EDUCATION, students are frequently told, is the key to a better job. First, finish high school. Then, go to college and get a degree. For those with higher aspirations, try for a master’s.
But increasingly, there is another way. Short vocational programs leading to a certificate are becoming the kudzu of the educational world. There’s a program for virtually any skill, from interior design to paralegal to managing records at a doctor’s office. Instead of investing in a master’s, professionals itching to move up the career ladder can earn certificates in marketing strategies, credit analysis or even journalism.
In an economy that increasingly rewards specialization, more and more institutions — from the ones that advertise on late-night cable to the most elite of universities — are offering these programs, typically a package of five or six courses, for credit or not, taken over three to 18 months. Some cost a few thousand dollars, others tens of thousands.