Worried About Job Security?

No matter how successful you have been in your work life, as you age there can be a gnawing worry that your skills may not be as up to date as younger workers in your field, or in your own office.

Right now, there’s also the added worry that the proposed change in tariff policy might trigger a recession, and that typically causes employers to trim staff. As if that’s not enough job stress, we are in the early stages of employers experimenting with how artificial intelligence (AI) can perform some jobs.

That’s a lot of motivation to make sure you remain a valued employee. Or maybe you want to look for new work, and know you need to make your resume shine.

That’s where a certificate program could be a great move. Certificates are targeted courses of study that focus on specific skills, in just about every field, from technology and data science to bookkeeping, digital marketing, and medical coding.

Having a certificate might help you get a pay boost where you currently work, or it can make you eligible for new jobs that pay more, or just interest you more.

Some certificates take as little as a few months to complete, and have the added benefit that you can take classes online or through community colleges while continuing to work. The cost can be $1,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the certificate. If your employer offers an education benefit, check with HR to see if it covers certificates, and what specific certificates it will help pay for.

A nearby community college is a good place to start exploring. And online education sites such as coursera.com and EdX.com have a broad menu of certificate programs. If you are an AARP member, they have a broad lineup of learning programs for mid- and late-career workers, including certificate programs.