Types of Post-Secondary Education

An associate's degree is a 2-year community/junior* college degree that can prepare you for a wide range of career paths. Getting an associate's degree can be considered as a stepping stone towards a 4-year degree if you choose to continue after your 2 year program.

Many students opt-in to start at a community or junior college for a variety of reasons. One large factor is affordability; tuition rates and students fees are typically much lower than a 4-year school. Another big factor is if you didn't get into your desired 4-year program, community and junior college can be a place to increase your grades and improve your GPA to eventually apply and transfer into the 4-year program of your choice.

Keep in mind that you do not have to continue onto a 4-year if that is not your goal. Community and junior colleges have excellent programs that will allow you to learn the skills you need for your field in a shorter time span. Many of these programs are occupational (nursing, welding, automotive technology), but you can still take many general subjects here as well.

*Junior College: These schools can have both 2 and 4 year degree options and can also offer student housing. This can be a great alternative to a university if it fits your goals and plans.

Apprenticeships combine hands-on work with classroom learning to train the apprentice (that's you). If you decide to seek out an apprenticeship you will be joining the workforce directly and will be mentored by your employer on the specific skills you need to perform in the position you are hired for.

These positions are considered full-time jobs, which means you will be learning on the job site and earning a wage as you become fully trained in your chosen occupation by the end of the apprenticeship. Once you reach the end of your apprenticeship successfully, you are usually hired as a regular full-time employee for the company, which allows you to further improve your skills and progress in your career. Like technical and trade school, many of these apprenticeships revolve around occupational fields.

Apprenticeships are industry-driven, high-quality career pathways that allow employers to develop and prepare their future workforce. Because this is a learn as you work situation, most apprenticeships can last up to 1 - 6 years, depending the employer. The majority of programs require a minimum of 2,000 work hours, or in some cases up to 12,000 hours. Part of these hours will take place in a class setting, which is typically paid for by the employer for you to attend.