A quality continuing education program is as close as your local community college. There you will find affordable options, whether you are searching for a program to help you with job skills, you need continuing education credits to maintain a certification, or you want to take a course just to learn something new.
Community colleges also provide fee-waived training for the unemployed and underemployed, generally funded through grants or Federal programs.
Continuing education programs do not necessarily follow the curriculum schedule at a community college, so don’t worry that you may have missed a registration deadline. New courses are offered in the continuing education area every few months, or even as frequently as every few weeks, depending on the type of program.
Community centers and senior programs also offer continuing education courses, but they are often conducted as part of a community college outreach program. Libraries are excellent resources as well, not only for information about programs being offered in your area but also as the source of the continuing education program. A number of libraries host continuing education courses for their patrons, often at no or low cost.
If you are searching for a continuing education program to maintain your certification, check with the board that monitors that certification. These boards often keep and are more than willing to share resource lists for upcoming classes in your area. How to find all of these resources? If you have a computer, start with “Google” or some other search engine and type in “continuing education programs” and your city’s name. If you do not have a computer as may well be the case if you are searching for a course on “Introduction to computers,” for example you can look in the business directory section of your telephone book. Look for community colleges, libraries, education, and similar terms.
Let’s say you have decided to investigate courses at the community college. How do you go about finding out what is available there? The first step is to call or stop by the college and ask to speak with either a counselor or a continuing education program director. Either will be able to provide you with the information you need regarding upcoming classes and any costs you might incur. You can also ask to be put on a mailing list for course brochures and announcements of new courses.
Community colleges offer quality courses, at little to no cost. They screen their instructors and only hire those with appropriate qualifications, are regulated by accrediting organizations, and are generally funded through state or Federal programs. The first stop in searching for a continuing education program should definitely be your local community college, whether by phone, email, or in person. They will guide you in the right direction as your pursue your lifelong learning program.