A report from the Georgetown University Center on Education has found that college graduates holding a bachelor’s degree now make up 36 percent of the workforce, making them the majority for the first time in history.

Until the 1980’s, 70 percent of the workforce consisted of people with no college education. In the past, people without a college degree could work their way up to mid-level positions with higher pay and benefits. Those positions are becoming harder to find as employers make higher education a requirement for entry-level positions.

Since the recession ended, 11.6 million new jobs have been added to the economy. Of those jobs created, 11.5 million went to people with some level of higher education, with 8.5 million jobs going to people with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Only 80,000 new positions were filled by people with no higher education.

This trend is going to force some substantial changes to education in the future. While college graduates across the board have lower unemployment rates, there is going to be a push to cut liberal arts programs. Colleges need to create more focused programs and get more students to graduate in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Education is also going to need to become more accessible so less affluent families can get access to higher education and therefore employment.

Additionally, with more people having a bachelor’s degree, simply having a college education is soon not going to be enough to be a standout candidate. Next Step Academy seeks to give students and employees an edge with life skills and professional development courses. These courses are quick, informative and help learners become better employees — and better in life in general.

Ready to get started? Try one of our life skills courses today!

Technology can often be seen as a threat to our driving, but it can also be the solution to building better and safer driving habits. We’ve found three innovative technologies to help you and your loved ones drive safe and distraction-free.

LifeSaver

LifeSaver is an app that detects when you’re driving and automatically disables phone functions. The app allows the driver to receive hands free inbound calls and hear GPS instructions, but all other apps become blocked while the car is in motion. The app now comes with the Driver Portal, which allows parents and loved ones to set driving guidelines, monitor behavior and reward drivers for distraction-free driving. If a teen unlocks their phone or disables their phone’s GPS tracking while driving, parents receive a notification on their smart phone. LifeSaver also sends an alert to let loved ones know you arrived at your destination safely.

Lifesaver is available on iTunes and Google Play

Auto i

The Auto i is a 360 dash cam security system that connects users to their vehicles. You install the small device beside your rearview mirror. If the car is involved in an accident or broken into, Auto i alerts the vehicle owner and sends the 15 seconds of footage prior to impact to your smart phone. Auto i sends out a verbal warning when involved in an impact or being broken into to alert the perpetrators that the camera is recording them. The device includes a GPS locator so you can find your car in the event of its being stolen, when it’s being used by another family member or when it’s lost in a crowded parking lot. You can also watch your teenager’s driving habits and make sure they are driving safe and without distractions.

Pre-order the Auto i on Kickstarter

Cobra JoyRide

Cobra JoyRide is a car charging device and app compatible with Android smartphones. The device plugs into your car’s 12v power port and has a USB port to connect your phone. The JoyRide app will launch a driving mode window upon connecting your device to the charger. Driving mode limits the apps you can use while the car is moving. You can customize driving mode and choose several apps you want access to while driving, such as GPS or your favorite music player but all other apps become blocked. You can toggle between functions, manage apps, answer calls and voice search simply by tapping the charger. The app also comes equipped with a GPS car locator. Cobra JoyRide is great for helping you remove distractions while still maintaining access to some apps.

Cobra JoyRide is available on Amazon

Looking for more information on safe driving? Take our “Distracted Driving” course.

We all want to become better at something. After all, learning new skills is necessary to give yourself an edge as you develop your career. For many years the 10,000 hour rule popularized by Malcolm Gladwell has been the standard for mastering skills. If you do the math, 10,000 hours equates to about 90 minutes of practice every day for 20 years!

The truth is, to reach a reasonable and useful level of skill proficiency, you only need to commit yourself to 20 hours, not 20 years. Whether you want to become better at public speaking or learn HTML, you can develop the new skill by dedicating yourself to just 40 minutes of practice each day for one month.

So how exactly do you learn a new skill with the 20 hour rule?

• 1. First, you need to decide what skills will help you on your career path. Then, you need to pre-commit to 20 hours of dedicated practice. The 20 hour rule is a good way to gauge interest in the skill. If you aren’t willing to schedule 40 minutes a day to learn a particular skill, then you should consider learning something else.

• 2. Once you’ve committed to learning a new skill, break it down into smaller more manageable sub-skills. This eliminates the tendency to feel overwhelmed, making it easier to get started. You can break down a skill like HTML into first learning how to place tags, then how to manipulate text, then how to create links, and so on.

• 3. After you’ve broken up a skill into sub-skills, decide which sub-skills are most important and focus on those first. By dedicating your early practice to the fundamental sub-skills you’ll notice a significant increase in your performance after just a few hours of commitment.

Need ideas for a new skill to develop? Check out one of Next Step Academy’s job skills courses.

In the new report, “Transformations Affecting Postsecondary Education,” researchers discuss the current problems faced by higher education and recommend changes to the education system. Namely, they suggest to make learning more personalized as postsecondary education extends beyond college and into a platform for lifelong learning.

