If you are finding your current vocation a bit dull and want a lift, or feel that you could do more in your current career, then perhaps you should look at getting a career development loan. Career loans can help you to learn more about your career by helping to pay for your extra education. If you want to get ahead in your career and invest in learning, then here is some information to help you learn more about development loans.
What are career development loans?
Career Development Loans, or CDLs, were launched back in 1988 and are part of a government program to help people further their education so that they can improve their skills within their chosen vocation. They are available for people who are employed, self-employed and unemployed, as long as they meet the criteria.
How do I apply?
Applying for a CDL is like applying for any other loan, in that you have to meet certain criteria in order to be accepted. If you are applying for a vocational course that lasts no longer than 2 years, or three years if part of the course is practical experience, then you could be eligible for a CDL. CDLs are available from a select few high street banks, and although you don't have to be a customer of theirs, you will probably need to open an account with them to receive the loan.
Deferred repayment
The main advantage of career development loans is that they are what are known as deferred loans. This is similar to a student loan, in that you only start making the repayments after the loan term has finished, which is generally just a little more than the length of the course you are taking. During the loan term, the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) pays the interest, and then once the loan finished you repay the loan using a fixed rate of interest. Although the rate can vary from lender to lender, they are generally lower than normal personal loans because they are part of a government initiative.
How much can I borrow?
In general you can borrow between ?300 and ?8,000, and the CDL can be used to pay up to 80% of course fees and 100% of associated expenses such as travel and materials. However, if you are unemployed the loan may be able to cover all of the fees for your course.
Investing in your future
CDLs are a great way to invest in your future career and give you the skills that you need to progress further. Although you have to pay the loan back with interest, you will not be paying anything during your course, and the money that you pay back should be countered by the extra wages you can earn with your new skills. However, as with any other loan you should make sure that it is right for you and that you will be able to make the repayments once you finish the course.
Sly Stallone hit the big 62 this year, coinciding with the release of Rambo which comes 26 years after the release of First Blood. The Stallone career has spanned four decades and he started out in the gritty melting pot that was post-war Hells Kitchen in New York. He was adamant about becoming an actor and after some small bit appearances he managed to find his big break alongside Henry Winkler in a film called Lords of Flatbush.
It was not only acting that he was interested in and he started banding around ideas for scripts and in 1975 Stallone saw the Ali vs Wepner fight which set his creative juices flowing. He wrote and starred in Rocky the story of an underdog boxer which set up one of the most lucrative film franchises of all time. Stallone became the third person ever to be nominated for writing and acting in the same year, alongside Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles.
The post-Rocky career saw him take much more creative control of his projects. He followed the success with FIST and Paradise Alley in 1978 and then Rocky II in 1979, all of which he wrote, directed and starred in. He then did Nighthawks and Victory in the next two years until 1982 when he release Rocky III and First Blood, establishing the Rambo phenomenon.
Again he wrote and directed both of these films, First Blood grossed over 47 million dollars in box office sale then 23 million in rentals and Rocky III grossed 125 million at the box office and 66 million in rentals. This combined hall of over 261 million dollars truly established Stallone as an movie franchise and this continued into the 1990s.
He opened the 90s with the fifth instalment of the Rocky series then has a series of box office smashes including Cliffhanger, Demolition Man, The Specialist, Judge Dredd, Assassins, Daylight, Cop Land and Get Carter. It is easy to forget how many successful films Stallone has made however not all industry commentators see it the same way, he was awarded the Razzie for worst actor of the century with 30 Nominations and 10 awards.
Sylvester Stallone is not for everyone however you cannot deny his path from Hells Kitchen NY to a seat of extreme power in Hollywood. He was also a founding member the of the Planet Hollywood franchise with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. With the release of Rocky Balboa in 2006 and Rambo in 2008, Stallone should probably not expect any more Oscar nominations but he can expect a hefty pay day as Rambo V is currently in pre-production.
Both Peter Kenny & Dominic Donaldson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.