THE EXPENSE of retraining or studying for a new degree is putting people off changing careers, says new West Midlands study.
An Arden University study shows one in seven workers in Britain said they hope for a major career change this year, but over half (56 per cent) said they would not be able to afford to stop working to retrain.
The survey of over 1,000 West Midlands workers revealed almost half (48 per cent) of those questioned thought a new degree would be useful to make a major career change happen.
In fact, over 64 per cent of people surveyed in the West Midlands stated the main barrier to gaining a degree is not being able to afford it
Other principal barriers to studying for a new degree were time and family commitments (29 per cent and 26 per cent respectively).
The university specialises in online distance learning and has now opened new study centres in London, Birmingham and Manchester.
They offer a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate courses from Business Management to Criminology, Marketing to Psychology, and Healthcare Management to Law.
Arden’s blended learning model enables students to complete a three-year degree by attending tutorials two days a week at one of their modern study centres.
This is combined with online learning and leaves three days for them to continue working and progress their career.
Vice-chancellor Philip Hallam said: “Gaining the relevant degree is a big commitment which is why we’ve designed our courses to allow flexibility in learning to suit the different needs of our students.
“Our online learning platform iLearn means students only need to attend university two days a week, meaning they can earn-while-they-learn, or fit it around their job or childcare.
“Ultimately, we believe that costs shouldn’t be a barrier when considering personal and professional development, which is why our degrees cost up to a third less than the average UK qualification.”
