In a rapidly shifting job market, lifelong learners who can nimbly respond to change are well-positioned for success. Fortunately, education is adapting to workforce needs — with today’s flexible, accessible education options, it’s never too late to gain new skills or enhance your existing strengths. With the extensive catalogue of courses and programs available through today’s forward-looking post-secondary institutes, gaining an edge in the labour market could be only a few clicks away.
Take advantage of flexibility and laddering opportunities
Part-time studies learners come from a variety of personal and professional paths, and many post-secondary institutes offer flexible delivery models and options to ladder credentials to accommodate students from all walks of life. Take a single course, or use it as a doorway to a certificate or diploma. If you decide to continue your education, a diploma can lead to a bachelor’s degree, or even a master’s or advanced studies degree.
While you study part-time, you can opt for in-class, hybrid, or online (distance) courses with evening or weekend sessions — that’s a boon for anybody who values flexibility, but especially for the significant portion of part-time learners who work full-time alongside their studies. At British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) — a polytechnic post-secondary — some courses have no fixed start date, allowing you to start them at your own leisure online. All course offerings are term-based and facilitated by instructors who are experts in their field. Online courses can be asynchronously delivered which provides students with the most flexibility; while synchronous online courses follow regular class schedules, real-time lectures, and live student-instructor interaction.
Future-proof your career with a polytechnic education
It’s no secret that job descriptions in many sectors are shifting with lightning speed. The polytechnic education model is hands-on, industry responsive, and directly plugged into the realities of the modern labour market. Course content and program structure evolve alongside the on-the-ground demands of a given field; at industry-connected post-secondary institutes like BCIT, coursework amounts to real-world results in your chosen career. Whether you’re looking to take your career to the next level or start training for a new one, you’ll benefit from courses designed and taught by industry experts who know exactly what’s happening on the ground.
BCIT Graduate Stats
BCIT degree graduates have a 96% employment rate.*
BCIT diploma and certificate graduates have a 90% employment rate**
Over 83% of Part-time Studies students are employed and either studying in a full or part-time capacity, with over 80% having some post-secondary education. ***
Over 65% of Part-time Studies students have some other post-secondary credential – 44% have a degree (bachelor’s, master’s, PhD). ***
Harness a long-honed network of industry connections
Engaging industry heavyweights are in the DNA of polytechnics like BCIT — and with five campuses and 45,000 students, BCIT is a major player in the job market in BC and across the country. Programs are regularly reviewed by a dedicated Program Advisory Committee responsible for making sure every element is in line with industry standards. Instructors are industry leaders and content experts who are recruited by the polytechnic to instruct part-time courses in their field. High standards for course content and instructor expertise are why BCIT degree graduates have a 96 percent employment rate; meanwhile, diploma and certificate graduates have a 90 percent employment rate.
Reskill or upskill with diverse options
Studying at a post-secondary with diverse course offerings puts a vast array of options at your fingertips — a convenient benefit for those who wish to explore more than one path. BCIT offers more than 1,000 Part-time Studies courses in areas like Applied and Natural Sciences, Business and Media, Computing and IT, Engineering, Health Sciences, and Trades and Apprenticeships. Sharpen your coding skills (or learn them from scratch) with applied software development, learn to service and inspect vehicles with the Red Seal-endorsed commercial transport program, engineer a positive work environment with human resources training, or get into the booming green energy sector with an advanced certificate in sustainable energy management.
With myriad options and the flexibility to learn in ways that fit your life, an exciting new career path could be right around the corner.
Disclaimers
*BC Student Outcomes, Baccalaureate Graduates Survey, prepared by BC Stats (2020)
**BC Student Outcomes, Diploma, Associate Degree, and Certificate Survey, prepared by BC Stats (2020)
***Part-time Studies Student Survey (2019)
