As a professor and attorney who has been involved in e-learning for over a decade, I can only say that a college degree is available to all who are on the internet.There are superb accredited programs throughout the US and even internationally.

Regional & national accreditation bodies recognize many e-Learning programs. A long list of undergraduate and graduate online programs are delivered from traditional colleges by their professors and other programs are delivered by wholly online professors who typically have more practical experience in the business world.

The best news for online learners is this:
• Eligible students can still obtain loans and go to school
• Students need not commute
• You can stay at home and take care of family
• You can save gas and expenses to park
• You can be a road warrior and still be an online student
• Students can do it full time or part time toward an undergraduate, masters or doctorate.

The great thing about online learning is that the delivery platforms or learning technology such as: eCollege, Blackboard and others are very sophisticated. Moreover, the publishing houses of textbooks have now done all the hard work so that the texts, book, assignments, homework, videos, quizzes and exams can be integrated into the learning delivery platform for easy online viewing.

I have always encouraged adults to get the best in education, study their passion, and expand their horizons. Overall, degrees and diplomas help with securing jobs, pay scale, and access. Some degrees qualify you also for licensing in various areas that are regulated by the states. Keep in mind that some of the best ranked colleges and MBA programs in the world also offer online programs in which some are extremely expensive and competitive.

As of 2009, there were over 2,700 (4 year colleges) in the USA according to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2011). Digest of Education Statistics, 2010 (NCES 2011-015) Many of these colleges offer some online courses or a hybrid courses. Various colleges have a “so called” “City College or Adult Division” that also provides for online learning and degrees.

You need only to look at the stock charts for companies such as DeVry (NYSE: DV), American Public Education (NASDAQ: APEI), University of Phoenix – Apollo (NASDAQ: APOL), and other for-profit accredited institutions to see the phenomenal growth of online education in the USA and globally. According to a US News November 2011 report, the number of college students enrolled in at least one online course increased for the ninth straight year.

As for my experience, I have taught online for over a decade. I have truly enjoyed working with adult students, those who take care of family members at home, those who can’t commute, and also students with disabilities that limit travel. My best advice is to make sure that any online degree program that you attend is accredited by a CHEA recognized accreditation agency. For a list, go to www.CHEA.org As for business or law schools, it is generally best to attend a graduate accredited business or law program that is recognized by the ABA, ACBSP and AACSB.

Considering that this is the worst recession in 80 years, if you are unemployed and have the true luxury of time, then online education might be for you. Once you learn the online educational system & platform, you can do it from anywhere. I know because I have taught these classes from China, Latin America, Arabia and Europe. Further, my students have taken classes from all over the world and many were even serving in the military while attending my courses. Many corporations and governmental institutions will reimburse you for this type of education and many employers will respect your initiative if you are engaged in online education for a masters or other degree.

Additionally, you can even earn eligibility for a CPA or a law degree online these days and there are even great doctoral programs online too. As for graduate studies, I teach for an online graduate law program called TJSL Thomas Jefferson School of Law (Post JD Juris Doctorate program). They offer online programs that lead to the LLM Masters in Law, JSM Masters in Law for Bankers and Accountants, and they even have a JSD which is a PHD level research and teaching law degree. See: Online Law Degree We have some of the best professors with global experience. This is also an amazing way for lawyers, accountants and bankers to obtain a degree and specialization in tax, finance,compliance, and wealth management.

Overall, the online option is a perfect way to improve your credentials and hone your skills and there are many programs to choose from both in the USA and internationally.

Reference:US News – While online enrollment increases, the pace has slowed. By Ryan Lytle

TJSL http://llmprogram.tjsl.edu

All Rights Reserved – No legal advice is intended herein. Please consult with a qualified or licensed professional in your jurisdiction before making any important decision.

