The best way of studying for the job you want

Three simple tips for creating a study path that won’t narrow your career options.

OUA

Three simple tips for creating a study path that won’t narrow your career options.

Most people choose to go to university to study for the career they want, but jobs are rapidly evolving and companies are looking for employees with broader skill sets. And employees are choosing to make more major career changes throughout their working lives too.

While no one is complaining about having more options and flexibility, it is becoming harder to know how and what to study to ensure a successful future in an ever-changing work environment.

But there are ways to prepare yourself for a more varied career, and the key is to diversify your skills wherever you can. Here are three easy-to-follow tips for choosing a study path that will form the solid foundation for a rewarding career, no matter where it might take you.

CUSTOM-FIT YOUR DEGREE

Think of your peers who will be graduating with you. How are you going to stand out to employers? Designing your own degree, like you can when you study online with leading unis through Open Universities Australia (OUA), means you will have an edge on those who follow a traditional route, and it will give you extra skills you’ll carry throughout your working life.

OUA enables students to customise their degree by mixing and matching subjects with flexible enrolment in subjects from multiple unis. If you choose to study with a university on-campus, you can still pick even one extra subject to study online through OUA to help you diversify. There’s a huge breadth of subjects to choose from, so you’re sure to find one that complements your future career. Plus you can study throughout the year, from wherever you have an internet connection. Getting ahead of the pack, and staying there, has never been simpler.

DEVELOP TRANSFERRABLE SKILLS

Some degrees, such as STEM degrees, prepare you for a bright future, but they can be one-track. Adding to your transferable skills will make you more attractive to more employers and will open up many doors throughout your career. Psychologist and career expert Suzie Plush says it’s all about picking up subjects outside your degree that will contrast with but complement your area of study.

“You could think about combining ahuman resources degree with a language, for example,” she says. “Or a creative course, such as graphic design, with a communications subject, or an IT degree with a psychology subject. OUA is excellent for this because it gives you the flexibility to combine your degree with subjects that will help round out your education. It’s a tailored solution.”

CULTIVATE KEY SOFT SKILLS

Plush also recommends all students improve soft skills that will transcend industries and serve them throughout their careers. She says it’s important to be able to take initiative, be adaptable and a self-starter, and develop teamwork, problem-solving and analytical skills.

“These are key competencies that are applicable to most jobs and they come up in a lot of job interviews, so it pays to develop them alongside your studies,” she says.

Create a path that’s perfect for you. For 25 years, Open Universities Australia has enabled students to study online with leading Australian unis and follow a custom-designed study path that’s right for them. Explore your options at open.edu.au or call a friendly student advisor on 13 OPEN.