The intrinsic value of short online certificates
“ Do I really need to acquire a short online certificates, is it worth my time and effort? Isn’t this just a fad which will pass” questions coming from my traditional mind-set.
With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, short online programmes have become vastly popular, consequently transforming the learning experience .The growth in certificate programs is in large part due to the smaller commitments of time and money. They aren’t designed to be a replacement for a degree/diploma, but they allow professionals to learn new skills to move them ahead in their careers, get them up to speed in a new field. Enrolling in an online education, in and of itself, is impressive. It demonstrates personal drive and discipline, intellectual maturity, curiosity, and a strong willingness to learn—all of which are important to employers and investors. It requires passion, discipline, interest and commitment for one to start, complete and earn a certificate at any online course
One thing potential employers love to see on your CV is proof that you have a genuine interest, understanding of, and commitment to your line of work/field. Few things demonstrate this more than a willingness to give up your free time to become better at what you do. They want to see that you’re willing to go the extra mile because that indicates passion, and passion indicates value. There is no doubt a certificate won’t hurt you -- in fact it might give you the edge you need, especially in such a competitive job market.Although shorter courses aren’t recognised by the NQF, they do show your employer or prospective employer that you are proactive and that you value continual learning and you don’t allow yourself to become stagnant. The fact that you signed up, took the course, and completed it shows quite a lot of self-initiative. With regards as to where they should go in your CV, I’d put them under Professional Development.
You might be having a small business and wondering how a short online certificate will benefit you in the long run……it helps in your personal development and funding. Investors have to make an assessment of the likelihood of success of a start-up and one of the most accurate indicators is the ability to work hard and deliver results by the founders. They also want to put their fund in the right place. But how do they know that you are the right one? If the start-up is very early stage with little or no tangible traction, on what basis can an investor make an assessment of the ability of the founders to deliver results? In this case education will become important. Of course, a single course or even a small collection of online courses isn’t the same as a full-fledged degree program, whether residential or online. But it can boost your career or give you the business basics and confidence to speak with authority on business issues? Short online certificates are not what they look like; they actually have intrinsic value which reveals your character.
