Why undertake a business diploma?
Learning business skills is, of course, the obvious goal when it comes to undertaking the Diploma of Business (Leadership) (BSB50120). But what exactly will you learn? How will that help you achieve your ultimate goal? And what jobs can you get with a business diploma?
There’s a host of reasons why you might want to add a business diploma to your resume and many different career pathways that lend themselves to such an important and all-encompassing qualification.
Learning to manage a business’ key functions is a core skill at the heart of a business diploma, a skill that is definitely needed if you want to progress your career. The list of opportunities this diploma opens up is almost endless.
Unlocking management positions is another obvious advantage, whether that be in fields such as retail, events, or construction.
In terms of real job opportunities, just exactly where can a diploma of business lead you? Having a qualification that offers potential employers a well-rounded skillset in several business functions is a solid base to begin your career in any industry, and an excellent addition to any qualifications for particular industries. If you work in data entry, warehousing, even construction – a Diploma of Business presents you as an ideal candidate for promotions to management positions. This is because you will have a better understanding and applicable skillset for general business operations.
Online business diploma career pathways are flexible
Don’t think for a moment that you’re only qualified for a position once you’ve completed your diploma. The simple act of beginning to undertake a course can be very attractive to a business.
Put yourself in an employers’ position, one who is deciding the best of two candidates to fill whatever vacancy they have. Would you look more favourably on a candidate who is committed to improving themselves by undertaking a diploma in their own time, rather than someone who isn’t?
Online study is designed to provide flexibility to learn at your own pace and fit in around your other commitments. From an employers’ viewpoint, they’ll be impressed because you’ve taken the initiative to enhance your employment prospects.
Do not wait until you get that ‘bit of paper’ you’ve worked so hard to obtain. Get out into the workforce as early as you can, and pitch not just the skills you have, but the ones you’re working towards achieving. That’s just another advantage of undertaking a diploma of business: it can get results even before you reach your end goal. The career pathway you follow once you have a business diploma is adaptable and flexible to your needs.
Job direction – What jobs can you get with a business diploma?
A business diploma can open the door to many job opportunities. The potential is only limited by your imagination. In fact, you can even create your own. “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” is a popular saying, with good reason. Most of us have a friend or contact who has created a successful business based purely on what they love to do.
Great examples are the ‘go-to’ guest who always takes amazing snapshots at weddings. The ‘natural’ writer who captures attention with funny or insightful posts on social media. The ‘fitness freak’ in the group who spends all their time at the gym. All of these people might be just a business diploma away from a career in photography, blogging or fitness coaching.
It’s not just a freelance career where a diploma of business can give you the edge. In the corporate world, a diploma of opens the door to a host of career pathways, including project management, risk management, financial planning, and many more. The list is virtually endless.
More than just a foot in the door
A diploma of business can open doors not just to specific jobs, but entire industries. There are very few medium-sized or large businesses that can do without the services of an employee who can successfully manage meetings. That’s just one skill that a diploma of business can teach.
Other skills that can be applied to any job and industry include:
- Effective communication
- Creating innovative workplaces
- Developing an online business strategy
- Managing budgets
All of these skills are part and parcel of a diploma course.
A diploma of business can get you a ‘foot in the door’ of your chosen industry, and propel your career forward in just about any field in which you’re already working. Just think about that promotion you’d like, and ask yourself if a diploma of business would be a help or a hindrance to getting it. The answer is clear.
You can suggest creating your own role by pointing out skills shortages in the workplace that could be filled by – you guessed it – a business diploma graduate. The College for Adult Learning is a good place to start putting those career plans into action.
Is a diploma of business worth the money?
A Diploma of Business is significantly less expensive than any business related degree, and has a focus on practical skills rather than theoretical knowledge.
However, a better question is – What can you do with a business diploma? A reasonable person will embark upon any upskilling exercise with an expectation that it will ‘pay off’ in future. That doesn’t just mean in monetary terms, either. It could mean a promotion or creating a skill set that attracts a better job offer or salary.
Years of restrained salary growth in the Australian workplac means more employees are looking for new jobs that pay better than their existing workplace. A recent survey found that 41% of employees looking to move on from their current job are doing so primarily to earn a better salary. Couple that with the fact that 70% of employers believe skill shortages in the workforce will hurt their business in the next 12 months, and it becomes clear that investing in yourself and your career makes sense.
Multiple studies in many countries have found that a business diploma attracts a better salary. As employers cry out for skilled jobs to be filled, putting yourself at the front of that queue makes sense. Long after you’ve completed your diploma, you’ll be reaping the benefits in salary, job satisfaction, and the sheer number of expanded career opportunities.
Are there diploma of business career pathways?
A major advantage of completing your business diploma is the scope for wide pathways. Plenty of industries have a pressing requirement for short-term (ie: three months or even less) placements. That may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but many employers deliberately seek to create an environment filled with fresh faces and constant new ideas.
No matter where you go, your diploma of business goes with you. Even big industries like government, mining, or agriculture have plenty of opportunities for short term contractors (which often morph into longer-term employment). Having the power to pick and choose what type of work suits you best, for a given time-frame, is a lot easier if you’ve got a diploma of business attached to your resume.
Full-time employees, too, can benefit. Many find themselves in a ‘rut’ at work after a long time of service. They feel like the challenges have dried up, but often it can be a lack of formal qualifications that are holding them back from that much-wanted promotion.
Why not take the initiative, and undertake a diploma of business through the College for Adult Learning to reinvigorate yourself? You’ll benefit, so too will the company, and at the very least you’ll have better pathways open up – along with a great sense of achievement.
How can a diploma of business get me a job?
Beginning your job search at the completion of your diploma of business course might be leaving things too late. Active job searchers who are in the market from the moment they begin their study have two advantages over candidates who leave the job-hunting until after graduation.
Firstly, getting your name and face out there early gives you the opportunity to hone your interviewing skills, without the pressure of needing a job right away. Every interview you’re invited to participate in offers more experience in a situation which can be quite stressful. Experience breeds confidence.
Secondly, showing prospective employers that you’re working hard without the motivation of a promotion or anything other than self-improvement is attractive to somebody who is thinking of employing you. If nothing else, it indicates you are a disciplined self-starter, ambitious, and keen to learn.
Why study a diploma of business online?
Studying for a diploma of business online makes a lot of sense. Even full-time workers can tailor their study to suit work and family commitments, while those with fewer demands on their time can power through their course faster.
A recent study of nearly 1,000 online students at Harvard Business School found that the career and personal benefits were similar, or in some cases even greater, than those who undertook much more expensive and time-consuming ‘face-to-face’ programs.
Studying through the College For Adult Learning makes a lot of sense. Once you’ve decided to make yourself a better candidate, what your ultimate goal is and how you’ll go about achieving it, then there is no stopping you from gaining your diploma of business qualification.