The last thing I want to do is paint a picture of doom and gloom.

But what if the concept of economic recovery is mere hype - a wisp of hope destined to vaporize, leaving most people worse off than ever?

Thankfully, according to the leading economic minds of our times, this pessimistic scenario is one that is likely never to happen.

Earlier this year, Robert Mellman and Bruce Kasman, senior economists at JPMorgan, predicted that the U.S. economy would come out of the recession in the second half of 2009.

But Mellman also stated in a March 2009 USA Today article: “For the person on the street, it will still feel like a recession . . . I don’t think it will be a joyful recovery. It will be pretty slow from here. It will be tough to get jobs for some time.”

Mellman’s words now ring true as the snail’s pace of recovery particularly tests the metal of those who are among the 10.2% unemployed.

Still, it is important to be encouraged during the painful recovery process by remembering a few facts:

• Historically, economic recovery is inevitable in the U.S. The economy moves through cycles of ‘drought and plenty’ that replay, somewhat unpredictably, throughout the years.
• Economic recovery is in motion now, fueled by government stimulus monies. But the fruit of recovery will not trickle down to everyone at the same time. Various sectors — i.e. housing, stock market, employment — will improve out of sync with one another.
• The recovery of the job market, which will boost consumer spending, is among the last of the leading economic indicators to improve. Yet those who prepare for the influx of new jobs by returning to school to update skills and credentials will benefit faster than most.

One way to increase the odds of snagging a job is to take advantage of online degree programs, online certificate programs and vocational classes. Unfortunately, waiting until the economy improves before taking such a positive career step may delay job opportunities, especially for those who compete for higher-paying technical and skilled jobs.

Economic recovery is moving; and it’s headed your way. Just make sure you are ready for it.

online degree programs, certificate, vocational, economic recovery, jobs, careers, skilled jobs, recession, jpmorgan, unemployment, snag a job, hope

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A provision in the Post-9/11 GI Bill is causing difficulties for veterans who require and love the flexibility of online schools.

The new bill took effect on August 1st, 2009. It states that “students enrolled exclusively in online training are not eligible for the housing allowance”.

Studies confirm that military personnel prefer online degrees and online classes. Yet the Post-9/11 GI Bill denies the housing stipend to those who choose e-learning over traditional colleges.

This pulls as much as $1300 of living expense monies from the income of deserving military students and veterans who count on this financial assistance while completing their studies.

Eligible students who enroll in traditional colleges and universities are rewarded with the housing allowance; so this discriminatory provision in the Post-9/11 GI Bill creates a dilemma and barrier for those who want to enroll in online schools.

Mounting pressure by those opposed to this inequity may lead Congress back to the drawing board for a legislative solution.

Military men and women have earned the right to choose online schools without being slapped with an unfair penalty. Studies by the U.S. Department of Education show that accredited online schools are equal or superior in quality to most traditional schools.

The inequity was likely an oversight by Congress in their efforts to fashion a cost-effective bill. But hopefully, Congress will move quickly to insure that our military forces will be able to continue to enjoy the benefits of online education.

accredited online schools, colleges and universities, congress, elearning, gi, housing allowance, military students, online classes, online degrees, online education, online schools, post-9/11_bill, traditional schools, veterans

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As the celebrations of the fall of the Berlin Wall continue in Germany, we once again commemorate the members of our armed forces on Veterans Day.

Almost 50 years ago, the city of Berlin was divided by a formidable wall that remained standing for almost 30 years.

East German soldiers patrolled the east side of the wall; and American, British and French soldiers guarded the west side.

My father was a soldier stationed in Germany in the late 1960’s; so I remember the Berlin Wall.

I will never forget traveling into East Berlin as a ‘military brat’ on holiday with my family. We boarded a bus in West Berlin and arrived at Checkpoint Charlie.

There, our paperwork was checked out by U.S. soldiers; and we were given explicit instructions about what to expect on the trip — and how to conduct ourselves. Then the bus drove into East Berlin.

Just a little past the Berlin Wall, the bus stopped.

