Education is the key to obtaining a good-paying, well- respected position; that is why it is encouraged for high school students to go to college, study hard, and apply themselves - this will give them the best chance to be successful in life.

Studies show that college graduates now earn nearly twice as much as what high school graduates earn. More opportunities open up for college graduates as well because college coursework requires independent thinking, research, and analysis in order to graduate, skills that employers look for in their prospective employees. That is why it's important to at least earn a bachelor's degree in your field of study as soon as possible in your life. If you earn a master's or doctoral degree, you will likely have more career opportunities and positions to consider, as well as be able to earn more.

There are times in one's life, however, where one grows tired of the profession he/she is in, whether it's due to repeating the same tasks over and over each day, the pay isn't as good as one would like to achieve, the occupation doesn't interest the person like it once did, or because the profession is being phased out and the work is being transferred to countries where the labour costs are cheaper.

Your main option is to return to the classroom to pursue a bachelor's degree in a new field of study. This is becoming more commonplace nowadays, as 40% of the total U.S. college population is made up of 25+ year olds; "non-traditional" students are becoming more of the college population because of the reasons above.

Whether you stay in your original field of study for the duration of your working career or switch to a new one later on, either way, you will likely have to continue updating your education throughout your working career. The main reason why is because new knowledge is being discovered and new technologies are enabling people to get more done in less time. You need to learn these new techniques of getting things done so that you aren't left behind and considered expendable by your place of employment.

Essentially, it's a requirement for you to continue to learn and apply your new knowledge; other employees at your place of employment are learning all the time as well; if you decide against learning the newest methods, knowledge, and technology of your industry, chances are, you won't be as valuable to your company, and thereby, become a liability to them, which will make it easier for you to be forced out. Even if you aren't deemed expendable by the company, you likely won't be able to advance beyond your current position without a higher level of degree, and thereby, not make a higher salary.

Updating your education usually requires taking courses at your local university that specializes in your field of study; your employer may even reimburse you for taking those courses because they will help you become more productive and valuable to the company, so they will be all for assisting you in increasing your education. In fact, 59% of all University of Phoenix students receive all or part of their tuition from their employers, so employers are very eager to help you increase your education because you become a more valuable asset to the company you work for.

Of course, education doesn't just come from the classroom either; make sure to pay close attention to what is going on in your field of study and apply it when applicable. Reading reputable offline and online material related to your industry, participating in voluntary workshops, and staying up-to-date on current events in the world that relate to your industry will help you stay ahead and make a favourable impression on your superiors, both in terms of advancement and earning a higher salary.