How to select a continuing-education program

Continuing education is an essential component of career planning and progression. Gone forever are the days when education was considered complete with the earning of a degree or certificate. The rapid increase of knowledge, particularly in high-tech fields and information science, requires that professionals move easily between the workplace and the classroom, repeatedly gaining and applying new knowledge.

What’s right for you?

When seeking out a continuing-education program, consider your goals. It is unlikely that a recent college graduate with an accounting degree would seek out the same kind of program as would a mid-career certified public accountant. However, the same two professionals might benefit equally from a three-day conference on using a new software package if both had as their goal an added understanding of that software’s application to their work.Continuing-education programsContinuing education is usually far more extensive than a course offered at a corporate retreat or a weekend Windows 95 users conference.In the days before data processing was an industry, continuing education was a fancy name for trade school. Whether to learn how to bang out damaged fenders or become skilled at operating sophisticated milling machines, trade-school students had one thing in common: They were not considered “college material.”
Now, the worm gear has turned. Not only are trade-school students college material, but they also are often students who could have gone to the college of their choice but chose instead to learn state-of-the-art computer-aided automotive design or how to create animatronics for use in the film industry.
Often quite new, these kinds of schools have the phrase “technical school” attached to their name.How to know it’s right for you
But suppose such schools offer courses in your area of interest; how can you be sure it’s right for you? There is one useful method and one that is foolproof.
The useful method is to look over a faculty listing in the school’s catalog. Such listings give brief biographies of the faculty: Where they learned their craft, where they worked, their professional achievements.
Have they done what you would like to do? Can you learn the “secrets of the trade” from them? Few aspiring filmmakers would fail to be impressed by a film class taught by an accomplished director.
The foolproof (well, almost) method is to request an alumni directory from the school. Where are they employed? What have they achieved? You may even wish to contact alumni to learn how (or if!) their experience at the school aided them in achieving their subsequent professional goals. Tap into their wisdom, benefit from their experience, “interview” them as you might a prospective employee.
Finally, find out the school’s rate for placement of its graduates, even if you have a job; it might give you some hint as to the school’s reputation among professionals.Footing the bill
No school is inexpensive, and technical schools, with their highly sophisticated equipment and costly lab facilities, are often as pricey as the finest colleges and universities.
You should first see if your employer will provide any financial aid or scheduling flexibility needed to attend specific, job-related courses.
If you are a military veteran, check with your local Veteran’s Administration office to see if and how much aid is available to you. Be certain that the school and course of study you intend to pursue, whether it leads to a degree or certificate, will be eligible for veteran’s benefits.
Do your homework before you return to school.

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