5 Continuing Education Programs That Will Boost Your Career

Overview

• How you might benefit from continuing education
• Where to find continuing education opportunities
• What types of programs and study topics fall under the umbrella of continuing education

Continuing education programs allow you to pick up new skills and hone existing abilities, giving you the chance for professional and personal growth. Many types of continuing education programs exist. Some can give you a professional boost — or even allow for a career change — while others provide transferable skills that you can also apply in your personal life.

Continuing education opportunities are available both in-person and online via various providers, including accredited universities, community colleges, online learning platforms, and professional associations. Professionally oriented topics cover everything from IT skills and project management to niche expertise areas in teaching and health care. More personally oriented topics include languages, photography, cooking, personal money management, and more.

This article outlines some different training programs and their benefits.

Continuing education (CE) is a broad term referring to a diversity of postsecondary learning activities and programs. Postsecondary programs don’t necessarily confer a formal degree, like an undergraduate (associate or bachelor’s degree), graduate (master’s or doctoral), or professional degree. Types of continuing education include GED prep courses, professional development programs, certificate and licensure courses, and personal enrichment programs. Continuing education students can also earn college credits to put toward a degree.

Non-traditional students who participate in college courses — either on a case-by-case basis or with the goal of earning a degree — can also be put into this category. In this sense, continuing education shares some characteristics with adult education. Both tend to target adult learners or “non-traditional” students beyond the usual college or university age bracket.

This raises an important characteristic of continuing education. Notably, the goal is not necessarily to earn a degree — although people can obtain licenses, certificates, degrees, or other credentials via continuing education. Rather, continuing education emphasizes applicable skills acquisition. It’s all about teaching you something that will benefit you practically, whether you’re seeking professional advancement or want to learn for personal reasons.

Continuing education units can be completed in person or online and allow you to learn everything from languages to coding. The field is generally broken down into a few major categories, which we outline below.

If you never graduated from high school, you may think you blew your shot. Not true! You can still get your GED. This will allow you to enroll in college if you want to pursue that path and can enhance your job opportunities. It’s important to note that some employers require a high school diploma or GED, which is seen as the equivalent.

The GED covers four subject tests measuring proficiency in social studies, reading, writing, science, and math. Once you pass it, you get a High School Equivalency Certificate. GED prep courses are available online and in-person. Since many people who are preparing for their GED are already working, night and weekend courses are frequently available.

Professional development programs refer to various courses, seminars, workshops, and conferences that adults may take part in to enhance their work skills. Common topics covered by professional development include office technology, communication, leadership, and task or time management.

Companies may pay for their employees to complete such programs. Professional development isn’t only for the already employed, however. Job seekers may also take part in programs that teach them how to network, prepare for interviews, or write a resume and cover letter.

Occupational licenses and certificates confirm that professionals have the knowledge and technical ability to do their jobs safely and in line with current regulations. From real estate agents to nutritionists, many jobs require such credentials. Various licenses and certificates are available in areas like health care, information technology (IT), and project management, to name just a few.

In some cases, people may seek out additional credentials to establish niche expertise in their field. For example, an educator with a general teaching degree may seek an additional certification focused on early childhood education. Another example would be a generalized IT professional choosing to get a certificate in cybersecurity management.

As mentioned, continuing education is all about skills acquisition — not necessarily about earning a degree. That said, you can still pursue continuing education with the aim of a college or university degree. In addition to offering noncredit courses, some schools allow non-traditional students to take for-credit CE courses on a part-time enrollment basis.

You can build up continuing education credits over time until you are able to get the requisite contact hours for your desired degree. The topics you’ll study will depend on what degree you’re pursuing and could cover everything from English and history to economics and biology. If you’re working in a field with strict education requirements, this is a great option. You might also simply want to complete your degree as part of your lifetime bucket list.

Mastering new skills and learning new information can be extremely fulfilling on a personal level. Personal enrichment courses allow you to focus on a topic or hobby you’re passionate about. You could study art, photography, cooking, fitness, or gardening, for example. There are also courses that might benefit you practically in your personal life, like money management or language courses.

Have you always dreamed of a summer in Spain? Why not pick up Spanish before you go? Are you trying to figure out your retirement planning? There are courses for that, too. Personal enrichment programs are diverse and low-pressure. You aren’t striving for a certificate, license, or degree — it’s all about enhancing your life with new knowledge.