The report suggests using a variety of approaches to create a “network of learning.” This network would utilize approaches such as competency-based education, online education, personalized learning, boot camps and micro credentials. The result? Higher education would depend less on credits earned and more on experience to measure learning. Colleges and universities would also have a collaborative relationship, meaning students could easily move between institutions. Higher education would have “more on- and off-ramps,” allowing students to take breaks to gain work experience and continue learning throughout the course of their careers.

The goal of creating this network is to reduce the amount of time it takes students to receive a degree, reduce the cost of higher education and create personalized methods of learning and demonstrating knowledge.  

Institutions such as the University of Wisconsin and Northern Arizona University have already introduced self-paced degree programs. These programs use the competency-based education method discussed in the report. In that way, students earn their degrees by working at their own pace and showing what they know, rather than sitting in class for a specified amount of time. Self-paced degree programs are offered at a flat tuition rate per semester and students can take as many classes as they want within that time. 

Online courses are also going to play a large role in this network as higher education is reformed. Online learning is flexible, where students are guided by online coaches and earn badges and micro credentials to put in an online portfolio, similar to the format Next Step Academy uses. The portfolio would be a useful tool to gauge where there are gaps in knowledge which students can fill with more education later on. Students can also take this portfolio with them to different institutions and use it to showcase their skills and knowledge to potential employers.

Having a career in education doesn’t limit you to teaching, you can also choose to pursue an administrative position. This typically includes assistant principals, principals and superintendents. People in these positions are leaders that play a vital role in making sure school districts run efficiently.

Education

School administrators need to complete a master’s degree in education administration or a related field and already have teaching experience. (Read our blogs on elementary education and secondary education to learn the education requirements for teaching). A master’s degree will typically take two additional years of education to complete. The courses you take will emphasize leadership, curriculum development and education laws and ethics. Many programs require students to complete an internship where you work directly with school administrators so you can develop skills in a real-world setting.

While a doctoral degree is not required to become an education administrator, this level of education will give you a better foundation for a career in this field. A doctoral degree can take up to three years to complete after graduate school and will require research and thesis work.

Most states require administrators to acquire an administrator or principal license. This varies state-to-state, but usually it involves passing a written test and background check. Some states also require administrators to take continuing education courses to maintain their certification.

Career

Assistant principals and principals take care of the administrative duties for a specific school. They are in charge of developing curriculum, evaluating teachers and disciplining students. They also act as a liaison between the school and the community.

Superintendents help manage the entire school district. Typically, they work with a board of trustees to develop goals for the district and oversee administrators.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics school administrators earned a median salary of $90,410 in 2015 and the field is expected to grow 6 percent over the next decade.

Explore a little more with Next Step Academy’s course “Careers in Education: Administration“

You’ve nailed the interview, they offered you the job, now you’re tasked with navigating a new office and work environment. Here are five tips for being successful when starting your new job.

1. Arrive on time. Nothing gives off a worse first impression than being late on your first day. Try to arrive at least five minutes early. That means in the office and ready to go five minutes early, not parking five minutes before the work day begins.

2. Know the dress code/code of conduct. Make sure you know how to dress and act in your new work environment. Don’t show up under-dressed, but also don’t overdress for the position. Get a feel for how people act in the office and match their level of professionalism.
   

3. Get to know your fellow employees. Work will never be truly enjoyable if you don’t like or get along with your coworkers. Take the time to get to know the people you work with. The ability to work well with other employees will be important in all facets of your professional life.

4. Ask questions. Your new employer wants you to be a self-starter and able to take charge of projects, but they also want you to know how to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you don’t understand a task or need a little more direction. Your employer will appreciate your dedication and moxie.

5. Give it time to get yourself adjusted. Work is work, but it is also a social and cultural institution in your life. Anytime you jump into a new circle of people and a new set of tasks and expectations, it takes time to get adjusted. Don’t get stressed if you aren’t totally comfortable in your job right away, give yourself time, you’ll get there.

For more professional development tips visit hr.nextstepacademy.com

With the digital world presenting new opportunities and constant change, education can no longer end with a formal college degree but rather continue throughout a person’s life. MOOCs offered through institutions such as Coursera are likely the future of lifelong learning.

MOOCs — massive open online courses — are programs offered by a university, available to people worldwide via the internet. MOOCs are free, with some offering the option to pay a small fee in exchange for graded coursework and a certificate or credit upon completion. Courses are short and engaging, consisting of videos, readings, problems to solve and forums to facilitate discussion between students.

The skill sets required for jobs in the digital age change faster than Apple releases a new iPhone. That’s where MOOCs come in. Institutions like Coursera partner with colleges and universities to offer courses that teach both hard and soft skills. You can learn a new programming language or how to improve your interpersonal communication skills. There is also the opportunity to deviate from skill development and simply learn more about topics of interest like history or music.

In addition to career development, MOOCs make higher level education available to people who previously may not have had access. Higher level learning is no longer a privilege of the financially stable, but available to people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.

