As workplace trends continue to evolve in the nearly three years from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more employees find themselves contemplating career change. Whether it’s because of forced layoffs, changes in economic headwinds or a desire to begin or maintain remote work, nearly 4.1 million employees quit a job in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and millions more have been laid off since the start of the year. On the bright side, unemployment remains at an all-time low with 11 million job openings available nationally for those looking for work.
Fifty years ago, when the state of New Jersey established Thomas Edison State University (TESU), it envisioned a radical mission: to reimagine higher education for adults. TESU continues to redefine how higher education should respond to the career transition needs of working adults. The University is redoubling efforts to support both those looking for a career change and the unemployed with a new series of virtual skill-based workshops, a career resources library with techniques and tools applicable to any job search, and real-life advice from industry experts and successful career changers.
Additionally, the University announced today that it is drastically reducing the price of its MBA preparatory course work for a limited time. The prep courses are a series of online, noncredit courses that prepare professionals to enroll in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program and satisfy the prerequisites of the MBA program. The three-course package will be reduced from $2785 to $980.
“We know that earnings are higher, and unemployment is lower as your level of education rises,” said Dr. Merodie A. Hancock, president, Thomas Edison State University. “In both the private and public sectors, education often plays a factor in ascending to the next career or earning a promotion. We are driven through our mission to help our students advance their careers. Our hope is that we can give laid-off workers and those seeking a career transition the opportunity to test a new career path and get a leg-up in the competitive job market.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the national average for annual personal income of workers 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree is approximately $23,000 higher than Americans who have a high school education. As we enter a new post-pandemic era with new approaches to work and retention, Thomas Edison resources can be found at the University’s Career Hub. For information on applying, contact the Office of Admissions and Enrollment Services.
Toni M. Terry, BA