Certifications versus Diploma

Mon, October 10, 2011

When pursing secondary education, your research may lead you to two different options: Professional Certification in a specific field, software or skill or an Academic Degree in a general field of study. It is difficult to know which program will be best for your career goals and job placement, but it is important to know what both can offer to you professionally and personally.

What is an Academic Degree or Professional Certification?

By definition an Academic Degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavor deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree. The most common degrees awarded today are Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees.

By definition a Professional Certification is where a person is certified as being able to competently complete a job or task, usually by the passing of an examination.

Which one is right for me?

When choosing between the two of these options there are a few things to consider: experience, current circumstances, goals and financing.

With it comes to secondary education in general, it is important to look at your circumstance.

Are you a high school grad trying to figure out what to do next?
Do you have family to care for and need a new option?
Have you been laid off, with years of experience but out of date software knowledge?
Do you know what you want to do for a career?
What is your time line?

Certifications allow for those who are either looking to stay current on the information for their current job, unemployed, or looking for a new option from your current job Certifications are a cost effective, timely option to give you training, credibility and in some cases, the opportunity for career placement. Certifications are for specific or specialized training.

An academic degree allows individuals who have a plan for general study such as Marketing, Programming or Design. Degrees also come with a great deal of time involvement and dedication to self development over a long period of time that employers can find admirable. A general degree can help when an opportunity encompasses broader skills or requirements. Degrees also tend to focus on making students well rounded in their studies beyond their focus with the end goal being that each student should be able be able to communicate, problem solve and have general knowledge of multiple studies.

What is the good stuff?

Earning your Academic Degree shows to employers that you were able to commit to learning, personal growth and that you are able to dedicate a lengthy amount of time to an organization and a goal. An academic degree allows for the student to learn about and become exposed to new opportunities and interests which can allow for the student to find a professional focus for their future. Academic degrees tend to look better to employers and a lot of jobs require a degree as a prerequisite.

Certifications are a great way to continue your education or to get new focused skills so you are able to perform new required task or find a new opportunity. Technologies, standards, and specifications change frequently, so certification programs have become commonplace for individuals to gain the appropriate technical skills to be able to perform their job functions while ultimately meeting the business goals and needs of the organization or business.

What is the downside?

Academic degrees are a wonderful accomplishment but can become outdated, especially in technical fields. A Bachelors of Science in Computer Science 10 years ago doesn’t help with problems with current or new technologies or software in which certifications might offer help. Even with a degree, in order for individuals to stay competitive in their current employment situation, certifications will be able to keep them up to date on what is happening in their field.

An Academic Degree is a big financial and time dedication, but it also requires some idea of what an individual wishes to do with their career. Studies show that 57% of college students take six years to complete their education and in that six years will change their major three times. Think about it: The average college student is 18 years old when they step foot on campus and are expected to work towards a career goal without really knowing what they want to do because of a lack of real world experience. How are they supposed to know what they are good at or what they enjoy?

High school students and young adults also run into another interesting dilemma. Going down the path of a professional certification or an academic degree, the same issue comes into play once both are completed; lack of professional experience. There is also the time old problem of “how do I get experience if no one will hire me to get experience?” With a certification program you have a shorter amount a time to acquire your certification (this can usually be done in a few months to a year) allowing for you to have opportunities sooner to work in an internships and or volunteering to get the industry experience needed to get the opportunity you are looking for in your career.

So, What to Do

Essentially, it is up to the individual to decide what the best path is for them based on their goals, but both options are important and necessary in today’s competitive job market. When deciding which opportunity is best for you, ask yourself these things:

These are all questions that any educational institution should ask you and be able to help you with. It is most important to know that learning is a life-long process as things are always changing and evolving into bigger and better opportunities.