CV Help - Explaining a part way through a Part Time Degree!

[GuinnessMK]

Rather unexpectedly I find myself looking for a new position, which means giving my CV a thorough refresh.

I'm an experienced individual in my field, but when I started running my own company I was paying very high professional and public liability insurance fees as I didn't have any formal qualifications in my chosen field.

So I enrolled on a Part Time degree course at my local university, which if I complete, will give me a degree in my chosen field and my Charter (CIOB). I've completed 3 years and got 2 years still to go. It's 1 day a week during term time (total about 25-30 days p/a).

(The cost benefit of the part time fees x 5 years v's the lifetime reduction in PI / PL insurance made good economic sense at the time).

So, do I:

1. Leave the degree off the CV?
2. Try to explain the above?
3. Something else?

My concerns are that any potential employer is going to wonder why I'm trying to get a qualification in a field I'm already experienced in AND worry about the implications of my continuing the day release (I can suspend the degree for up to 5 years and resume at some point in the future, but that will be at the new £10k fees).

On a positive spin, it shows I'm willing to learn new skills, engage in new issues etc etc?

Thanks in advance

[Engineer1]

Or explain that the current climate you felt that improving your qualifications would be useful, also consider selling it to any potential employer that the degree will improve your usability with an company as you will be a graduate with X years experience as long as you don't expect the qualified worker wage straight off.

[rog007]

+1
A quality employer will value anyone who continues to develop themselves.

[Fatman2]

I've done this successfully whilst 80% through an Open University degree and got brownie points at the interview for being proactive/keen etc.

I'm not sure if this is going to be the best course of action (different industries may look on this differently) but I pushed the 'continuing professional development' angle. If you already have a lot of experience (as I did at the time) and are supplementing your education for career progression then it stands out. Therefore don't keep quiet about it and make sure you write up just how much additional time you've been dedicating to it and how this has improved your time management etc. It need not be more than a short paragraph but just enough to give a flavour of what's going on and what you're on track to achieve.

Hope this helps

[Engineer1]

Any company that is put off by you needing day release for professional development probably isn't a company you'd want to work for as it sounds like you want to progress where they would probably want to take advantage of your experience whilst capitalising on your lack of qualifications.