Passion into profit – it’s possible at these 3 universities

15 Oct 2019

Sports education at University of Oregon — Source: University of Oregon, Lundquist College of Business

It’s great to have a job, but it’s even better when it’s a career built around your calling.

The second category gives us more than just a pay cheque at the end of the month; when we’re passionate about what we do during the nine-to-five working day, we find deeper meaning in our careers. Researchers have found that this group of people find their days more satisfying and energising. They report their work as their greatest source of pride and joy. Another study of 3,000 workers in seventy-nine countries found that those who were more satisfied at work are 150 percent more likely to have a happier life overall.

It’s no wonder that young people are prioritising career passion above all else. In a recent study by Pew Research Center, 95 percent of teenagers across various income backgrounds said having a job or career they enjoy is the most pressing priority for them as an adult. For young people, finding passion at work trumps having a lot of money and is almost three times more important than having a family.

So, how do we get there? How do we find our motivators or passions in life and transform them into a fulfilling career?

Chester Elton, author of What Motivates Me and All In suggests that there are three signs when something is a motivator for you: you look forward to doing it; you feel energised while doing it; and when you talk about it later, you light up.

Source: University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Or consider the Japanese philosophy of Ikigai, which means “a reason for being”. Following this concept, people find meaningful work by identifying what they love, what they’re good at, what the world needs and what they can get paid for. When these four factors meet, passion can become practicality in the form of your ideal job.

But identifying your passion point isn’t enough. The nature of work is changing as rapid technological advancement shifts the frontier between the work tasks performed by humans and those performed by machines and algorithms. This major transformation will bring new opportunities but also mass displacement of jobs. To survive and thrive, we need new skills for the jobs of the future.

According to the World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2018, these are the five skills continuing to grow in prominence by 2022: analytical thinking and innovation; active learning; creativity, originality and initiative; technology design and programming; and critical thinking and analysis.

Chase a fulfilling career armed with most in-demand 21st century skills at these three leading US universities, where your passion can become your profession:

SPORTS PRODUCT MANAGEMENT, LUNDQUIST COLLEGE OF BUSINESS – UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

Turn your passion into your profession with a Master of Science in Sports Product Management from the University of Oregon’s Lundquist College of Business. As the worldwide leader in Sports and Outdoor Product Education and Research, the Sports Product Management programme is grounded in innovation and sustainability with a global business perspective.

University of Oregon, Lundquist College of Business

Here, you’ll gain knowledge about the entire product creation process, including the business of creating athletic and outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment, equipping you for roles in the sports and outdoor product industry. Having partnered with the industry’s best, Sports Product Management graduates are able to apply what they’ve learnt through invaluable hands-on opportunities building products in the on-site lab and networking with the biggest sports multinationals today such as Adidas, Nike, Columbia Sportswear and Under Armour.

The MS in Sports Product Management is one Master’s degree with two flexible learning structures; working professionals can choose a 24-month part-time online hybrid option, designed so students can access classes from anywhere while maintaining their current position at work. Alternatively, the 18-month option is an immersive programme that takes place full-time on UO’s campus in the hub of the industry: Portland, Oregon.

Upon graduation, students will be skilled enough to obtain roles in product line management, product design, materials management, demand planning, sustainable supply chain management and other exciting positions in the sports and outdoor product industry.

For more information please visit https://business.uoregon.edu/spm or email uospm@uoregon.edu

WINE BUSINESS INSTITUTE, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS – SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

For a complete education in wine business, head to Sonoma State University. Its School of Business and Economics is the first in the US to offer an undergraduate degree (since 1998), an MBA (since 2008) and most recently an Executive MBA (since 2012) focused on the business of wine. A range of certificate programmes round up the unique suite of educational offerings here.

The Sonoma MBA in Wine Business does more than just meet industry demands. Offered at both Professional and Executive levels, students receive the wine business knowledge and industry-specific tools and strategies needed to thrive in a rapidly changing wine industry.

The Executive level is split into two structures. The 17-month campus-based programme takes place at the intersection of Napa, Sonoma, and San Francisco, with courses held in the Wine Spectator Learning Center. The Global Executive MBA, on the other hand, comprises of four “leadership intensives” in California, Australia and France, and three-month segments of online case and project-based learning and faculty mentoring.

Students at the WBI are in good hands. Industry leaders fill its list of alumni and board of directors, while faculty are globally respected industry figures.

PGA GOLF MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME, WILLIAM F. HARRAH COLLEGE OF HOSPITALITY – UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS (UNLV)

Is your goal to be an expert in the game and business of golf? Whether it’s to be a Director of Instruction or Golf Course Developer, UNLV’s PGA Golf Management Programme can make you one, earning you a bachelor’s degree from the top-rated Harrah College of Hospitality.

Source: University of Nevada, Las Vegas

As one of only 18 PGA-accredited college programmes in the US, students can be assured of a top-notch educational experience while pursuing their passions. The curriculum emphasises hands-on training, by embedding practical internship experience, community service and other career development opportunities together with classroom instruction. All these factors combine to produce excellent job placement rates for programme graduates.

Studying in Las Vegas also means studying at one of the top golf cities in the nation and the home of almost 50 notable courses. At UNLV, the campus is state-of-the-art and equipped with the industry’s best learning tools in its 4,200-square-foot Dwaine Knight Center for Golf, housed on the first floor of UNLV’s Hospitality Hall. Students will be able to access facilities such as a golf simulator, student-operated golf shop, outdoor putting green, club design and repair lab and a 3D motion capture lab.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International