6 Top Continuing Education Programs to Transform Your Career
Are you ready to advance your career — or start a new one entirely? Thanks to some of today’s top continuing education programs, it has never been easier to acquire marketable skills.
Many programs offer intensive professional training and connect you to a network of employers. Others simply allow you to learn about a subject you’re interested in.
And because many adult education classes are online, you can complete them wherever and whenever is convenient for you.
What to look for in continuing education programs Top 6 continuing education programs Are continuing education classes right for you?
What to look for in continuing education programs
Before spending your time and money, make sure a program is worth the investment. Learn what makes some continuing education programs stand out over others.
If you’re looking to improve your “hireability,” a program should provide high-quality training. It should offer a curriculum that meets industry standards and teaches marketable skills.
The syllabus should outline clear objectives and show how you’ll achieve them. Plus, some of the best programs provide a hiring guarantee to graduates, or at least have a track record of sending students into their preferred jobs.
Some schools offer full tuition reimbursement if you’re not hired within a period after graduating. Others publish employment success rates of their grads.
Before signing up for adult education classes, check out student outcomes and reviews. Take a look at a course’s pricing structure and location, as well. Some programs offer scholarships or refer you to low-interest personal loans.
Many continuing education classes are online, but a few academies have on-campus locations. Before committing to a program, consider your learning style, career goals and schedule availability. Make sure you understand exactly how much work and time you’ll need to put in to meet your goals — and maybe even find a better job.
Top 6 continuing education programs
Although there are boundless continuing education programs online and off, these six have tough-to-beat features and strong track records.
1. General Assembly 2. Springboard 3. Udemy 4. Thinkful 5. Flatiron School 6. We Can Code IT
1. General Assembly Innovative training courses in a variety of fields, including coding, user experience, design, data, marketing, business and career development Intensive bootcamp courses focused on digital and technology skills Both online and in-person courses at 20 campuses worldwide Part-time and full-time class offerings fit with your schedule Courses are open to beginners with no previous experience in a field 92% of graduates who participated in the school’s career services program got full-time jobs within 180 days of graduation
Cost:
Prices at General Assembly range from $750 for part-time courses up to $15,950 for a full-time, immersive course
Financing options:
Need-based scholarships and tuition payment plans Campus-based income-share agreement No-interest student loans — to be repaid over 18 months — for some part-time students 2. Springboard Intensive training courses in data science, data analytics for business, coding and UX design Expert professionals help develop curated curriculum for each course Courses are entirely online Weekly video calls with a mentor who works in the field Most courses include the guarantee that you’ll get hired within six months of graduating or you’ll get 100% of your tuition refunded
Cost:
Data Analytics Bootcamp costs $6,600 Data Science Bootcamp costs $8,940 Lower-cost, self-paced workshops available
Financing options:
No financial aid opportunities 3. Udemy About 150,000 online courses from expert instructors Courses are available in more than 65 different languages You can learn marketable skills like coding, web design and Adobe Photoshop You can take classes in areas of personal interest, such as Greek literature, pet care or makeup Some skills-based courses promise that you will learn the skills to become a paid professional, but they don’t help with the job hunt or track graduate career outcomes You’ll get a Udemy Certificate of Completion (but this is not recognized in the professional world since Udemy isn’t an accredited institution) Anyone can create a course and become a Udemy instructor as long as they follow course guidelines Udemy features technology education company RefactorU
Cost:
Offers some free courses Most Udemy courses are well below $200 4. Thinkful Online coding bootcamp with one-on-one mentorship from a professional developer Bootcamp courses and workshops in software engineering and data science and analytics, as well as product management, digital marketing and user experience design Guarantee that you’ll get a job within 180 days or be granted a full tuition refund 84% to 86% job placement rate within six months of graduating engineering bootcamps Job-seeking graduates report an average salary increase of $20,000 Thinkful acquired competitor bootcamp Bloc in 2018
Cost:
Full-time web development courses take five months and cost $16,000 Flexible data science course last for six months and cost $7,990
Financing options:
Flexible payment plans and $100 to $300 professional development scholarships (monthly) for self-identifying women and U.S. military members 5. Flatiron School Web development bootcamps online or in-person in eight locations, including New York City 93% of Flatiron students are employed within 180 days of graduation and report an average starting salary of $76,000 Career services and one-on-one meetings with career coach helps you prepare for job interviews and land a job
Cost:
15-week, in-person and full-time software engineering program costs $17,000 Online, self-paced data science program starts at $9,600
Financing options:
Income-share agreement lent directly by the school defers tuition charge until after graduation The Flatiron School partners with Climb and Skills Fund to offer low-interest loans Scholarships for students who belong to underrepresented groups in tech, including women and veterans 6. We Can Code IT Part-time and full-time coding bootcamp programs Campuses in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio Small group tutoring and one-on-one mentoring Career services to help you prep for interviews and find a job
Cost:
Full programs cost $13,900
Financing options:
Offers low-interest student loans Accepts GI Bill benefits for veterans Tuition installment plans Up to to $2,000 grants for low-income students and those who would bring diversity to the program Are continuing education classes right for you?
Many of these adult education classes are focused on the skills you need for a career in tech. These web development bootcamps teach you coding, design or data science.
None of these schools are accredited institutions, but most provide career services and coaching. Some are so confident you’ll get hired, they promise a money-back guarantee.
Most of these continuing education academies have at least one program open to beginners, so you always have a place to start. They offer flexible scheduling and financing options to meet your needs.
Once you’ve identified your goals, considered cost and figured out your financial aid, you can choose the academy that’s right for you. For the full list of our favorite continuing education programs, head to our continuing education marketplace.
Andrew Pentis contributed to this report.
Prices listed were accurate as of June 4, 2020.
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