Online education may help those seeking career guidance

Online education may help those seeking career guidance

The online education sector grew by nearly 17 percent in 2009, according to the Sloan Consortium. This may be due in part to the number of adults who are seeking the convenience of web-based learning.

Schools such as the University of Texas at Austin are offering online career support in order to help degree holders become more competitive in the job market. The school recently launched a new online course, titled Taking Your Major from College to Career. The school's University Extension offers the one-credit course to students who wish to enhance the worth of their degree, and professionals who are seeking a career change.

Director of career services at the university, Katharine Brooks, created the program in order to help students who are studying liberal arts fields, such as English, economics and history, make themselves more attractive to future employers. The course is designed to help students through visual mapping techniques, scenario planning and storytelling.

According to a recent Babson-Sloan report, more than one in four students are enrolled in at least one online course.

By Mark Danson