You want to pursue continued education, but worry that it might not be possible. You may feel overwhelmed at the thought of finding the time and money to complete a program, or even just figuring out where to get started.

We’ve got good news, though: Most professionals in the workforce feel the exact same way, and plenty of your peers make the decision to go back to school to great success, and their success is proof that you can succeed as an adult learner, too.

And while statistics are great, few things are as motivating as real-life stories, so that’s what we’re going to be discussing today.

In our recent webinar, EdAssist academic coach Caitlyn Eastman shared her knowledge stemming from years of helping working learners find balance and success in their studies without missing a beat at work. She also spoke to two current students, Angelia and Joanna, who are both pursuing degrees while working full-time jobs, to share their stories, challenges, and successes.

Adult learner concerns about pursuing education

While many adults are interested in upskilling or obtaining new degrees, the concerns about getting that education can ultimately prevent some from ever taking the next step.

Angelia is currently working towards her bachelor’s degree, and noted that her journey had a rough start. One of her biggest concerns was finding the time to actually be able to manage both work and school, as she had a demanding schedule before coursework was even on the table.

Joanna is in a master’s program, which she began after feeling like her career was stagnating in her thirties. Her most significant concern was finding the money to cover schooling. While her employer helps pay for tuition, she already had student loans from her Bachelor’s degree. 

Caitlyn herself is also going to be starting her master’s program this coming spring after being out of school for over 15 years. And despite working with students daily to provide academic coaching, getting back into academics was still intimidating for her. She is, however, taking her own advice to start with the easiest class first and to build confidence in the journey.

Workloads and time management

Both Angelia and Joanna work full-time jobs in addition to their coursework.

Angelia works six or seven days a week, working eight to ten hour days. A few days a week, she’ll complete her schoolwork after coming back from a long day. Joanna, meanwhile, works Monday through Friday. She completes her homework on the weekends, as she’s mentally burnout after most workdays.

Both take advantage of time management strategies to stay on top of their coursework.

For Angelia, it’s as simple as not letting herself give up and keeping herself motivated and getting support from family and coworkers.

Joanna, meanwhile, has used strategies recommended from EdAssist’s career coaching team. Including setting aside dedicated blocks of time to be proactive about her school schedule.

Caitlyn has always been a fan of planners and checklists, allowing her to cross off tasks as she completed them. While she historically used an old-school planner, she now uses a digitized school calendar that has that ultra-useful cross-off feature. She still recommends blocking off time for work and school separately, making sure you review assignments in advance to ensure you have enough time to complete them by their deadline.

It’s also important, however, to make time for self-care. That self care can be something small, like taking a daily walk, stretching, or doing any exercise you enjoy to break up the day and help take care of yourself.

Finally, Caitlyn stressed that having a communication plan to alert your family about your needs is important. That may include letting them know times when you’ll be studying and unable to help with household tasks. Setting expectations can help give yourself a healthy balance.

How continued education supports professional skill development 

Going back to school and pursuing a new degree can teach you new skills, but it can also offer transferable professional skills that can improve your career in more ways than one.

Since starting her Bachelor’s degree, Angelia said she’s more serious about moving forward in life and is now working as a team leader, with great feedback from her supervisors. Her communication skills have improved, and she’s now confident speaking up and being more outgoing.

Joanna has had a similar experience, having gained new skills and confidence in wanting to continue on-the-job training and development. She’s more comfortable communicating to her management that she wants to pursue internal opportunities. This has expanded her day-to-day role, allowing her to take on tasks that weren’t part of her original job description. This includes providing training to new team members.

Caitlyn stressed that having ongoing conversations with your manager about how you can incorporate new skills in the workplace can make a huge difference. The opportunity to apply new skills in a real-world environment can improve skill development and benefit your team. Even if a particular class doesn’t directly translate to your current roles, there are other transferable skills like improved communication or professionalism you can receive from continued education.

Overcoming challenges in the education journey

Adult learners may have to tackle multiple challenges when reentering the academic world, ranging from financial concerns to time management.

Angelia’s biggest challenge was determining what degree she wanted to pursue. She had multiple career options she was juggling, and with many catching her interest, it was hard to make a choice. She went through general education classes before making her decision to pursue criminal justice, which she chose based on personal experience with officers helping her in times of need.

Joanna shared that one of her biggest challenges is procrastination. She has a tendency to wait until the weekend due to her busy schedule during the work week, which can lead to chaotic weekends. She did note, however, that she originally struggled to determine what she wanted to do, and that it may take time to figure that out.

Career advisory resources can help adult learners determine where to focus their attention, whether they’re fresh out of high school or fifteen years into their career. Coaches like Caitlyn talk to students to consider their interests, past experience, and your existing network to help prospective students assess strengths, weaknesses, and potentially viable career paths that they’d actually enjoy.

Impacts and benefits of additional education

Both Angelia and Joanna have experienced career benefits from their continued education. Angelia has gained new confidence, works more efficiently as a leader, and is using what she learned in her program to help her team feel safe— even though her degree doesn’t directly apply to her current position.

She’s excited to see what doors will open for her once graduating, and she intends to pursue a career in criminal justice and potentially even become an FBI agent.

Joanna seconds Angelia’s newfound confidence, and is applying her new skills to her current job. She plans to use those skills to grow in her position and apply what she’s learning in instructional design to jump into different opportunities. She plans to grow in her current role and continue leveling up within her existing company.

Most adult learners note that they gain new confidence when they learn new skills, and you can share that with others. If you’re taking advantage of an employer education assistance program, tell your coworkers about your experience. You can also help train your team on the new skills you’ve gained, benefiting the entire organization.

Resources and tools to help you succeed

Pursuing additional training and education— even when it’s difficult— can be exceptionally rewarding. Angelia noted that there were multiple times where she wanted to give up, but the outcome is worth all the hard work, and Joanna seconded that.

It’s important for adult learners to know, however, that while obtaining new degrees can be challenging, there are resources that can help. These may include:

• School resources, including free tutoring in both one-on-one or group settings.
• Professor office hours to help you work through challenges in your coursework.
• Educational content that can provide study tips or resources, like what you can find here at EdAssist.
• Career coaching services like EdAssist, which may be able to direct you to additional resources and provide personalized guidance.

Finally, remember that everyone is different. One person’s ideal learning conditions will be vastly different from their coworker’s. Angelia has a hard time focusing when it’s quiet, so she loves working in her job’s office, which comes with plenty of background noise. She’ll dance it out to music to recharge during a study break.

Joanna loves coffee shops, and enjoys Joanna taking her dogs for a walk or tosses a ball around for them to recharge.

Meanwhile, Caitlyn enjoys coffee shops and the school’s library to get a change of pace.

Looking for more tips on how to succeed as an adult learner? Watch the full webinar here.