By: George Mentz

Recently, researchers at the Bureau of Labor Statistics linked unemployment duration for persons jobless in one month with their labor force status in the following month. In this manner, estimates of unemployment duration were created for the unemployed who became employed in the subsequent month, as well as for the unemployed who quit looking for work and left the labor force.

By the end of 2010, the median number of weeks jobseekers had been unemployed in the month prior to finding work was a little more than 10 weeks.

In contrast, prior to the start of the recent recession in 2007, the median was 5 weeks. Unemployment duration also increased among those who eventually quit looking and left the labor force. Unemployed individuals were jobless for about 20 weeks in 2010 before giving up their job search and leaving the labor force. Whereas in 2007, those who were not successful in their job search had been unemployed for about 8.5 weeks before leaving the labor force.

The recent recession has had a profound effect on the length of successful job search. From 1994 through 2008, roughly half of all unemployed jobseekers found jobs within 5 weeks.

In 2007, for example, 49 percent of those who were unemployed in the prior month and employed in the subsequent month had been jobless for less than 5 weeks. During the same year, less than 3 percent of the unemployed who found work had been jobless for more than 52 weeks. In stark contrast, 11 percent of transitions from unemployment to employment exceeded a year in 2010, and only 34 percent lasted less than 5 weeks.

The information on unemployment duration also provides evidence that the likelihood of becoming employed decreases the longer one is unemployed. For example, the chance that a person who had been unemployed for less than 5 weeks would become employed in a subsequent month was about 30 percent in 2010. For those unemployed 27 weeks or more, that chance in a subsequent month was only 10 percent.

In summary, the length of time it took for the jobless to be successful in their job search increased sharply during the recent recession and in its aftermath. The median number of weeks unemployed doubled—from 5 to 10 weeks—and a far greater share of successful jobseekers spent in excess of a year in their search for employment. At the same time, the median duration for unemployed persons who were unsuccessful in their job search and left the labor force also rose dramatically. Moreover, once unemployed, the likelihood that one would be successful in one’s job search decreased as the time unemployed increases.

This article presents discussion and analysis relating to estimates of the length of time someone is unemployed before finding a job or before giving up searching for work. These measures were derived from the Current Population Survey (CPS) labor force status flow data, which capture the extent to which the unemployed find jobs, leave the labor force, or stay unemployed from one month to the next.

George Mentz, JD, MBA, CWM   -  is an international lawyer, editor, author and contributor in the areas of management consulting, personal finance, securities law, and wealth management.  Prof. Mentz continues to consult  with the US Government and United Nations on issues related to careers and education. Dr. Mentz is the first person in the US to obtain quad credentialing as a lawyer, Double Accredited MBA, Juris Doctorate Degree, financial consultant certification, and qualified financial planner.  Mentz and his educational & professional development firms have worked with thousands of executives and industry workers  in over 150 countries. www.FinancialAnalyst.org Mentz as a professor has personally taught over 200 business, ethics, wealth management,  and law courses at various accredited institutions, and he is the founder of the Mentz Consumer Protection, Class Action,  and Securities Law Firm www.securitieslawyers.us Mentz has served on the advisory boards of the: The African Economists Association, The Royal Society of Fellows, The Arab Academy of Banking & Finance, The China Wealth Council, The World E-Commerce Forum, The GFF Global Finance Forum in Switzerland, and the Indian Academy of Financial Management.    Mentz has been a pioneer in promoting accredited program courses, exams and standards as a government recognized path to professional development. . www.georgementz.com Formally with a International Wall Street Firm, Mentz has passed NASD FINRA Exams and held licenses as an  Investment Advisor.  Mentz also consults on major securities class action litigation and consumer fraud cases and has provided insights as an expert in Arbitration. . Mentz is a award winning professor and author and is the  winner of a meritorious gold medal  for charitable service.   Mentz has been seen on TV, Radio, and International Press along with being a keynote speaker for national and international seminars or conferences.

