A profession is a part of who you are, reflecting your strengths, aptitudes and interests. But all too often, people stagnate in the jobs they trained for after high school, life changes, and so do we. So, if what you do for work no longer aligns with your passions, why not try a new career? A technical school can show you how.
Should I Go Back to School as an Adult?
Shifting gears in life can be challenging. You might wonder if it’s worth the effort to return to school when you’re already well-established in your field. But we’re living longer than ever, and workforce dynamics have shifted. The average adult now has two or more careers in their lifetime, most of which require additional training. Still, the decision to return to school shouldn’t be taken lightly. It is critical to assess your long-term career goals and determine whether further education is necessary to achieve them.
Am I Too Old to Change Careers?
You’re never too old to change careers if it meets your personal or professional goals; age is just a number. Career options have changed dramatically in the last two decades, offering you more opportunities to choose a profession that better fits who you are today. Technical schools are training students of all ages for a better future.
Why Do People Go Back to School?
A broad range of personal and practical reasons why someone might choose to go back to school. Motivations include:
Education Requirements
The state sets education standards for certain professions, such as nursing. Candidates must complete the required training to be eligible for licensure.
Career Advancement
Many people go back to school to acquire new skills. Earning a diploma may help you qualify for certifications that make you a more valuable employee in your current field.
Career Change
If it’s time for a new challenge, technical training is among the fastest and most efficient ways to prepare for a new career. You’ll graduate in months, not years, with the knowledge and skills employers are looking for.
What Are Some of the Technical Programs Offered at CyberTex?
CyberTex offers training programs in medical assisting, vocational nursing, HVAC and network engineering, most of which take less than a year to complete. Job-focused, they teach relevant skills that are in demand today. These choices suit adults with life experience because they build on transferable skills. You’ll feel less like you’re starting over and more like you’re climbing the career ladder.
Medical Assistant
Medical assistants manage clinical and administrative tasks in doctor’s offices, clinics, and hospitals. You will be responsible for managing, greeting, and rooming patients as a medical assistant. While in the exam room, you will update medical histories, take vital signs, perform phlebotomy, and take diagnostic tests as requested by the physician. In the medical office, you may schedule appointments, sterilize instruments, and stock medical supplies. Additional responsibilities of medical assistants are assisting physicians with minor surgical procedures and educating patients on proper medicine usage and preventative health.
In a flexible role, medical assisting is an excellent career choice for someone with good customer service and organizational skills. You can put your experience to work, strengthening the healthcare system in your community.
Vocational Nursing
Vocational nurses provide essential nursing services in hospitals, clinics, hospices, private homes, and long-term care facilities. It’s a direct care role in which you’ll work one-on-one with vulnerable patients under the supervision of a physician or registered nurse. Duties vary based on the employment setting but generally consist of monitoring and managing patients. You may administer medications, perform treatments, or assist patients with daily living on any given day. You will also offer patients companionship and emotional support.
Practical nurses fill an essential niche in the healthcare community, supporting patients at an intimate level. There’s no better way to make a tangible difference in the lives of others.
Careers in nursing are ideal for older students because compassion is borne from life experience. Maturity, empathy, and emotional intelligence are the keys to success in the field.
HVAC
HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) technicians manage home and business climate control and refrigeration applications. With the transition to green energy, exciting opportunities await. You will install, maintain and repair HVAC systems as an HVAC technician. You may also troubleshoot indoor air quality and perform energy-efficiency assessments and cost estimates.
HVAC is a rewarding field for people with mechanical or electrical DIY skills. A background in customer service is also helpful. If you’re an entrepreneur, few fields offer as much potential for starting your own business. With experience, many HVAC technicians can chart their course.
Network Engineer
Network engineers design, maintain, install, and repair computer networks. In a data-hungry world, they keep people connected. Their duties include network architecture design, basic programming, and data security.
If you have any experience with computers or information technology, a network engineering program will make the most of your existing skills. Upon graduation, you can find employment in the public or private sector while building your credentials and career through industry certifications.
Final Thoughts
Choosing to go back to school should be an informed decision. Consider your lifestyle and career goals, but don’t let fear stop you. Education is the currency of the future.
CyberTex offers short-term technical training programs in the Information Technology, Medical, Healthcare, and Construction Trades. We are a student-centric institute that equips students with workplace skills for initial employment, paving the way for desired and financially stable careers.
Contact us today to learn more about our CyberTex campuses in Austin and Killeen.