Study or work? Or maybe both at once? No matter which direction you choose, the Register can help you.
Have you just started your studies and are already wondering if it was the optimal choice? Would you like to combine studying with work but feel like you're missing some skills? Or maybe you're looking for a job because your diploma is almost here, but you see that just having a degree might not be enough? You're not the first one.
Educational dilemmas of students It was supposed to be different...
Experts from the Laboratory of Statistical Analysis of the National Information Processing Institute – National Research Institute (OPI PIB) conducted comprehensive research, including the phenomenon of dropout, which refers to dropping out of a course before obtaining a diploma. Analyses based on data from the POL-on system show that between 2012 and 2020, more than 1.3 million students who started higher education were removed from the student roster. This accounted for 40% of all student enrollment.
Quite a lot, right? Additionally, OPI PIB showed that one of the main factors influencing such decisions is dissatisfaction with the study level, i.e., the programme, courses, or lecturers, and the dominance of theory over practice. The institute's analysis also suggests that students often aren't interested in their field of study.
The dilemmas continue
To continue or not to continue? Wait until the end of the academic year and then decide, but what if I waste a year of my life? Or maybe don't quit, after all, it's such a popular programme. But what if it turns out that in a few years there won't be such demand for employees in my field? My high school friends have taken some courses or training and are already earning an income.
We understand these doubts. There is a simple solution... but is it really?
Making educational and career choices is not an easy task. Especially in today's world. From every direction, we are bombarded with messages like:
"This is the best course on the market – 3 days online will change your life",
"Become… (insert what you want) in 5 days",
"Start earning xxxx PLN every month without leaving home – sign up for our webinar series".
Sounds familiar? Not only are there thousands of such messages, but they rarely offer real value to the recipient. So, how do you choose what’s worth it, what’s valuable, and what will actually help me here and now? Can this even be done?
It can. But let's start with the basics
To become a student and eventually earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you need to dedicate at least 15 years to education. Yes, that's a long time. However, it’s important to remember that acquiring new skills or gaining marketable qualifications that allow you to work in your dream job is not just about sitting in a classroom and a long learning process. Paths to achieving professional goals can vary. The job market is dynamic; new professions emerge, and many disappear irreversibly. Employers hire specialists with solid foundations but also seek workers who have up-to-date competencies that university syllabi simply cannot keep up with.
I already have a foundation (well, maybe it's still setting), so how do I build wisely and not just hard?
The solution is definitely not the first offer you come across on the internet. The nationwide qualifications register comes to the rescue, which contains nearly 20,000 (yes, the number of zeros is correct) reliable (state-certified) and up-to-date information on qualifications. These include those related to formal education (3- and 5-year studies, postgraduate studies) as well as non-formal education (e.g., free-market and sector-specific qualifications). What are these qualifications? What is the demand for them? What competencies do they confirm? What positions are they desirable for? All this information is in the Integrated Qualifications Register.
Nearly 20,000 qualifications? Who will search through that and how? I don’t have time for this
We understand these concerns and have a solution. To navigate the register effectively, we invite you to our guide: "Qualifications of Tomorrow – A Practical Guide to the Integrated Qualifications Register (Polish)." It will guide you step by step. It will show you how to search, compare what seems interesting to you. Ala, Kasia, and Marta will share their experiences. They will tell you how they followed different paths to reach the same goal. Click and discover their life stories!
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