Above, we covered the different types of continuing education that can allow you to gain new skills and credentials, boosting personal knowledge and your career outlook. But just where are you supposed to find all of these different programs? Read on to find out.

Online courses are one of the most affordable options for continuing learning. They also offer great flexibility. You can access them anywhere and complete the coursework on your own time, after work or on the weekends. Online courses are also gaining increasing respect and many internet-based credentials are now valued by employers across a range of industries. Platforms offering online learning include the following:

• Google Digital Garage offers more than 150 different courses on business, e-commerce, marketing, and more.
• Udemy features over 130,000 online courses. Categories range from business and personal development to IT and music. Whether you want to learn guitar or become a coding professional, they’ve got a course for you.
• edX.org has 2,000+ online courses, including courses from internationally recognized higher education institutions like Harvard and MIT.
• Coursera is another option and offers hundreds of courses, both free and paid.
• Skillshare is a skills-based learning platform with diverse categories such as lifestyle, design, illustration, writing, animation, and more. If you want to pick up a random skill, like how to keep your houseplants alive, this is for you.

A single online course will give you skills in one niche area. However, you can also complete an entire college degree online. Accredited colleges and universities offering online bachelor’s degree programs include the University of Florida, Ohio State University, and Arizona State University. This roundup of the best online bachelor’s programs offers a more comprehensive list. With this option, you can earn a college degree at your own pace, completing all of your coursework remotely.

If you are already working, check for industry events in your field, such as seminars, webinars, conventions, and conferences. Whether in-person or virtual, these gatherings bring together experts from around the globe to discuss relevant topics and cutting-edge developments. Many events also feature workshops and networking opportunities so you can grow your skills and your network.

How can you find these events? Follow national industry organizations or international associations on social media and sign up for their email newsletters to get alerts on upcoming happenings. You can also search via school alumni organizations or event sites like Eventbrite. Finally, ask co-workers, bosses, and mentors for recommendations. People with more experience will likely know the must-attend events.

The business world is becoming increasingly globalized, increasing the demand for employees who speak more than one language. Multilingualism is a highly marketable skill. You can find language courses through a variety of avenues, including colleges, universities, community colleges, and language schools. FluentU offers a list of apps and online platforms to get you started.

Continuing education is also beneficial to employers, who can take advantage of their employees’ newfound skills in the workplace. Inquire with your human resources (HR) department to see if any relevant professional development programs are available. If no formal programs are in place, ask whether you can access training materials for other positions you’d like to know more about. You will increase your knowledge and demonstrate initiative in the process.

Are you still not convinced that continuing education is for you? Let’s recap some of the benefits!

As the diversity of continuing education options described above makes clear, advanced learning offers many means of personal and professional development. Gaining new skills can further boost your confidence in work and in life at large.

Learning is largely about self-discovery, and continuing education courses can help you further determine what you like or don’t like to do. This will allow you to better identify what kind of career and lifestyle you enjoy, paving the path to fulfilling jobs and greater work-life satisfaction overall.

Continuing education programs that confer additional licenses or certificates are resume-boosters. You can use these credentials to increase your odds of a promotion. Thanks to your new skills and more advanced knowledge, employers will be more likely to advance you to a higher level that matches your expertise. Pursuing continuing education also demonstrates drive and motivation, which bosses love to see.

The promotion that a continuing education credential brings may also come with a raise. Alternatively, your new skills may set you up to apply for more senior and/or higher-paying gigs elsewhere. In general, people with formal educational credentials tend to earn more money than those without. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that advanced education of any kind can increase your earnings by thousands of dollars annually. Further, workers who have less than a high school diploma tend to have higher unemployment rates. Obtaining an equivalent like a GED can equate to better opportunities.

If you simply aren’t satisfied with your current role, the new skills and credentials that continuing education provides may boost your marketability and allow you to make a change. Many career fields, including nursing, accounting, and teaching, have rigid educational requirements. Getting the formal training you need is the first step toward transitioning to such areas.

Continuing education allows you to enhance your personal and professional development. It can also pave the way for promotions, allow you to secure a better-paying role — or even open up the door to new job opportunities altogether. Ready to put your newfound skills to use? Find your next opportunity with Joblist.

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