February 23, 2024
Investor Business Feature: The Benefits of Professional Certificates
For many individuals, the path to higher education credentials ends with attainment of an associate degree, bachelor’s degree or even a master’s degree. Not to be overlooked, however, are professional certificates, which are a good option for those who want to supplement their degree or enhance their résumé, or who are not yet ready to begin a full degree program.
The purpose of professional certificates is to increase and document competences and capabilities. They are usually designated for specific careers, jobs or skills. Examples includes certificates for leadership, web application deployment and support, front- and back-end web development, specific IT platforms, project management, human resources, accounting, marketing, teaching, and more.
Professional certificates are typically earned in a shorter time and at a lesser cost than a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Often, certificates can be stackable toward eventual attainment of a bachelor’s degree.
Although there are no guarantees, professional certificates can lead to a better ROI for the learner in terms of career advancement and raises. Your certificate can provide third-party validation of your skills and competencies, and demonstrate increased value to your employer.
Other benefits of a professional certificate can include the following:
- Competitive edge in the job market
- Increased proficiency in job duties
- Boost in confidence
- Smoother transition to a degree program
- Enriched job satisfaction and fulfillment
- More credibility in the workplace
Due to increased demand from employers and students, Western Governors University has implemented several certificate programs in business and IT, and is poised to introduce many more in the coming years. Single courses and course bundles are also available.
If you are interested in upskilling but don’t yet have the time or resources to pursue your next academic degree, consider researching professional certificate programs from your local community college, four-year college or accredited online university. It could be the first step to accelerating your career to the next level.