When I glanced out of the bus window, I saw a mean-looking, well-trained group of uniformed soldiers march up and surround our bus. A few quickly crawled beneath the bus for an inspection, while others walked around it and visually inspected every nook and cranny.

Then, several of them came onboard; and I was suddenly afraid.

They were not friendly fellows. They did not smile, and they certainly did not make small talk.

Instead, they took each person’s passport and stared intensely at the person, then at the passport picture, and again at the person. When it was my turn, I hoped the cold, penetrating stare would not cause me to make any observable misstep.

But I must have done okay; because the soldier moved on and eventually got off the bus with his comrades.

An East German guide boarded the bus and coolly relayed more instructions. The rest of the trip was interesting and uneventful; though we saw only what they wanted us to see — including the majestic Brandenburg Gate.

We were not allowed to talk with any East German citizens, we could not wander off alone, and our bus could not make any deviations from the scheduled tour.

We went through another thorough inspection of the bus before being allowed to cross back into West Berlin; and it was only then that I noticed the tiny crosses that lined the western side of the Berlin Wall — most with flowers, but all standing out as reminders of those who were shot and killed trying to escape into West Germany.

The Berlin Wall was erected in 1961. By the time it began to fall on November 9th, 1989, it stretched nearly 100 miles and was topped with barbed wire.

Historians should continue to remind us of this and other significant events. Without historians, naysayers would attempt to erase or sugarcoat history, in order to promote their own agendas.

Students who major in history should be proud of that choice. And if they can, they should travel to some of the places where key historical events took place.

If they enroll in online degree programs, it will be easier to travel. But online schools and online classes, though convenient, are just one way to pursue a history degree. Community colleges and traditional universities offer additional options.

The Berlin Wall is now gone, thank goodness, but we should remember those soldiers — past and present — who earned the freedoms that America, western Europe and some other countries continue to enjoy.

Soldiers of the U.S. military deserve our highest respect and gratitude, on Veterans Day and every day of our lives, for their generous actions on our behalf.

american, berlin wall, checkpoint charlie, europe, freedom, gratitude, history degree, online classes, online degree programs, online schools, soldiers, us military, veterans day

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The handwriting is on the job market wall.

Adaptability, multiple skills sets and continuing education will be the norm for successful employees of the future.

Vocational and higher education will escalate in importance as the world recovers from an international economic free-fall.

And online degrees will continue to play a major role in preparing job candidates and keeping them on top of the latest developments in their career fields.

According to an MSNBC article by Jenny Lynn Zapala:

“Lifelong learning will be a forced march. If you stop learning, you will become unemployed and unemployable very quickly.”

General higher education will be helpful; but specialized skills will rule the day.

In addition:

• No matter what the job, an understanding of technology, especially digital communication techniques and job-specific technology, will be required.

• Employers will combine two or more job positions into one to save money; so they will value job candidates with dual degrees, multidisciplinary degrees and specialized higher degrees.

• Employees will need to go with the flow as their job descriptions are tweaked and changed throughout their employment; since employers will need to adapt to rapid industry fluctuations that affect their bottom line.

The future is bright for those who remain informed and aware of the direction that new employment is headed.

Potential job candidates should do as the Boy Scout motto says: “Be prepared.” Earn an online degree today.

jobs, prepare, online degrees, job market, employment, higher education, vocation, job candidate, careers, lifelong learning, skills, employers, new jobs, be prepared, future

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E-learners should be careful to avoid becoming victims of malicious Trojan programs that destroy data and render computers useless.

It is easy for online degree students to become careless as assignment deadlines approach. However, it is important to remain alert to any action that enables malware or other harmful viruses to destroy one’s primary online education tool.

This warning, however, came a little late for me.

I thought I took all the necessary precautions to protect my computer; but I still became the victim of an insidious Trojan virus.

My security program was working; and I had just finished running a virus scan. The scan reported no problems.

Then unexpectedly, a small security box popped up on the bottom of my computer screen, warning me that a virus was attempting to infiltrate the system. It stated that urgent security attention was necessary.

