CONTACT: Judy Ettinger, 608-263-4367, jettinger@education.wisc.edu.
MADISON – With recent uncertainty about the Wisconsin state budget and collective bargaining processes, some public employees are considering retirement earlier than planned. But to accelerate the retirement process, many individuals find themselves with little time to plan a direction for the future. Besides financial and health planning issues, potential retirees must ask, “What am I going to do with the rest of my life?”
An online self-study course, “Planning for Retirement: Exploring Your Career and Leisure Options,” helps participants manage the resources, tools, and time needed to explore this question. Conducted through the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Learn@UW website, the 18-unit course can help participants increase self-knowledge, clarify the roles that work could play in the future, explore occupational opportunities and examine skills and strengths.
“This process of exploration is not straightforward, but it can be exciting,” says Judy Ettinger, senior outreach specialist for the Center on Education and Work and lead instructor of the course. “It takes time to decide what kind of life balance you want – what you want to leave behind and what you want to take with you. This course helps participants step back, reflect, and gather energy and direction for the next phase of their life and work.”
With ongoing enrollment, participants may join the course at any time and work at their own pace, completing the 18 units within six months. Instructors respond directly to participants’ assignments and online postings. The course also provides opportunities to meet with instructors in person or on the phone, both during the course and after completion.
To take part, participants need access to the Internet, a printer and a basic word processing program. The course fee of $325 includes access to all course materials, access to the Learn@UW site, a free six-month registration for CareerLocker (an online tool that includes assessment instruments and career/labor market information), and two one-hour sessions with a career development facilitator or a career counselor.
Since its start two years ago, the Planning for Retirement course has seen an array of students from different fields, such as doctors, lawyers, graphic designers and computer programmers.
“I’ve never had a class that has provoked so much soul searching as this one,” says one former student. “This class has really helped me clarify the things I value most; the exercises have caused me to devote the time and thought necessary to prepare for retirement.”
For more information, visit http://www.cew.wisc.edu/retirement/planning-for-retirement.aspx.
