While waiting for the vaccine to save millions of lives, we realise the consequences of the pandemic crisis. Lives are lost, confidence in governments is lost, businesses close, jobs are lost, markets crumble. The future is uncertain, but that the way we live and interconnect will be changed forever.
Lessons from the pandemic crisis
The pandemic has shown the need to respect and protect the natural environment. With the world coming to a standstill, inner city air has cleared from transport and factory emissions; the seas, rivers and lakes see the return of an abundance of marine life. Nature is regenerating.
Another important lesson is to respect each other as humans and help each other as nations, through open and honest co-operation. Until the Covid-19 disease is contained in every country, borders must remain closed and people must stay at home.
Social distancing and home confinement may last for longer than expected. These measures have led us to new ways of working, learning, connecting. The Internet has become the new global hub of human activity. As a result, investors are shifting their attention to online businesses and online business opportunities.
The results of social distancing
On one hand, companies, whose employees work remotely, see now the financial benefits of not paying for expensive city offices; on the other hand, employees are more satisfied, creative and productive; they are not wasting their time, money and energy in long commutes to the office, in heavy traffic.
Tele-conferencing and digital media make connecting with colleagues, managers and clients easy and affordable. We are all now connecting through Zoom, Skype, Messenger, Hangouts, Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram etc.
The medical profession is using tele-medicine to diagnose and treat patients remotely; Schools and colleges have switched to e-learning, with good results. In addition, the information and entertainment industries are seeing a rapid increase of online audiences. People read the latest news online, watch the latest movies through Netflix, enjoy music, theatre, and opera performances on YouTube.
The effects of the pandemic crisis on jobs
It is expected that, after the corona virus pandemic subsides, more people will be competing for less jobs. Qualifications which were adequate, until recently, to secure a good position, will no longer be enough.
Hence, professionals who lost their jobs, or worry about their future, are looking to upgrade their skills and enhance their CVs with higher qualifications. They feel the pressure to remain competitive in a job market expected to shrink and to become more demanding.
Online short courses are a great way to acquire new skills while in quarantine, or working from home. Additionally, this period is an opportunity to embark on online studies for a higher academic qualification. After all, the aim is to gain a competitive edge in tomorrow’s workplace. Job seekers are well aware that by becoming more qualified they will be more employable.
The growing demand for online courses
Online courses at various levels, from diplomas to PhDs, are in high demand during lock down. With restrictions in movement, prospective students seek accredited and reputable institutions, which can provide full online educational services.
Enter Unicaf, a global educational organisation, which delivers online professional courses as well as accredited Bachelor, Master’s and Doctoral degrees. Unicaf partners with reputable universities in the UK, the USA and Africa, who approve the content of courses and award qualifications.
Unicaf’s state-of-the-art digital platform provides everything a student needs from registration to graduation. It offers access to study materials and e-libraries 24/7, plus forums where students and tutors from 156 countries interact and network.
Online learning through the Unicaf platform is exciting and fun; modern teaching tools like videos, quizzes and group projects, help students learn faster and retain knowledge for longer. Students of different nationalities exchange ideas and share experiences from their own workplace in online discussions.
Online degrees are available with generous Unicaf scholarships, which reduce tuition fees considerably. In addition, flexible payment plans, make studying through Unicaf very affordable. Monthly intakes allow students to enrol when they are ready; and studying in modules improves comprehension of the taught material.
In fact, the unique proposition of Unicaf is ideal for everyone who wishes to advance professionally, without giving up their job and salary. The future is online and the sooner we embrace it the more successful we can be.
