Careers In Criminal Justice - Working Adults Consider Re-Careering Options
"We're seeing a growing trend of working adults who are entering what we call 'helping professions'," said Robert Paul, Vice President of the University of Phoenix Midwest Region. "Many are going back to school to earn post-secondary degrees and transition into the health care, education and non- profit career fields."
Nearly three quarters (71 percent) of adults who are currently considering a career change believe that education will play a role in their career paths. And, an overwhelming 84 percent agree that education is important in achieving their professional goals.
"Working adults are redefining the landscape of colleges across the country," said Paul. "They are not just debating academic theories in the classroom. They are taking the next step and discussing with other working professionals how those theories are applied in the business world. It's an evolution that is making education accessible and relevant to more people than ever before."
Survey results also revealed that many workers' reasoning for staying in their current careers had little to do with job satisfaction. Nearly 4,000 (66 percent) of those completing this study noted financial issues have kept them from considering a career change, while "not enough time" and "not knowing where to start" were each cited by 36 percent of working adults as deterrents to a pursuing a new career.
University of Phoenix, which has served working adults for more than a quarter of a century, has made its mission to remove barriers to education for busy adults by providing accessible scheduling (evenings, weekends, and online through the Internet) and rigorous degree programs centered on professional goals. The University is the largest private accredited university in North America, with 213,074 students as of May 31, 2004. The University's focus on small interactive classes, highly personalized teaching and comprehensive academic accountability systems has won praise and recognition by noteworthy academic and business leaders. The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.
Methodology: Data for this online survey was fielded by Zoomerang among 6,045 adults (age 25 and older) from July 15-21, 2004. The results have a +/- 1.26 percent margin of error.