When I clicked the pop-up box for more info, the action suddenly unleashed a wave of destruction that quickly left my computer paralyzed and unusable.

Fortunately, the important files were later recovered; but that was the end of my 2-year old workhorse computer.

E-learners have quite a bit to lose as well:

• E-learners risk losing all of their computer data in a virus attack — assignments, research materials, other resources — anything not backed up and stored elsewhere.

• E-learners must come up with money for a new computer. After a few weeks passed, I purchased another work computer for $699 (plus tax) with money I did not intend to spend just before the holidays.

• E-learners may need to learn a new computer system. That is no fun while focusing on completing required assignments. For example, I must now learn all about Windows 7, instead of coasting along with the Windows XP that was on my old computer.

I don’t know where the Trojan virus came from; but now I am especially careful about opening attachments and clicking on anything that pops up on my computer.

Shortly after my laptop was destroyed, a similar innocuous-looking icon popped up on the family’s home computer. I didn’t click on it this time. Instead, I turned off and rebooted the computer. A security scan revealed a quarantined Trojan Fake Alert among the ‘found’ items.

Thankfully, a little knowledge went a long way to prevent losing a second computer.

So be extra careful and think before you click.

online degree, online degrees, elearners, trojan virus, malware, fake alert, security scan, be careful, windows 7, laptop, online students, computer virus, online education, click

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Good news from the Commerce Department indicates that the recession may be over, since the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) rose to an annual rate of 3.5% in the 3rd quarter ending September 2009.

An article by Olsen Olbright at NBC Los Angeles also reports that President Obama’s efforts are finally paying off:

According to a new UCLA economic forecast, all those buy-outs, bailouts, TARPs and clunker sales have finally put the U.S. economy back on track. (10-29-09)

Once again, the economy is closer to recovery; and a flurry of new jobs are hopefully on the way.

The overall unemployment rate of 9.8% in September painted a dismal picture; but today’s news may spur consumer confidence enough to get people spending again, which is crucial to economic recovery.

No one expects the bulk of the jobs to show up too soon, so now is the right timing to acquire new training, certification and college degrees.

E-learning is one way to accomplish this goal without sacrificing income or spending additional money on transportation.

Online degrees, certificates and diplomas may be completed in a few months or a few years; and a program of study can be accelerated or slowed down to accommodate work schedules.

A few promising career paths include health care management, nursing (RN to BSN), environmental studies, engineering, business administration, computer science, and information technology.

Scholarships and financial aid are available for qualified students. Online schools offer financial aid counseling to students who are seeking alternative ways to pay for school.

Active-duty military students, veterans and their spouses often qualify for additional scholarships and G.I. bill aid that may allow them to attend school for free or at a significant discount.

Potential job applicants should take advantage of the time now to earn credentials that will shine when employers roll out the welcome mat once again.

online schools, 3.5 percent, certificate, commerce department, credentials, elearning, financial aid, jobs, military students, online degree programs, online degrees, recovery, recession over, jobs, career

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Today, men all over the country are vying for coveted spots in nursing schools to train for a profession that is the hottest ticket in the nation.

They still constitute only about 5.8% of all registered nurses (RNs); but men are suddenly willing to take a serious look at a profession that pretty much has it all.

The term “nursing” had been a stumbling block for many, conjuring up the ages old connotation of females wearing white uniforms and rigid nursing caps. But forward-thinking men are looking beyond semantics to discover a career that fits the bill in so many ways.