MOOCs also promote general education to people on a global scale. A MOOC course provider called edX has developed a program called Open edX which allows countries to use the edX platform to launch their own MOOCs. Countries like Saudi Arabia have used Open edX to launch education campaigns with the goal of helping women gain access to education.

Next Step Academy offers similar online courses, offering learners of any age and background knowledge about careers-in, life skills and professional development. Courses are quick, mobile and informative. To find out more about Next Step Academy, register and start taking courses, visit NextStepAcademy.com

Pursuing a degree in secondary education allows you to enter a career as a teacher at the high school level. High school teachers tend to teach students about a single subject. They work hard to prepare students for post-secondary education and entering the workforce after graduation.

Education

Students who want a career in secondary education need to complete a bachelor’s degree, which will take about four years to complete. You’ll be expected to focus on a specific subject, such as math or history. You can also choose to focus on a more specific area of study, such as economics or politics, or special subjects such as art or foreign language.

A bachelor’s degree in secondary education usually includes field work, such as student teaching, which is often completed at the same time as teaching certification requirements. Teaching certification differs state-to-state, so you’ll need to find out what your state requires. Some states require you to receive a master’s degree after initial teacher certification,  which sometimes can be earned while teaching full-time.

Career

Secondary school teachers typically work with grades 9-12, but depending on the school district you may work with grades 7-12. As a high school teacher, you’ll need to create lesson plans that you can adapt to different class sizes. You will need to create a curriculum that prepares students for standardized testing, challenges them personally and academically and — most importantly — holds their interest.

This career also includes grading assignments and exams, which you may have to complete at home, and communicating with parents, fellow teachers and other staff. In the age of information, you’ll most likely be expected to upkeep a website to post assignments and coursework as well.

Salary and Job Outlook

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary in 2015 for secondary school teachers was $57,200. The profession is expected to grow by 6 percent by 2024, about as fast as average.

Explore a little more with Next Step Academy’s course “Careers in Education: Secondary Education“

Moving out of your parents’ house for the first time can be scary. Groceries will no longer magically appear in the fridge and there won’t be anyone to wash your sheets for you. If you’re considering leaving the nest and finding your independence, here are some tips for planning ahead and making a smooth transition into adulthood.

Create a budget. Once you move out, money is going to become an even bigger deal than it is now.You’ll soon discover that money doesn’t go as far as you think. Start researching apartments to get a feel for how much rent costs in your area. You also need to consider expenses like insurance, food, gas, electric, internet and your phone. Make a list and compare that to your current paycheck. See where you can cut costs like eating out less or finding a roommate.

Save up. Once you find a place to live, moving expenses add up quick. You’ll most likely need to pay an application fee, security deposit, first and last month’s rent and a pet deposit if you’re bringing along a furry friend. Before you move out, save up as much money as you can. Make sure you have a good cushion of funds for all the mandatory payments, but also for an emergency fund. Keep at least three months’ rent saved away in case of emergency.

Plan ahead. Start preparing for the move way in advance. Collect furniture and boxes that your friends and family may be giving away and check out thrift stores for cheap household items. It’s easy to forget everything you’ll need when you move out, like a kitchen table, chairs, rugs and hand towels. Preparing ahead of time gives you more time to look for cheap items you actually like, rather than just taking whatever you can get your hands on the month before you move.

Learn good habits. Do you know how to cook? More than just boxed macaroni and cheese? Before you move out it’s important to brush up on your life skills and develop good habits. Learn how to cook a few basic meals, do laundry regularly (not just when you run out of underwear) and start washing your dishes after every meal. Make sure you can do all the chores you’ll have to do on your own when you move out.

You’re going to learn quickly that living on your own for the first time is hard. You may not be living the high life and your apartment may not look like the ones you see on Tumblr, but it’s still a good life. Start preparing early and you’ll be able to make it on your own just fine.

A new educational robot developed by engineers at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute is changing the way students learn to code.

Root, a small hexagonal bot, magnetically glides across the vertical surface of a whiteboard. Students use the programming app Square to write code and tell Root what to do.  Square allows students and coders of different ages and abilities to create code. Elementary students can use a simple block-based graphical environment, while older students can learn traditional text-based coding. Students can toggle between the different levels, allowing them to transition easily to more advanced coding and eventually working with JavaScript.

Root can draw, erase and respond to lines drawn on the whiteboard. Root is also equipped with 15 multicolored LEDs which students can program and plays musical notes to show it’s mood and personality. Root is designed to fit in every classroom, using the whiteboard already equipped at the front of the room. The goal is to empower the next generation of coders and promote STEM fields in schools, making STEM practical, fun and interactive. Students can program Root to play games or to simply erase the board at the end of class, providing a real life example of coding in the classroom.

The Wyss team is working on a curriculum to go with Root in the classroom. The robot will be available for schools to purchase next year for about $200 each. Root doesn’t require any special setup and teachers can become coding instructors without any training.

Interested in learning more about coding? Take our quick course “Careers in Coding“