Have you taken the first step toward furthering your education? If you are a business professional, consider the extension programs at your local college or university. Job seekers gain a distinct advantage in the job market by successfully completing certificate programs. Courses are more often than not taught by successful, leading-edge professionals. More importantly, you will be able to apply that knowledge from the "real world" classroom right into your place of work.

Awhile back I spoke at the University of California, Irvine's Career Night about the opportunities in Orange County and elsewhere regarding professionals looking to improve their career opportunities or to grow within their current companies. Whether you choose to continue your education at your local junior college, the California State University programs, or the University of California certificate courses, getting the current tools will help all knowledge workers in the years to come.

Certificate programs are a series of related courses that when taken in their entirety, provide students with real world credentials that can be taken to current and future employers. Programs are not limited to information technology. Indeed, most higher educational institutions have certificate programs in such popular knowledge work as finance, human resources, project management, legal assistantship, investor relations, business contracts, engineering, environmental management, occupational safety and health, nursing, and real estate.

However you choose to help your career, it is important to realize that you must place yourself. Today's knowledge workers are responsible for not only knowing where they should be, but how and when they intend to get there. Continuing education is an outstanding tool to assist in the lifelong process of continuous learning.