We continue our discussion with Timothy Stratton with a dive into continuing education and how to keep up in the fast-moving world.  There are always job responsibilities to address that keep our time at a premium.  We talk about finding ways to stay up-to-date and the cost of this career path.

The Cost of Continuing Education

Let’s start with the bad news.  There are only so many hours in the day, and that means we have to trade off other pursuits for our careers.  However, it is not all bad.  The things that Timothy mentions as giving up can always be reviewed later.  You may not watch as much television or go to the movies, but you can do that later in life.  That is the price you pay when your career is starting and time is at a premium.  Trust me.  I went years without keeping up with current TV and movies and then was able to catch up as desired once life got less hectic.

Constant Reader

One of the most important requirements for continuing education is reading.  Whether it is books, journals, blogs, or news sites, most of the best content must be read.  There are excellent podcasts and similar outlets.  However, most of what we need to keep current is communicated better through reading rather than listening.  That means we should expect to read a lot and fit it into our regular schedule of tasks.  Fortunately, digital delivery allows us to take and consume this content anywhere.

Our continuing education effort can become part of shopping for groceries, waiting in line for a meal, or kicking back on our porch.  We can convert any part of life into a classroom.  However, do this in moderation.  We still need to be able to find some semblance of balance with our personal lives.

A Little Background

Timothy is a software development manager at XSolis with a strong development background.  He has a master’s degree and a love for learning.  We gave some details in part one and then dug deeper into how his career started and how those steps led to success today in part 2.

Contacting Timothy

You can send an email to [email protected] for other methods of connection. Unfortunately (for us), he is not a fan of social sites.  Thus, he keeps that footprint small.  However, he is happy to help others, and we can connect you through any of the normal Develpreneur avenues.

Rob Broadhead

Rob is a founder of, and frequent contributor to, Develpreneur. This includes the Building Better Developers podcast. He is also a lifetime learner as a developer, designer, and manager of software solutions. Rob is the founder of RB Consulting and has managed to author a book about his family experiences and a few about becoming a better developer. In his free time, he stays busy raising five children (although they have grown into adults). When he has a chance to breathe, he is on the ice playing hockey to relax or working on his ballroom dance skills.

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