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You know you want to go back to school for professional development. Should you take a degree program or a certificate program? Read on to consider the advantages to both options.
One way to climb the career ladder is to take a degree or certificate program. Determining whether to take a degree program or a certificate program requires a careful analysis of the advantages to each. Many factors need to be looked at including program costs, job search support, length of program and recognition from employers. Consider these factors first when choosing between training options for your professional development and career advancement. Completing a degree program has many advantages. If you do not have a bachelor's degree, it is probably your best option to open new doors in your career. Degrees have the advantage that they offer a credential that is widely recognized by employers. This is key to advancing your career as you want and need employers to see your increased value after training. Consult with your human resources representative to determine if you will receive an automatic pay raise on completing your degree. Some public institutions place employees on a pay grid. A factor that may be influencing your step on the grid is your level of formal education. Another advantage to a degree is the intellectual stimulation of academic theories and research. Many graduate degree programs have a research component and a discussion of the findings in a thesis. If you find that your brain is becoming mushy because your current job has stagnated, it may be the perfect pick me up! If you value intellectual challenges, then a degree program will be very motivational. Don't limit yourself by the attitude that you know it all. Keep an open mind to learning new approaches and choose your course load to broaden your knowledge base. There is no point in choosing courses with content that you could teach! On the other hand, certificate programs offer advantages as well. They tend to be shorter programs. This translates into less time, energy and financial commitments than a degree program. Because of the smaller commitment, many employers will fund certificate programs. Many benefit packages include money for professional development that is directly related to your work. Certificate programs by the nature of their design tend to fit this criterion. Due to their brevity, they tend to focus on practical content. If you are unemployed or using training to make a foray into another industry or role, one great advantage to the certificate option is a work experience component in most programs. Call it a practicum, work experience, apprenticeship or internship, direct work experience with a potential employer can lead to a job offer! If you don't get an offer, you will at least have a valuable connection in the industry and a great reference. Some certificate programs are government funded and their funding is dependent on the employability statistics of graduates. This translates to the educational institutions offering valuable job search assistance and having a vested interest in you finding work. Whether you choose a degree or a certificate program, the fact that you are keeping your skills and knowledge current will give you an advantage in today's job market. Do you have comments or questions about this article? Please use the link below to start a discussion on this topic. If you liked this article, try this Suite 101 article: Roadblocks to Continuing Education Copyright © 2006, Joni Rose and Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright.
The copyright of the article Degree or Certificate? in Training/Professional Development is owned by Joni Rose. Permission to republish Degree or Certificate? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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