The job market can be tough to navigate when you lack qualifications for a desired job. But earning a certificate in a particular skill or occupation can help you get started in a new field or advance your career.
“Certificates in numerous fields from health care and business to manufacturing and technology can position students as strong candidates for employment,” says Avis Proctor, president of William Rainey Harper College, a public community college in Illinois.
In addition to associate degree programs, Harper College offers about 100 certificates in fields like cannabis science, drone technology, health careers, hospitality management, IT, manufacturing, supply chain management, web design and more.
Contemplating a certificate? Here are some things to know.
What Is a Certificate Program?
A certificate is a postsecondary credential that shows a student has completed practical training and gained experience and a specific skill set in a certain field.
Certificate programs prepare students for technical or skill-based jobs in everything from real estate to nursing to web development and more. A certificate can be earned by completing courses at a community college, technical school or private company. Some four-year colleges also offer certificate programs.
[READ: Alternatives to a 4-Year College: What to Know]
“State-approved certificate of achievements are usually taken for credit and will appear on the student transcript,” says Armine Derdiarian, dean of career technical education at Pasadena City College in California.
Programming boot camps and industry certifications, on the other hand, are issued by outside agencies rather than educational institutions, unless they are incorporated into a school’s curriculum.
In some cases, a certificate program is considered continuing education since it builds upon a student’s knowledge in a field or industry. Derdiarian says continuing education courses will usually be offered as noncredit or extension courses and will not show on a student’s transcript.
How Do Certificate Programs Work?
Certificates are nondegree programs and can be attractive to individuals starting or changing their careers, or for those seeking higher pay or a promotion.
“Certificates are offered at every level and price point, from community colleges to highly selective private universities such as Cornell and UCLA,” says Kendra Millay, an academic advisor for the education consulting firm IvyWise.
She says certificates can be offered in any modality — in-person or online, part-time or full-time.
“The hallmark of a good certificate program is that it is streamlined and specialized, offering students an alternative to traditional two-year, four-year or graduate degrees,” says Millay.
[READ: Is College Worth the Cost? Factors to Consider.]
Derdiarian says school-based certificates can range from 8.5 units to 60 units of credit. She says lower units could be easily earned in one semester while others can be completed in two years.
“Often, noncredit continuing education offers cutting-edge certificates based on current or emerging job market trends that can help someone break into or advance in an industry,” says Proctor.
One example, she says, is if someone with a computer science degree completed a noncredit artificial intelligence certificate to complement their skills as a programmer “and help them maximize the use of AI in their field.”
Certificate Disciplines
Certificates cover a wide variety of fields and offer hands-on skills and experience that can be highly marketable in an increasingly competitive job market.
“Generally speaking, undergraduate certificates, like those offered at community colleges, tend to be more trade or career oriented, such as paralegal studies, marketing, web development, automotive technology, phlebotomy, certified nursing assistant and infant-toddler teacher certification,” says Millay. “The options and disciplines are endless.”
Proctor says some of the most valuable certificates are “connected, career-focused stackable credentials that students can earn on the path to degree attainment.”
[Read: 5 Reasons to Consider Community College]
For example, she says a Harper College student pursuing an Associate in Applied Science degree in accounting can also earn certificates in accounting bookkeeper/clerk and accounting assistant, which could increase their skills and employability.
For-Profit Boot Camps
Community colleges and universities are not the only places students can earn certificates.
“We are also seeing for-profit organizations cropping up to provide boot camps and certificates of completion for certain in-demand fields, especially in web development, computer programming and technical project management,” says Millay.
She says these boot camps typically promote themselves as a way to develop in-demand technical skills and they often target adults seeking a quick career change.
“These for-profit boot camps can be expensive, upwards of $20K for a three-month-long full-time program, but they often offer private financing options, including payment plans, loans and income-sharing agreements,” says Millay.
While they may be more expensive, she says, they offer adults an opportunity to swap careers quickly without being unemployed for too long. As a result, she says there is intense competition between boot camps and for-profit certificate programs for students, which has resulted in innovation and the development of more competitively priced options.
“For example, Google now offers career-oriented certificates through Grow with Google at a price of $49 per month, or approximately $300 per certificate, depending on the student’s speed and efficiency through the self-paced program,” says Millay.
Millay says before students enroll in a for-profit certificate or boot camp, they should check to see if a nonprofit school offers a similar program at a cheaper price point.
Certificates vs. Degrees
The biggest difference between certificates and degrees is time and cost to earn them. A bachelor’s degree takes four years and an associate degree takes two, but certificates can be completed in as little as a few months.
On the other hand, many industries and employers still require or favor a four-year degree experts say. And on average, workers with a college degree earn more than those without one.
Millay says a certificate can be a less expensive way for job applicants to get very specific in-demand skills.
“I believe that we will continue to see a shift where certain industries will begin to take a more holistic and pragmatic review of job applicants, especially in fields that value hard technical skills, such as computer programming and UX design,” she says.
Certificates can be a good option for students with limited time or resources who want to jump start a career, experts say. And while certificates typically require a high school diploma, some do not.
“The biggest benefit of these undergraduate certificates is that they have a low academic barrier to entry, meaning students usually do not have to take the SATs or have competitive high school GPAs,” says Millay.
Certificates can also help prepare students for an associate or bachelor’s degree or can supplement a current degree.
“It may also be a good starting point for a student that wants to begin their higher education studies but is not ready to commit to a two-year associate’s or four-year bachelor’s program,” says Millay.
For those looking to leverage a certificate toward a career, Proctor says it’s important to consider its market value. To begin, she advises researching available jobs and starting salaries in your desired field.
Proctor says that ultimately choosing a certificate or degree program depends on an individual’s goal.
“If you’re looking to enter the workforce quickly and a certificate meets your desired field’s educational requirements, then a certificate is likely your best option,” she says.
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What Is a Certificate Program? originally appeared on usnews.com
