Did you know, the average Netflix subscriber spends about two hours each day watching the streaming service? And the average daily global use of social media sits at almost two-and-a-half hours per day per person?
Seems like A LOT right? So, let’s put this into perspective for those of us who keep saying: “I don’t have the time” to pursue their dream goals.
If you swapped just half of your time on Netflix and social media (about two hours per day), and instead used just some of that extra 730 hours per year to study online, you could have a uni degree in three years’ time.
And, while we completely understand that sometimes goals get lost under the pressures of the everyday (another episode of Stranger Things anyone?), there’s still plenty of time to tick off your dream to kickstart your career in 2020.
So we’re going to be over here, cheering you on to dial back on the Netflix binges and social media scrolling and GET BACK to that New Year’s resolution to take your career to the next level – or upskill and land that dream job – or if study’s not for you, to start training for that half-marathon you’ve been talking about since 2003 (surely 700 hours a year is enough for that right!?).
Whether you feel like you’re spinning your wheels in your current role – or maybe you’ve been daydreaming in the break room about switching jobs (or industries) altogether – we’re here to tell you that perhaps you DO have the time to make it happen.
But it all just seems impossible, right? In between your current workload, socialising with friends, running around after the kids and juggling a mortgage and bills, there’s just too much on your plate.
Trust us, there’s still hope for you to gain your university degree.
Now before you choke on your latte, we’re not talking uni as it used to be – days spent on campus, tracking from lectures to tutorials and across to the library just to get what you need for that latest assignment and wasting hours in the car commuting.
Thanks to online technology, you can now study anywhere, anytime. And yes, that includes in your track pants on the couch at home (during those hours when you would normally be binge-watching TV or scrolling Instagram).
Through the new Murray River Study Hub, you don’t have to travel to get the uni degree that could set you on the fast-track to promotion, or open a door to a more rewarding career.
Tertiary education is now more flexible – and achievable – than ever before and people in the Murraylands and Riverland have a unique edge thanks to the Murray River Study Hub.
Not only can you combine the flexibility of online learning – so you can listen to your classes at night, on the treadmill, on weekends or days off and find all your study resources online – but you can also get face-to-face support close to home when you need it.
It’s also affordable. With the Australian Government’s HECS-HELP scheme there are ways to defer your education costs, or you can explore the range of scholarships on offer through the Murray River Study Hub’s partner universities.
Looking for a completely new career? The Hub connects to some of the best courses offered by unis in Australia in areas as diverse as agriculture, the arts, business, health and medicine, science, education and information technology.
Love your job but wish you could move up the ladder? Upskilling with a degree or post-graduate qualification could give you the knowledge and expertise you need to push for that promotion.
Any way you look at it, further education is a win, especially for people living in regional areas where the workforce is smaller and competition for senior roles can be tough.
By taking on tertiary study, not only are you expanding your skillset, you’re also showing prospective employers (or your existing boss) that you’re driven, organised and resilient – all of which highlight how serious you are about your career and make you an asset to any organisation looking to recruit.
Still not sure if uni is for you? Then consider this – gaining further qualifications has also been shown to increase your earning capacity and can make you more valuable to your employer – which gives you an edge at the negotiating table if you’re wanting to push for privileges such as flexible working arrangements.
We’ll leave it up to you to decide how you spend your extra 700+ hours in 2020 (and that extra money and time in future once you have your new degree).