Why is this Topic Important to Wealth Managers? This blogticle presents discussion regarding the unemployment situation here in the United States. The unemployment data is generally used as one indication of economic conditions. Thus, we have presented the most recent unemployment figures for wealth managers to use when considering planning for clients.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 216,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 8.8 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last Friday. Job gains occurred in professional and business services, health care, leisure and hospitality, and mining. Employment in manufacturing also continued to trend up.

The number of unemployed persons (13.5 million) and the unemployment rate changed little in March. The labor force also was little changed over the month. Since November 2010, the jobless rate has declined by 1.0 percentage point.

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for adult men (8.6 percent), adult women (7.7 percent), teenagers (24.5 percent), whites (7.9 percent), blacks (15.5 percent), and Hispanics (11.3 percent) showed only minor change in March.

The number of job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, at 8.2 million, was little changed in March but has fallen by 1.3 million since November 2010. The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) was 6.1 million in March; their share of the unemployed increased from 43.9 to 45.5 percent over the month.

The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was also little changed in March, at 8.4 million. These individuals were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.

Moreover, there were 921,000 discouraged workers in March, also not a significant change from a year earlier. Discouraged workers are persons not currently looking for work because they believe no jobs are available for them.

Job gains occurred in several service-providing industries and in mining, and manufacturing employment continued to trend up. Since a recent low in February 2010, total payroll employment has grown by 1.5 million.

In March, employment in the service-providing sector continued to expand, led by a gain of 78,000 in professional and business services. Most of the gain occurred in temporary help services (+29,000) and in professional and technical services (+35,000).

Health care employment continued to increase in March (+37,000). Over the last 12 months, health care has added 283,000 jobs, or an average of 24,000 jobs per month.

Employment in leisure and hospitality rose by 37,000 over the month, with more than two-thirds of the increase in food services and drinking places (+27,000).

In addition, manufacturing employment continued to trend up in March (+17,000). Job gains were concentrated in two durable goods industries–fabricated metal products (+8,000) and machinery (+5,000). Employment in durable goods manufacturing has risen by 243,000 since its most recent low in December 2009.

Finally, in March, average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls were unchanged at $22.87. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 1.7 percent. Average hourly earnings of private-sector production and nonsupervisory employees edged down by 2 cents over the month to $19.30.

Tomorrow’s blogticle will discuss wealth management planning techniques.

We invite your opinions and comments by posting them below, or by calling the Panel of Experts.

The Tax Relief Act will extend unemployment benefits for about 2 million unemployed persons in the month of December and a total of 7 million over the next year.  Federal unemployment benefits amount to only about $260 per week, but it is money that families need for basic necessities—money that flows right back out into the economy.  If the extension had not passed, the average affected household’s income would have dropped by one-third. The corresponding drop in spending would have further increased job losses, further delaying the already slow recovery.   Read this complete analysis of the impact at AdvisorFX (sign up for a free trial subscription with full access to all of the planning libraries and client presentations if you are not already a subscriber).

For previous coverage of President Obama’s tax agreement in Advisor’s Journal, see Obama Tax Agreement Faces Stiff Resistance in Congress (CC 10-112), Obama Tax Agreement Passed by House (CC 10-117) and Obama’s Social Security Tax Holiday: Penny Wise and Pound Foolish? (CC 10-119).

Some economists are reporting that the recession is officially over.

Others are less optimistic, suggesting that the recession could last into 2012. And with unemployment numbers hovering around 10 percent, median household income falling, and foreclosures mounting, the most important part of any potential recovery, the public, is still cynical.

What if even the most cynical predictions for the world economy are underestimating the length of the path to recovery?

One economist is predicting that the current recession could last until 2018.  Read this complete article at AdvisorFX (sign up for a free trial subscription with full access to all of the planning libraries and client presentations if you are not already a subscriber).

For previous coverage of the economic downturn in Advisor’s Journal, see Fed to Purchase $600 Billion in Treasuries in Move to Stimulate Economy (CC 10-94).