Different jobs require employees that have acquired differing sets of skills in order to succeed. For this reason, employers can require that applicants for a particular job show that they have met specific education qualifications and possess the necessary skill set for the position. These education qualifications can take a variety of forms, such as a high school diploma, a certificate from a vocational program, an undergraduate degree, or a specialized graduate degree.
A diploma from a secondary school, like a high school, usually indicates that a particular applicant has a core skill set that includes basic mathematics and competency in the prevailing language in a particular country. This is often a prerequisite for attending universities or trade schools. This level of education is usually obtained by either completing a formal program of courses at a secondary school or by passing a test that assesses the student's abilities in the academic areas covered in those courses.
Certificates from vocational programs show that an individual has completed coursework that teach a particular trade or skill. This can include training for professions such as welder, machinist, auto mechanic, or paralegal. Vocational classes usually focus exclusively on the skills necessary for the trade into which students wish to enter, and do not include broader, general educational components.
Undergraduate degrees, such as bachelor's degrees, are education qualifications that generally represent the completion of three to four years of study at a college or university. These degrees typically consist of a general education in social studies, humanities, mathematics, and science, in addition to a series of specialized courses selected by students as the major area of study. The general education courses tend to make the holders of undergraduate degrees more broadly appealing to employers than those who only completed secondary schooling. The specialized classes in a particular field, or major, should give the graduate the knowledge necessary to begin working in that specific job or industry.
Graduate degrees are education qualifications that represent advanced training and knowledge in a particular field. These education qualifications encompass both two-year master's degree programs and doctoral degrees that can take several years to complete. Courses generally build upon the knowledge gained during undergraduate schooling. These programs usually require that applicants either already possess an undergraduate degree with a major area of study related to the graduate degree, or can demonstrate equivalent knowledge if their undergraduate degree is in a different area of study. Graduate programs have no general education component and focus exclusively on teaching students in a particular field.