To earn a professional development certificate, you will need to register for and attend a licensed career school, community college, or technical school that offers an accredited certification program. These programs will provide you with the training needed to enter this career field and will prepare you for any licensing exams that may be required. Get started by looking into all qualified schools in your area.
There may be many schools and courses that offer professional development certificate programs, so speak with a student advisor at each establishment and go over requirements for entrance, tuition assistance, and class schedules. This will help you narrow down your options to one or two schools that offer the coursework you need at an affordable price. Once you have found a school you’d like to attend, the next step is to sign up for classes.
If you are going to be using financial aid, fill out your tuition assistance forms early. This will ensure that all applications have time to be processed and any errors can be fixed before classes start. You may not be qualified for every government sponsored tuition assistance program, so be sure to discuss school based options with an advisor. These can include work study programs and payment plans.
Next, you may be required to take an exam or placement test before being able to attend classes. This test will probably not determine whether you can work toward a professional development certificate, but rather which coursework is more suited for your experience and academic level. For example, if you score high on math you will be placed in a more advanced math class than someone who scored lower.
You will need to make sure you purchase all materials in time for classes, including books and equipment. Once you do attend your first semester of classes, be sure to pay close attention and complete all work by deadlines. If you are having any difficulties with a class in particular, do not be hesitate to seek help from your instructor before it affects your grades.
Attend all your classes and keep your grades as high as possible. It is important that you do not skip over any classes that are required for your professional development certificate. Check with the school and be sure that the courses you are taking are all that is needed for any licensing required to enter the field. If any additional tests or requirements need to be met, sign up for those early so you do not get put on a waiting list.