If you’re thinking of pursuing a career as a dog groomer, the first order of business is to get proper training. This is an extremely important decision and one that you should take your time researching and thinking through. More and more dog grooming courses are moving to an online platform, so this could be an excellent option for your busy lifestyle. However, in-class dog grooming courses are always available as well, and they come with their own list of advantages.
So how do you determine which one will be the best fit for you? Learn the pros and cons of each type of course to help you make the best choice for your dog grooming career!
Online course pro: Flexibility
If you currently have a full-time job, as well as other family responsibilities, an online dog grooming course is a fantastic option for you. The top priority for people who enroll in online courses is the amount of flexibility available – changing your career or starting a new dog grooming business doesn’t happen overnight, so keeping your full-time job while pursuing your goal is a huge advantage for online grooming courses.
Online courses are incredibly flexible. To be specific, students can mold their own schedules – meaning that you aren’t required to attend classes at a specific time, and you don’t need to worry about pesky assignment deadlines. How amazing is that? Due dates are incredibly stressful, so not having to adhere to another person’s timeline to complete your dog grooming course will eliminate a lot of pressure and anxiety. This will ultimately help you be more successful in your grooming assignments!
Online course con: Limited social interaction
Because online dog grooming courses are self-paced and completed from the comfort of your own home, you’ll miss out on getting to know your instructors in person. Keep in mind that your online dog grooming classes will allow you to receive personalized feedback from your tutor, so you can improve your skills and learn as much as possible, but you won’t actually get to speak to them face-to-face.
While you’ll be able to get to know your fellow students through social media and the online student center, you will have less in-person networking opportunities since there will not be a campus atmosphere to build friendships. Online courses are highly flexible and accommodating, but unfortunately prevent students from socializing person-to-person.
In-class course pro: Financial aid
Brick and mortar schools offer a variety of options for students who need financial aid, such as scholarships and bursaries. If you’re on a tight budget as you begin your dog grooming course, having some form of financial aid available is a huge bonus. Although some online dog grooming courses will have financial aid, they are few and far between.
In-class course con: Limited access to courses
When it comes to in-class courses, you know the drill – you go to class at a pre-determined time, complete assignments on a deadline, and attend exams that are strictly scheduled in advance. However, what happens if you miss a class, or fall behind on your readings? Unfortunately, in-class courses are not available at any time, as online classes would be. If you miss a lecture or a practical lesson, you’ll need to find a way to catch up which can be quite challenging and annoying – not to mention you’re missing valuable class time (literally, you’ll be losing out money!)
Online dog grooming classes, on the other hand, allow you to access your course material at all times! You’ll be given access to an online platform where you can complete readings and assignments whenever it’s convenient for you. There’s no need to stress about missing any classes or falling behind on your practice.
Online course pro: Less expensive
Generally, online dog grooming courses cost less than in-class courses. This is excellent news for aspiring dog groomers who are holding down a full-time job and other responsibilities while trying to obtain their dog groomer certification. The reason why online courses tend to be cheaper is because online schools often don’t have a physical campus at all, which allows them to keep costs low.
Plus, online schools do offer a number of different payment plans that will make it totally doable to become a dog groomer even if you’re tight on funds.
Online course con: Technology problems
Being able to learn and grow your skills as a dog groomer online is an amazing thing, and it just goes to show how much the world has changed in terms of what’s possible. However, as great as technology is, it can also leave us at its mercy if things go wrong. If you’re enrolled in an online dog grooming course, you need to be prepared for glitches to arise while studying, completing assignments, and communicating with your school over an Internet connection.
No technology is perfect, and although there is a huge amount of convenience afforded to students in an online course, there is also the likelihood that computers malfunction or Internet connections are lost. Be sure to save your work on a USB stick as you go (or email it to yourself), and be patient when it comes to your online course!
Only you know which type of dog grooming course is right for your own career goals, and lifestyle, so keep these pros and cons in mind as you weigh your decision.
Don’t rush – we’ll be here when you decide!
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