Faster than a master's degree, more powerful than an internship, able to leap into work experience in a single bound. Look! Up past the Skyway bridge. It’s a graduate certificate!
Joking aside, it's a super option for anyone looking to expand their career options without a huge time commitment. Today we’re going to explain the benefits of a graduate certificate and how to know if it’s a good option for you.
Save time
While there are other forms of post-graduate studies, most of them provide credentials that take two years or more to complete.
Graduate certificates can be completed in a year or less. You can earn your certificate on a timeline that works for you.
Get specialized
Being a know-it-all isn’t always a bad thing, especially when it comes to your career. Graduate certificates can help you to become an expert in a specific part of your field, providing what’s called specialized knowledge. For example, if you completed a business program, and then completed the Business Analysis Graduate Certificate program, you would set yourself apart from others in your business program with your specialized knowledge in analytics while building a strong foundation for your career and further professional development.
Build a future-focused network
You’ve built up your social network through friends and family, and now, it’s time to build your professional network. Graduate certificates can be a great way to get that network started. Classes will be filled with other students who want to do their best in their chosen field, so you can build a network of people who will work in your field and share your drive for a successful career.
You can also make connections with your professors and advisors, who often have a network of their own after spending many years working in the industry.
More choices
While graduate certificates can help to make you more employable, they can also increase the types of jobs you’re eligible for. You don’t even have to wait to complete the program before you can start working. Most graduate certificate programs offer field placement positions that provide students with experience working in their field of study, often leading to a full-time job.
Your special skills could make you a high-value candidate for employment, and you may be able to start your career in a professional know-it-all position instead of starting in an entry-level position.
Level up!
Graduate certificates can help you to build on your skills and level up your career, whether the next level is a promotion or a switch to a more advanced field. Graduate certificates provide skills that are desired by employers, and having these skills can help you to land a job or earn that juicy promotion.
Completing a graduate certificate shows employers that you’re ready and willing to put in the hard work to advance your career.
Graduate certificates can help you get the specialized knowledge you need to move up in your career in a relatively short amount of time. They can make the perfect cherry to your educational cake.
Do you think that a graduate certificate is the right step for you? Choose from dozens of Graduate Certificate options available at Mohawk College. Take your education to the next step so you can be Future Ready.
