2022
When taking online courses, there are meetings to keep up with, lectures, group projects as well as short and long-term tasks to remember. Luckily, there are apps for remote learning that can make scheduling so much easier on you! Browse through some of the following options to become familiar with the different options available for use. You might find some of them will be useful for your upcoming semester. And, if you have a favorite app that isn’t listed below, we’d love to hear about it!
Zoom: A free app that is extremely easy to use and compatible with all phones, iPad, laptop or desktops. This is a great tool for easily communicating with classmates, instructors or mentors.
Earn College Credit with Prior-Learning Assessments
By Kris Powers | August 23rd 2021
What are prior-learning assessments? Prior-learning assessments (PLAs) are methods that colleges, universities and other education and training providers use to evaluate a student's non-academic experiences and training. PLAs award college credit, certification or advanced standing for learning that has occurred outside of the more traditional learning environment. Students that participate in PLA testing can use these credits as a shortcut to graduation. Other common terms for these types of assessments include Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) and Recognition of Learning.
In-Demand Jobs of 2021
By Kris Powers | August 6th 2021
As the economy continues to shift during the pandemic, some careers are becoming obsolete, while others are seeing a rise in demand. Essential industries, such as healthcare, need more workers than ever. Careers in online sales, shipping and delivery are also seeing substantial growth because of consumer habit change.
This shift is enabling a career change for many – from sales to social media, research to medical writing, and entrepreneur to life coach.
You Know What’s Missing? Watercooler Talk
By Kris Powers | July 23rd 2021
The pandemic forever altered the world of work. Companies who successfully made the transition to remote work are re-evaluating the need to bring employees back into the workplace. Whether for health concerns, to meet the demands of employees, or to reduce costs, remote work is here to stay.
A survey of 278 executives by McKinsey & Company in August 2020 found that on average, companies planned to reduce office space by 30 percent. Shifting to flexible workspaces and bringing fewer workers into the offices each day will allow companies to reduce overhead costs. But at what expense?
Enrollment on the Rise for Career Training Programs
By Kris Powers | June 30th 2021
Providers of career training programs across the country are seeing a jump in enrollment during the pandemic. According to a recent survey conducted among 1,500 Americans, as many as 43% of individuals under age 40 are thinking about returning to school and furthering their education. Those laid off or furloughed are especially likely to think about continuing their education. Their motivation? 57% of those surveyed expect that furthering their education would result in a significant salary increase and almost half (49%) want to start a new career.
8 Tips for the Post-Pandemic Job Search
By Kris Powers | June 16th 2021
It’s no secret that the pandemic wreaked havoc on employment. As the economy seeks recovery, TopResume, a resume-writing service, surveyed human resource professionals and hiring managers to learn how the pandemic affected the job search and hiring process.
The findings? Human resource professionals may be focused on different factors when considering job applicants than they were pre-pandemic. Job seekers should be aware of the latest trends in order to improve their chances of snagging their desired job. Here are 8 things to keep in mind:
1. Remote work may be here to stay
Stressed About Returning to the Workplace?
By Kris Powers | May 27th 2021
While some companies are opting out of lease renewals and getting rid of physical office space, others are moving forward with return-to-work plans.
A survey conducted by the staffing firm Lasalle Network of more than 350 CEOs, HR and finance leaders found that 70% of those polled plan to have employees back in the office by the Fall of this year.
However, what “back in the office” will look like remains to be seen. Will employees be required to return to the office full time? Or will they be allowed to work at home a few days a week and in-office on other days?
How to Stay Motivated While Learning Remotely
By Kris Powers | May 19th 2021
COVID-19 changed many things, including the education system and process. While some students are back to in-person instruction in the classroom; many are still studying remotely - and finding the motivation to succeed can be daunting at times. Here are some tips to help you stay on task and rise to the demands of online learning.
You Never Know What You Don't Know (Until You Know It)
By Kris Powers | April 27th 2021
I watched a video on LinkedIn this morning about a young color-blind student named Jonathan. In a science class at Lakeview Schools his fellow color-blind principal, Scott Hanson, changed his life by sharing his color-blind glasses.
Jonathan had most likely heard about colors; perhaps even been able to notice nuances between the darker and lighter shades of things; but upon putting on those glasses for the first time, he was so awestruck by the color and beauty around him that he cried.
Now is the Perfect Time to Upskill or Reskill
By Kris Powers | April 20th 2021
Events of the past year forced many of us to stick closer to home. Some may have used this time to improve themselves or their surroundings – learning a new skill or tackling household to-do lists.
However, not everyone took this past year to embark on home or self-improvement projects. For many, our focus was more on survival - planning for and simply getting through each day. The past year was more about asking, “how do we keep ourselves and our loved ones safe and healthy”? There was little energy or mind space left for outside interests or pursuits. Quite honestly, many of us are still trying to figure things out; with schools and offices slowly reopening, we are once again thrust into change. And that may very well take up all our energy. And that’s okay.