To gain muscle strength you know you have to hit the gym. This knowledge comes with the wisdom that following a routine for a limited time brings limited results. It’s the same as eating healthy. You don’t eat healthy for a year and hope for a healthy long life, do you? So why should we even expect to study in the early years and then just be done with it? That is why we are raising this question: are school years and formal education enough to crush IT?
Before attempting an answer, let us share with you something that has been revealed to us, at Ropardo, during our conversations with juniors that follow our internship programs. For some, the idea of expanding their education after finishing the mandatory curriculum is a scary thing. Mostly, because they expect to encounter the same challenges they are familiar with from traditional classrooms. If you are a junior, and the thought of having to learn your whole life in the manner or style you are used to by now scares the life out of you, we hear you! And we promise this is not about spending your precious youth years memorizing information you are never going to use.
Whatever the differences in points of view, the consensus is that education can’t stop after school is done. This is something upon which HR specialists, entrepreneurs, and business leaders agree.
The pandemic, followed by the economic crisis, has made it clear that learning new competencies and having an agile approach both in business and in our careers is a guaranteed path to relevance in the workforce. More and more specialists see education as a continuous learning process the way to steadily and securely advance your career. So…
What can you do to improve and grow in your career, to learn without falling into the trap of learning for the sake of it?
Here are some of our recommendations to transform your education into a journey of cycles that will push you further and further.
1. Plan your learning with your career path in mind
What part of what you learn will help you in your career? What can you do to get more real information to use when you start working?
An internship, a contest, or a networking event can be a good starting point. There are opportunities out there, you just have to be open to them! We encourage you to explore these types of options curated by our team, right here.
2. Clarify your strengths and weaknesses
As you move through university, start to think about what you want. Do you seek intellectual challenge? Do you want predictability?
Stephanie K. Eberle, in an article published way back in 2018 (just before the pandemic made us all reconsider everything), advised students to start thinking of their studies as a Marathon, Not a Sprint. She also states that students should have a different approach towards classes meaning:
- classes in which a student struggles the most can teach them about their particular skill deficiencies
- curriculum content that comes with ease has the opposite effect, introducing students to their most natural skill sets and defining their “flow,” or the activities and topics that truly motivate them to keep working.
3. Get into the habit of reflecting upon your achievements
It’s easy to get trapped in this concept of accumulating more and more information. But it is as equally important to start reflecting after each quarter or semester and determine the skills you want or need to develop from there. Some have found this routine to be of help:
- Keep a record of your achievements during your time at university
- At the end of each month or academic term, reflect on what you’ve learned
- See what activities you’ve been involved in, and what skills you can evidence more by pursuing further informal education
4. Develop more learning skills and ask for help from seniors to create a learning path
Most of us are biased when it comes to how we are supposed to learn. This is because our learning approach is achieved in the traditional classroom. But asking for a senior to help or tutor you, might be the key to developing more learning skills. Under this guidance, you will also be able to create a learning path that is custom-made.
Are wondering how to interact with someone who has already tested the field? The opportunity to work heads-on with a senior is always there during our paid internships, summer practice, or co-tutoring programs.
And last, but not least…
5. Learn, Experiment & Achieve
This is not just a nice tagline but something we live by at Ropardo. Thus, we created a place where juniors and seniors alike can voice their ideas, and feel that they matter. Our open invitation has always been to use our voices to reSET the world, becoming part of the solution, not the problem. Just because you are just starting out, doesn’t mean you have to dull out your personality or higher objectives!
Consider this: we strongly believe that the best investment is… well, YOU! We want our team to grow professionally and make that step forward. It’s the only way we can really impact the world! So, more than 90% of our team members completed their certifications with one or more of the following: Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, ISTQB, ITIL.
And you could be doing the same!
SIGN UP FOR A FREE CONSULTANCY HOUR TO CRUSH IT IN YOUR FIRST INTERVIEW
Round up
Overall, pursuing heads on both a formal and an informal education won’t make your schedule easier, but will make your studies more worth it!
Yes, it takes determination on your part to never stop learning. To be open, experience, and explore every opportunity. To take your shot, even though you don’t always know what will come out of it.
Don’t doubt that education is always something that looks good on you, more so if you want to #crushIT. In the near future, learning can help you meet the industry’s immediate needs. So take advantage of any short-term or long-term training opportunities. Some are just one click away from you as you can see below!