Is Short-Term Online Career Training Right for You?
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Motivation is one of the driving forces in achieving goals. It usually comes easily during the beginning stages of any project. But during the long slog in the middle, it can be hard for your clients to maintain the motivation to keep going.
Luckily, motivation is a skill you can develop. Working with your clients to help them develop motivation can make it easier for them to persevere through the difficult parts of their job training program.
Starting a new job training program as an adult student is always difficult. While your clients probably begin with a lot of motivation, it can be hard to maintain as the reality of juggling classes and family responsibilities sets in. Here are some ways you can work on keeping clients motivated even during difficult times when they might otherwise struggle.
Let's face it: many assignments students have to do for a class aren't very inspiring. Concentrating on a dull task doesn't make it any more fun. When your clients get frustrated and feel stuck, encourage them to zoom out and think about their "why." Focusing on their reasons for completing their job training program, such as making a better life for their family, earning more money, or getting started in a stable career, can help them stay motivated.
Being a part of a group can provide accountability and motivation. Getting your clients involved in a job training program with a robust student support services component can help them find others with similar goals. MedCerts has a wide range of student services designed to support students on their journey from job training to a successful career.
Work with your clients to set small, measurable goals. It can be discouraging to start with goals that are too big. Although the ultimate goal may be graduating from a training program, setting a goal of completing all of their assignments in the first week is a smaller, more achievable goal. Achieving a goal releases dopamine and can help sustain motivation over the long run.
A verbal mantra is a statement that helps reinforce a positive mindset. Creating a verbal mantra will help your clients reframe challenges and stay the course. It should be something that resonates with your client and is easy to remember. It can be something as simple as "I can handle anything by sticking to my plan," or it can be more creative.
Whatever their mantra is, have your clients write it down and put it on their primary home mirror, where they will see it daily. The more they repeat their mantra, the more they'll believe it.
Completing a job training program can help your clients create a better life for themselves, but they'll have to stick it out to see the benefits. By encouraging your clients to learn coping mechanisms to maintain their motivation, you can help them achieve their goals. Working with a supportive, hands-on training program like MedCerts can make putting your clients on the road to success even easier.
Sandy Mead has over 22 years of experience in the workforce development space and helps MedCerts create career opportunities and build relationships with workforce offices.
As the National Director of Workforce Development, Sandy partners with workforce offices across the country to assist in the WIOA requirements of providing skills gained and national credentials to increase successful career pathways. She has been instrumental in increasing performance data outcomes and helping participants achieve credentials to enhance employment.