Nursing is a perfect career for men with the “right stuff”. Some reasons for this are:

• Nursing offers high salaries. According to the 2008 Occupational Employment and Wages Report, the median salary for nurses is $62,450, ranging from $43,410 at the lowest to $92,240. With overtime, many nurses earn even more. For those who are supporting a family, this is definitely a plus.
• Nursing is fast-paced, stimulating and filled with suspense. Each day presents hospital nurses with a new set of circumstances and outcomes; and men may enjoy the “seldom-a-dull-moment” experiences.
• Nursing offers multiple opportunities for advancement. Even after becoming RNs, motivated nurses may continue with online nursing degrees to move into nursing specialties — i.e. forensic nursing, oncology nursing, pediatric nursing, and perioperative nursing. Nurse educators are also in high demand for the training of new nurses. Additional advanced practice specialties, including nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners and clinical nurses, are available with additional certification.
• Nursing studies may be completed in as little as 2 years for registered nursing. Graduates may begin entry-level nursing positions and make money while preparing for the national licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN, which must be passed in order to earn the RN credential.
• Nursing jobs are expected to be plentiful in the future. Nursing is the hottest, in-demand career, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS); and at least half a million additional nurses are needed between the years 2006-20016. Hospital jobs are the most plentiful, along with positions in nursing homes, doctor’s offices and outpatient centers.
• Nursing offers excellent benefits. Most nursing jobs offer generous benefits’ packages, including medical, dental, retirement and more. These are obvious perks, given the benefits cutbacks in other industries. Some employers also sweeten the pot with signing bonuses that may range from a few hundred dollars to more than a thousand dollars.
• Nursing offers flexible schedules. Since medical care is offered round-the-clock at most medical facilities, there are a number of scheduling options for nurses — and seniority is an advantage. Men may find more time to spend with family and friends or to pursue hobbies.
• Nursing requires adequate upper-body strength. Working one-on-one with patients generally requires having the physical strength to move them, and any relevant medical equipment, as needed. Men fit the bill perfectly.
• Nursing is technology oriented. Health care has evolved into a high-tech arena filled with diagnostic machinery, computers and electronic records. Men who love technology should find a home in nursing.
• Nursing is a prestigious, honorable, well-respected profession.

Men will find that the white, starched uniforms have been replaced by casual, comfortable attire, usually blue, in an updated unisex look.

And what is the “right stuff”? Men have an advantage if they have an aptitude for the biological sciences, a desire to work closely with patients and co-workers, a willingness to take orders from doctors and other nurses, and a significant comfort level within medical environments.

Nursing is a wonderful profession for men; and the future will undoubtedly find a higher percentage of them exploring the benefits and opportunities that abound in this widely popular career field.

online nursing degrees, benefits, career, health care, high tech, hospital jobs, jobs, medical, men, nurses, nursing, online degrees, hospitals, registered nurses, rn

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Recent statistics show that employers view candidates with online degrees much more favorably than they did in the past.

But a shrinking percentage of employers still struggle with the concept of online schools and online degree programs. Job interviews with those employers could involve a few uncomfortable moments if the online degree graduate is not prepared.

So how can online college graduates increase their chances of impressing a potential employer?

Here are five ways:

• Walk into the interview confidently and well-informed about the company, industry and position for which you are interviewing. Anticipate the questions that may come up about your online degree; and be careful not to let your voice drop or your confidence wane when speaking about your online school, program of study, or distance learning methods used. Remain positive and upbeat about the educational experience without sacrificing honesty and integrity.

• Find opportunities to interject positive tidbits of information about the online degree program if the employer is slanting the interview in that direction. According to statistics, employers who have an unfavorable attitude toward online schools are simply uninformed or misinformed about e-learning. They do not know how challenging an accredited online degree program is; and most are unfamiliar with the high degree of interaction e-learners experience with instructors and fellow students through distance learning technology. So you may say, for example, that the “rigorous program of online study, with its practical application of learned principles, prepared me well for the integration of technology and expertise required for this position”. Be subtle and not preachy about the benefits of an online education.

• If the interviewer does not bring up the online aspect of your degree, you should not be the one to begin a discussion about it. You have obviously scored an employer who does not consider e-learning to be an issue. Interviewers tend to focus on what is important to them and to the company; so flow with the interviewer and stick to answers that remain within the bounds of the questions being asked.

• Before earning an online degree, do your homework and research the chosen higher education institution to be sure that it is properly accredited by accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Check out the online degree program of study, the required and elective classes, and the school’s areas of specialty. Choose an accredited online degree program that will fit well into your chosen career niche.

