There are different kinds of learners: some swear by the Pomodoro method, and others learn better in bursts of 2-3 hours. You might get more from your studying session if you reread materials and quiz yourself, whereas your friend only really gets it if they put it into practice themselves. And some people thrive in part-time bootcamps, whereas others find it a bit tricky.
There are many benefits to part-time education, like the flexibility to fit more activities in your day, or the smaller workload per day. Part-time courses can be the key to advancing your skills or furthering (or changing!) your career without dropping everything else, and if you need some tips to make it work for you, we got you covered!
The Benefits of Part-Time Education
There’s a number of advantages to part-time education that make it much more worthwhile for some students who don’t have a lot of time available but still want to get a good education.
It Allows For a Flexible Schedule
Part-time courses usually are mindful of busy schedules, and flexible to fit around your life with as little effort as possible: they will usually happen in the hours that are less likely to have been previously booked, or, more often than not, they will have a higher percentage of on-demand content so you can do it whenever you want.
It’s Compatible With Full Time Work
As mentioned above, part time studies are designed for people who already have pretty big previous commitments, like a full time job or a full load of classes in another educational program. Additionally, part time education often has room to tweak details here and there and accommodate the most problematic of schedules: just ask!
It’s Less Mentally Intense
Although it takes longer in terms of weeks, you'll have more time to digest the same amount of information. Depending on what type of learner you are, this could be a huge plus for you: studying something for longer usually means it sticks better, as you give your brain more time to internalize what you’ve learned.
It Gets You the Same Results!
To some, it seems that dedicating less time a day to a course makes it less effective. Not only is this argument defeated by the fact that bootcamps, for example, take a longer time to complete if done in the part-time modality, resulting in the same amount of study hours– but you’re definitely getting the exact same value. You’ll still finish painting a wall whether you do it in one full day, or dedicate just two hours a day to it over a full week. Part-time doesn't mean part-results!
How to Make Part-Time Work for You
Studying a part-time course requires different things from everyone, but successful students always have one thing in common: great time management skills! If yours are not great, don’t stress: this is a soft skill that can be very easily acquired and trained. We break it down into several concrete tips for part-time students.
Find the Balance
At first, starting a part-time course can be dazing. You have so many important areas that cannot be neglected: your new bootcamp, your work or other path of study, and your personal life– and if you start thinking about your sleep schedule, housekeeping routine, and diet and self-care habits, it can start to feel impossible. But we promise you: there’s time for everything, if you manage it properly. And for that, you have to find the balance.
Decide exactly how much time you’ll be allocating to every section of your life: if you don’t have experience with this, be prepared to make changes. Prioritize and dedicate the correct percentage of time to each activity, and you’ll soon see progress.
Make a Schedule
This tip is tied to the last one. When you plan out your time in chunks, you often end up with a schedule, which will allocate specific times to every activity according to your personal necessities. Knowing how to make, withhold, or modify a self-imposed schedule on the go is a very important adult life skill that will be useful to you when you start a part-time bootcamp.
And then, don’t forget to stick to said schedule! While schedules don’t work for everyone, the clear visual representation they give for the time required to do different tasks during the day is very useful for many.
Use Time Management Tools
There are many time management tools which can become really useful once you learn to apply them well. These come in the way of both tools and apps like, for example, Notion, a highly customizable organization tool, or whiteboard platforms like MURAL and Miro; or methods like Kanban boards, a workload management process used in companies to have a clear vision of what is being done and what is on your plate. We highly recommend you do your research beforehand: a little bit of advice and knowledge can go a really long way!
Get Support From Your Community
Lastly, no one is an island: tell your family and friends, your colleagues, your bootcamp classmates, and your boss (if you can). Share the fact that you’re starting a part-time course that is important to you, and that your time is valuable– and share your concerns, and your community will stretch out to support you when you need help. This can come in many ways: from your boss letting you leave the office on the dot, to your friends being understanding about why you’re less available all of a sudden; or your classmates sending resources your way, and colleagues sharing unexpected wisdom for the journey you’re starting.
Conclusion:
Every learner is different, so the biggest piece of advice we have for you is: know thyself! Try out different ways of studying, learning, and testing your knowledge– experiment and figure out what works for you, and don’t be afraid to ask for it!
Interested in giving part-time education a try? Good news! All of our bootcamps are available for part-time study! Check out our courses, and kickstart your career in Tech!
