PSC electives are an essential part of your life during your training contract. This is why they should be reviewed with careful consideration as they can be a driver for future career progression. However, for many learners they can become an afterthought, especially in the busyness of case loads and core modules. Yet, there’s a reason why these modules shouldn’t be left until last minute and should remain a priority. For our blog this week, we’re encouraging you to review your PSC electives and approach them from a new, positive angle.
It’s better to get ahead
If you’re in the midst of your training contract, life will be pretty hectic to say the least, without you trying to enhance your personal skills and schedule a social life. However, many people tend to forget about their elective PSC options, letting them fall down the list of priorities until much later down the line. The Guardian suggests that leaving things to last minute is all down to psychology and our perception that it’s an act of rebellion but in fact, leaving choices such as this until last minute can create additional, unnecessary stress and it can lower the bar of performance as the objective becomes focused around just getting the job done. Therefore, it doesn’t benefit learners in the long run, especially as popular courses can book up quickly. So, it’s always better to think ahead and consider your electives at the earliest point possible.
Think of your future
You may not have considered that elective modules can prove most helpful when determining your future career specialisms. For example, if you’re looking to practice Civil Litigation, you may look to undertake a ‘personal injury claims: essential skills’ module or perhaps your firm specialises in Employment Law, so you could look to study ‘how to conduct an unfair dismissal case’. Usually, this area will be determined by your experience and can often be linked to the areas practised within your current firm. Make sure you research your options thoroughly before selecting your final choice and always ensure you have your future in mind.
Embrace blended learning
Learning through quality online resources can have significant benefits including a reduced carbon footprint, with distance learning consuming 90% less than face-to-face classes and cutting down on travel time significantly. As well as being more environmentally friendly, online learning can improve accessibility and will allow you to revisit learning materials at your convenience, which can help to increase retention rates by 60%. Previously at Altior, only core modules were available through our Live Online system. However, in 2019 we’ll be expanding our remit and will be offering a selection of elective modules through our online platform. These will include Understanding the City, Business Writing Essentials, Commercial Awareness for lawyers and more, helping you to fully embrace blended learning.
Although electives can seem like an additional responsibility at a time when your schedule is already jam-packed, they are an essential requirement for becoming a qualified solicitor. Also remember that in order to hit the SRA submission deadlines your PSC Core and Elective modules need to be completed up to eight weeks prior to the end of your training contract, so you cannot afford to leave this until last minute especially when popular modules can get fully booked very early on, which could inevitably restrict your options. So, if you’re looking to prioritise your elective modules and would like to speak to us about booking a space or require additional information, get in touch with us today on 02920 451 000 or email us at infoaltior@barbri.com