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College Degree or Certification? 5 Certification Courses You Should Consider

Written by CB Community

We all know about degrees, how long they take, the cost, and what that entails, but what do you know about certifications?

They’re a lot less common than degrees, but they can be just as useful. It’s essential to learn the difference between your choices because one could be better than the other.

However, most don’t know about certification programs that get your job ready for careers quicker, faster, and at a fraction of the cost of going to college. Many careers just need a certification rather than a long degree.

Take for example, a medical assistant. A doctor needs a degree to go into the medical field, but they could hire someone to act as an assistant with a certification.

In the same way, you can be certified in yoga dance, massage therapy, and many other careers that do not require a degree.

On top of that, the cost of earning a degree is not just enormous; it is also time taking and challenging for students who need more than one degree to complete.

Some certification programs are just as good as a degree in the eyes of employers. Other certifications can even lead to a job better than having a degree.

Certification programs can be obtained in many different fields. Some even focus on getting people ready for the job market much quicker than years of school or college provides.

Take time to check and weigh your alternatives. You could find out that certification is your best bet because it teaches you hands-on, giving you experience before applying for jobs or going on interviews.

Some examples of great careers that allow you to jump into the workforce with certifications include:

1. Phlebotomy Technician

A Phlebotomy Technician specializes in drawing blood from patients and preparing it for testing.

What’s so great about being a Phlebot is that it can be an entry-level position for someone with no education or experience with medical insurance companies.

They draw and analyze blood with the aid of an automated machine called the Hematology/Oncology Wastebasket Collector (HOC) and ensure all samples are sent out at the right time to a testing lab.

You can check out some of the best phlebotomy schools here.

2. Paralegal

A law office will employ a Paralegal to work as an associate with the attorney. This person is also referred to as office support staff, administrative assistant, or legal secretary.

The Paralegal’s main job is to assist in carrying out the clerical and administrative duties required, such as checkbooks, filing records, maintaining a record system for clients, answering phones, and completing other duties.

An attorney will send their cases over to their Paralegal, who does all the legwork for them. This kind of work varies from preparing their case files, giving reports, submitting documents electronically, or collecting evidence on a case.

3. Medical Assistant

Medical Assistants assist physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers by collecting and interpreting clinical data, maintaining patient records, and preparing treatment plans.

Medical Assistants have a very specific career path because they must be certified and take courses in specific areas necessary to meet the qualifications of the job.

Medical assistants may get jobs as the sole medical assistant on their own or as an associate with an assistant who has a degree.

As an assistant, you would relieve your main medical assistant of some of their duties so that they can focus on more important tasks such as client counseling, scheduling appointments for follow-up visits, etc.

Here’s a list of medical assistant programs we think you can enroll into.

4. Certified Nursing Assistant

Certified Nursing Assistants work with recuperating patients by helping them gain strength and learn how to take care of themselves.

This includes helping them with everything in the bathroom, getting dressed, eating, communicating with the family, and keeping or making sure they have vital signs.

CNA’s must be 21 years old and above and should have a high school diploma so that they can be certified in some aspects as nurses do when they are certified as Registered Nurses.

Some key aspects include having good communication skills to listen to what the patient needs.

5. Dialysis Technician

Dialysis technicians work with patients going through dialysis for medical conditions, such as kidney failure, liver failure, or congenital problems.

Dialysis technicians assist patients in the clinical setting by monitoring their condition and ensuring that those scheduling their treatments do so correctly.

They also help prepare the machine to start up while also maintaining it with regular service and scheduled maintenance.

Wrap Up

A professional certification can open the door for someone to get a job with a company or organization that requires it.

Being certified gives you the ability to move into the workforce much quicker.

It is something that everyone should consider when deciding where they want to take their career.

About the author

CB Community

Passionate members of the College Basics community that include students, essay writers, consultants and beyond. Please note, while community content has passed our editorial guidelines, we do not endorse any product or service contained in these articles which may also include links for which College Basics is compensated.