CPD Points - Waste of Time? Real Pain? Or Useful Program?

The coursework, in most instances, helps real estate professionals stay on top of trends, discover new techniques, keep abreast of financial changes, and enhance their marketing knowledge. So...while many real estate professionals would say that continuing education can be a hassle at times, others would agree the information is extremely valuable and gives them a leg up on the competition.

In New South Wales, the Office of Fair Trading requires that all swimming pool builders and builders earn 12 Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points; builders must earn these 12 points in a 12 month period. If you're a builder and you don't keep your points current, you can lose your license.

It's tempting to view getting building CPD points as a monumental pain - one more thing to worry about during the long hours you put in at the job site. However, taking a slightly different approach to builders CPD can help you and your business. First, it's reasonable to expect builders to improve their skills and knowledge - so they help themselves and help the people and businesses that rely on builders. Also - there's a weeding out process: the CPD requirement can keep unscrupulous and/or lazy builders from trading.

Being a builder can be extremely hard work. You must develop specific knowledge and skills. You have to produce consistently excellent results. And then you have to run a business and take care of finding and hiring subcontractors plus tackle marketing, insurance, accounting...it all piles up quickly and what's supposed to be an 8 hour day Monday to Friday becomes weeks and weeks of 12 hour days.

To their credit, the NSW Office of Fair Trading has organised the building CPD courses based on recommendations from its 'Consultative Reference Group' and this group includes industry members. The group recommends topics to the Director General who makes a final decision about the topics. The goal is to provide ongoing CPD education that will help, not hurt, builders.

Let's take a look at a few of the modules that can be taken.

Meeting Management. We all know that meetings can take forever and achieve nothing - wasting valuable time. This module provides a framework to make meetings shorter and massively more productive.

Business Structures. Successful business owners know how to structure their business - often to minimise tax (legally, of course). There are several other benefits to the different business structures.

Effective Quoting. Quoting a project can be extremely difficult. You have to be accurate so you make money on the project AND supply a competitive price. This module takes the guesswork out of quoting.

There are three options when it comes to builders CPD points in New South Wales.

1. You can ignore the points altogether and take the risk of losing your license.
2. You can get the points but not really pay any attention to the learning materials.
3. You can get your points and benefit significantly from the materials so that you improve your business.

Needless to say, the most successful builders in New South Wales pursue option #3

The Quickest Way For A Registered Nurse To Get Their BSN

Being a nurse is very fulfilling. It has many benefits and the compensation is high. However, being promoted in this kind of career can be challenging. It needs preparation and hard work. Registered nurses who are aiming for a promotion should take the time to continue their education further and take up an online BSN degree. Having a BSN degree will help you reach your dream of getting promoted. It can be said that enrolling in an online Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a lifetime investment. It can help you get the promotion that you've been waiting for as well as earn more money for your family and for your future. Even nurses who have families are becoming more aware of the advantages of having a BSN degree.

Our country is in need of highly qualified nurses and if you want a stable job and a higher salary, you have to invest in education. One of the reasons why many nurses cannot continue their education is because they do not have the time to attend to a regular class. The work of a nurse is not like any other blue-collar jobs that comes to the office at 8 in the morning and go home at 5 in the afternoon. Nurses work round the clock, some days they work in the morning while other days they may be assigned to work on the evenings. This is the very reason why nurses cannot attend a traditional class. However, with the advent of technology comes the convenience of obtaining an education. There are many institutions that offer online BSN and this is great news for anyone who aims to have Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The benefits of obtaining a BSN degree online are endless and one obvious reason is that it is convenient for any busy nurses. There is no quicker way for a registered nurse to get a BSN degree but through online degrees.

So, for those nurses who have families and who are busy juggling their career and work, it is best if you will consider getting an online degree. You do not have to leave the comfort of your home in order to attend your classes; this is because all lectures and reading materials can be easily accessed with the use of your mobile device and internet. The only requirement of studying online is a fast internet connection and a mobile device.

Searching for more information about accelerated nursing programs and 2nd degree nursing programs? Check out our site and be one of the many individuals who are earning high because they have obtained a degree online.

3 Reasons You Should Get a College Degree

Are you at a fork in the road, thinking whether continuing education is right for you? Will the cost in time and money outweigh the benefits?

Having researched the benefits of a college degree from a logical and statistical standpoint, here are three reasons why you should get a college degree, instead of skimping on this milestone:

1. Higher Paying Salary- the inevitable question of how much more earnings a college degree will get you, can be answered in U.S. Census Bureau Statistics - college grads make an average of approximately $20,000 more per year compared to non-college grads. That adds up to at least one million dollars over a 50-year time frame, which can be useful for retirement. That far exceeds the initial investment for tuition.

2. More Job Opportunities- Employers value employees with college degrees, not only because it's a piece of paper that marks your credentials. A degree also signifies that you met a challenge, and overcame it. As workplaces are greeted with a number of decision making processes, college graduates are usually more equipped to solve them responsibly. In addition, it's estimated that college graduates are 60% more likely to be hired than someone with a high school diploma alone, as according to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, the employment status of the civilian population 25 years and over by educational attainment for March 2012 are as follows:

• There's a 9.3% unemployment rate for high school graduates with no college degree.
• Compare that to 4.3% for college graduates.

These statistics offer insight into who gets hired mainly and first.

3. Perks - People gravitate to partners with a similar backgrounds. With a higher salary, college graduates are less likely to be stressed or anxious when compared to their non-graduate counterparts. Studies also show that children of college graduates perform better in academics, whether this is due to financial stability or an emphasis on education. Furthermore, personal benefits include total compensation at work for fringe benefits for healthcare, dental and more.

A college degree boils down to having a competitive advantage in life. Consider the earning gap, the hiring percentage, and how you would critically analyze through trained thoughts.

If you're now college-bound and are thinking of ways to fund your dream, look into grants, financial aid, or colleges that offer pay-as-you-go monthly payment plans. College certifications offer a gateway to a better future, as far as we can see in the present.