Haven’t studied in a while? Never finished school because you went on to do an apprenticeship? Or maybe study never interested you at all.

Once you’ve decided to become a registered builder, you’ll know that there is study involved. And while it can seem like a daunting task, lots of people are asking the same questions as you. Read on to find out the answers to these common questions.

Is it like school?

The good news is that undertaking a Certificate IV or Diploma is different to what you think of as school. Vocational training is about giving you the practical skills and knowledge that you will later use in your everyday work life.

Vocational training includes lots of discussions, activities, videos and case studies. It’s also an opportunity to network with a variety of people you may want to do business with in the future.

What about the work I need to do out of class?

The reality of vocational training is that you will need to complete some work outside of class. This work will include answering questions, doing projects, watching videos, doing some pre-reading and visiting some building sites.

We recommend that you allocate time in your calendar each week to complete these tasks. Break the activities down into sections and go for it! It can also help to have a dedicated space in your office or home allocated to study, and to try and study at the same time most weeks.

Even if it’s simply reading a couple of pages every night, figure out when you study best and get into a habit of doing this daily is possible. Even the simplest routines, when done consistently, can help to develop positive study habits.

It’s important to include time for non-work and non-study tasks too, so don’t forget to schedule it in!

Avoid an all-work and no-play approach

Make sure you don’t go to the extreme and spend all of your time studying. We all need to rest our brains from time to time, so establish a healthy mix of study and personal activities. Whether that be socializing, exercising or knitting Christmas sweaters. Whatever takes your fancy, as long as you’re taking time to rest!

What if I struggle? It’s been a while!

Nearly every student gets worried about this. If you find yourself struggling at any time during your course, just let your trainer know. They can often set you back on the right path, or give you additional coaching if needed. We also have a Student Welfare Coordinator that you can talk to at any time, so know you’re well supported.

Consider online courses or virtual classroom services

In today’s tech savvy world, returning to study can be as convenient as going online from the comfort of your own home. If you’re too far away from the training organisation of your choice, or you honestly feel you’ll study better from home, then it’d be worth looking into the online courses available.

CWBTS offer a unique virtual classroom experience which, for example, allows students and trainers to interact via their computers in an online, webinar-style learning setting. This means that you can interact with your fellow classmates and talk directly to your trainer without having to disrupt your schedule with potentially long commutes to a university or RTO.

In summary

Going back to study is a commitment to yourself – and ultimately a very rewarding one. To help keep yourself motivated, remind yourself why you went back to study in the first place. Maybe it’s to upskill into a new profession, perhaps you’re setting yourself up on a profitable career path, or maybe you’d love to own your own business one day. Whatever your end goal is, if you implement some or all of the above tips your return to study will become even more rewarding.

To find out more about the courses on offer at CWBTS, including our virtual classroom learning options, give our team of specialists a call on 1300 4 CWBTS.