• In preparation for a job, if you are still a student, excel in your e-learning classes and don’t wait until the last minute to work on assignments or study for tests. Cramming at the last minute may get you through a test; but when you need the information in an interview or on the job, it is often missing in action.  Employers are impressed with job candidates who are eager to learn, eager to work, and who love a challenge. If you already have your online degree and have forgotten a lot of the material you learned in school, review relevant materials and notes over the few days before the interview so the information will be on the tip of your tongue if needed.

These suggestions, along with the practical and common etiquette required for any job interview, should help increase the success of winning a desired job. The library is a wonderful resource for general resume and interview information that will complement these suggestions.

So happy job hunting!

online degrees, college, cramming, distance learning, elearning, employees, employers, graduate, higher education, job, job interview, online degree program, online schools, student

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When conversations turn to higher education and going back to school, some people become uneasy.

To be honest, returning to school is a daunting prospect for a large segment of the population.

Even online school, with its “do it your way” scheduling, looms large for those who thought they were done with ‘reading, writing and arithmetic’.

Many adults are content to forget about school, except for one thing — they need to make more money. And an online certificate program may be the fastest way to make that happen.

Many online certificates can be earned in weeks or months; and the time is well spent when it translates into higher pay and eligibility for better positions.

Vocational and professional certificates are awarded upon completion of short-term courses designed to nurture expertise in specific career areas.

And since certificates take a shorter time to complete than college degrees, students often enjoy the learning process because the subject matter is practical and related to the current job or a desired position.

Traditional and online certificates are available in an array of vocational and professional fields — including business, computers, nursing, beauty school, auto mechanics, accounting and bookkeeping, interior design, personal fitness, dental assisting, graphic design, aviation mechanics, culinary arts, early childhood education, criminal justice and education. Certificates may also be earned in unusual fields, like taxidermy.

Those who are interested in a longer course of study may want to consider enrolling in an online degree program that will lead to an associate’s, bachelor’s or doctoral degree.

Otherwise, online certificates may be the only way to go.

online degree programs, online school, certificate, return to school, higher education, make more money, dental assisting, beauty school, accounting, job, job market, career, life

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In spite of repeated warnings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and other agencies, diploma mills continue to scam trusting victims who recognize online education as a pathway to success.

As a result, the BBB continually receives complaints from individuals who unknowingly toss away hard-earned cash for worthless high school diplomas or fake college degrees advertised online.

Belford Among Scam Diploma Mills

Four diploma mills are high on the BBB’s list of scam schools:  Belford High School, Belford University, Jefferson High School Online, Vencer High School Online. But many other diploma mills also bank on those who are eager to acquire a diploma as quickly as possible.

Over 117 complaints have been lodged against Belford from 40 states — just the tip of the iceberg.

Diploma mill victims are often shocked, even embarrassed, to find out about their worthless diplomas from potential employers, military recruiters, or accredited colleges and universities to which they apply.

Slick advertising and professionally designed web pages lure unsuspecting individuals with promises that “life experience” or a simple test is the lone gateway to a high school diploma or online degree.

Phony accreditation is usually created as part of the scam. But neither the phony schools nor their bogus accrediting bodies are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Red Flags and Warning Signs

Warning signs of diploma mills include the following:

• little or no college-level coursework is required;
• the diploma is based completely upon ‘life experience’;
• tuition is charged per degree (associate’s, bachelor’s or doctorate) rather than per unit;
• discounts apply if ordering more than one degree;
• diplomas are sent out quickly, usually just days or weeks after payment; and
• no faculty members are listed on the school website, or the faculty members all have degrees from the diploma mill.

Diploma mills are riding high on the tremendous popularity of online education. Online degree programs have captured the hearts of adult learners who juggle multiple responsibilities and require greater flexibility in education. Online classes are also in-demand from a generation of students with sophisticated high technology expectations. According to the Sloan Consortium, the growth rate of online degree programs is higher than that of traditional on-campus programs.

Anyone who plans to enroll in an online degree program should check their school out carefully with the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in order to avoid becoming a diploma mill victim.

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