Continuing Education: Definition and Career Benefits
A sales representative learns marketing strategies and successfully transitions into a role as a brand manager. A legal professional puts skills developed in a project management course to work at their law firm and earns a raise. A human resources manager implements hiring practices learned in a certificate program that attracts top talent and then gets promoted.
Today, professionals from all backgrounds can leverage continuing education to their benefit. A definition of continuing education encompasses the various learning opportunities that help professionals stand out in competitive job markets, advance their careers, and transition into new ones.
What Is Continuing Education?
Usually involving learning activities and training, continuing education is what professionals use to develop skills and knowledge in a host of subjects. This can include everything from business ethics and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to information technology and marketing. Professionals can pursue continuing education to explore topics they feel passionate about or to keep up with newly emerging best practices in their fields.
For example, entrepreneurs can learn design thinking, a creative problem-solving approach, to improve the services their businesses offer. Or content marketing writers can expand their understanding of branding and positioning to secure managerial roles. Whatever the subject area, continuing education can help individuals upgrade their skills, tackle new responsibilities, and gain greater career mobility.
Types of Continuing Education
Individuals have many options to choose from when it comes to their professional development. They can decide to take an online course or e-seminar, enroll in an in-person class, or sign up for a webinar.
Continuing education also encompasses noncredit courses along with certificate programs. Certificate programs, designed to teach learners job-ready skills, are a great way for individuals at both the beginner and advanced levels to learn more about a specific subject area.
As an example, a university may offer a certificate program that teaches basic marketing skills to learners needing foundational knowledge. That same university may also offer a certificate program that delves deeper into specific workflows used in marketing meant for professionals with a fair amount of prior experience.
These programs can vary in duration. Some take only ten weeks to complete, while others can take up to a year. The length of time until completion depends on the subject being taught and the certificate program’s structure.
Microcredentials
Many professionals seek out certificate programs to earn microcredentials, or certificates of recognition for completing competency-based learning programs typically offered by universities or professional organizations. The value of microcredentials is that they help showcase a person’s skills or mastery in a specific area to employers, while also speaking to that person’s commitment to learning.
Individuals can earn microcredentials relatively quickly compared to earning a full degree. Upon completion, professionals receive digital certificates they can display on their resumes.
Benefits of Continuing Education
Several factors motivate individuals to pursue continuing education. Some people want to switch professions. Others want to climb further up the ladder in their current careers. In many cases, individuals simply feel driven by curiosity and a desire to excel.
While a person may view continuing education as a formal process that involves structured coursework, continuing education can also involve conducting in-depth research on a subject on one’s own. Regardless of a person’s definition of continuing education, signing up for a certificate program or taking an online course can offer specific benefits worth considering.
For one, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with more education tend to earn more and experience less unemployment. In fact, a recent Gallup poll found that workers saw their salaries increase an average of 8.6 percent after participating in an upskilling program.
Other reasons to consider continuing education include:
Upskilling for a Current Position
Roles can evolve as technologies emerge and businesses’ needs change. To stay relevant in one’s current position, professionals need to continuously learn about their industries and develop their skills accordingly.
Upskilling refers to expanding one’s current knowledge in a specific area and honing existing skills. It frequently plays an important role in meeting the demands of one’s job. Upskilling can involve gaining advanced data analysis skills, building upon managerial competencies, or leveling up in a programming language.
Professionals committed to upskilling not only position themselves to move into opening leadership positions, but also build their confidence. With more training, professionals can take on more challenging projects, come up with more innovative solutions, and work more productively.
Increasing Job Opportunities
The skills gained through continuing education empower people to adapt and respond to situations with agility. With more knowledge, individuals can feel more emboldened to venture out of their comfort zones and explore new employment opportunities.
Additionally, today’s employers are focusing on job candidates’ skills more than ever. The pandemic has dramatically shifted the work world, and, according to the World Economic Forum, a large percentage of the core skills needed to perform specific jobs are changing. As a result, organizations are contending with significant skill gaps.
Pursuing microcredentials and other forms of continuing education that fill those gaps can help job candidates stand out and increase their job opportunities.
Growing Networks
Continuing education offers learners numerous opportunities to meet people with similar interests and career goals. This can help individuals build their professional networks.
Online courses and certificate programs often have forums and discussion groups where learners share ideas, ask questions, and make connections. From these platforms, learners may find out about relevant professional associations, special conferences, or even job openings.
As with most learning experiences, the relationships formed during continuing education can last well after a course or certificate program has ended.
Learners can also turn to their instructors as resources. By getting to know their instructors, learners can begin to establish connections with field experts who may provide useful advice, ideas, and support.
Boost Your Skills and Connections through Continuing Education
By examining the definition of continuing education and the benefits of ongoing learning, it’s clear why it makes sense to explore certificate programs or online courses aligned with one’s professional goals. Discover how earning a certificate from Suffolk University’s Center for Continuing & Professional Education can help give you the knowledge you need to thrive and achieve your dreams.
Recommended Readings
Education as an Investment
Elements of a Good Online Course
The Impact of Lifelong Learning on Your Health
Sources:
Gallup, “The American Upskilling Study: Empowering Workers for the Jobs of Tomorrow”
LinkedIn, “The Importance of Upskilling in Challenging Times”
National Education Association, Micro-Credentials
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, What Is “Continuing Education”?
SharpSpring, “7 Benefits of Continuing Education throughout Your Career”
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Education Pays, 2021
World Economic Forum, “Here’s Why the World of Work Urgently Needs to Put Skills First”
World Economic Forum, “We Need a Global Reskilling Revolution—Here’s Why”