A certificate is an excellent professional development tool to increase your knowledge in your career, help meet state licensing requirements, fulfill state or national education requirements, or learn new skills to give you a foot in the door toward a new career.
According to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, "certificates have swelled to become the second most common postsecondary award in the United States."
Benefits:
- Career advancement and added job security:
- Certificates are fastest-growing form of post-secondary credentials (Chronicle of Higher Education)
- Increased earning potential:
- 25% increase in salary after certificate. (Chronicle of Higher Education);
- $117,000 in lifetime earnings (University of Milwaukee post);
- 13-25% boost in annual salary (Forbes).
- Thirst for knowledge: many graduate certificate courses can later be applied toward a Master’s degree.
- Networking: gain connections with professors and fellow students
