In today’s competitive job market, online vocational training programs offer a flexible path toward career growth. By combining relevant curriculum, certification preparation and hands-on experiences, these programs make it possible for learners to gain necessary skills while balancing work, family, school or other obligations — within a matter of months.
Whether you’re pursuing short-term certifications or building toward full degrees, vocational training can help you advance your career, earn stackable credentials and create opportunities for long-term professional growth.
Read on to learn more about what these programs offer and how they can fit into a larger education and career pathway.
The fast track: What are online vocational training programs?
Vocational training programs teach practical, job-ready skills for specific trades, technical fields and professions. They offer a flexible way to gain new skills, prepare for certifications and advance your career.
Online vocational training programs offer:
- Career professional development
- Specialized curriculum
- Hands-on training experiences
- Preparation for certifications and credentialing exams
- Flexible scheduling
Common online vocational training fields include:
- Information technology
- Healthcare support
- Business administration and accounting
- Skilled trades
Vocational training opportunities at Boise State
Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) at Boise State University, in partnership with ed2go, offers access to online vocational and workforce-related programming to help you build career-ready skills. Many of these programs are fully online and self-paced, making them more manageable for working adults, career changers or anyone balancing a busy schedule.
These programs are developed by industry professionals to deliver relevant and effective online learning experiences for several in-demand fields. Throughout your course, instructors and mentors are accessible and engaged in helping you progress by providing guidance, answering questions and offering support to help you stay on track.
For PACE, course themes include leadership and management, project management, communication, human resources and K-12 development, as well as test preparation for professional certifications or standardized exams. Ed2go offers career track training and professional development courses in a variety of categories, including business, computer applications, health and fitness and construction and trades.
Long-term planning: From certification to higher education
Continuing on toward online certification courses and degree programs after earning vocational certifications opens up more opportunities for advancement and stability within your chosen career field. Many students start by earning smaller credentials and work their way up to higher education.
Additionally, stackable certificates and credentials allow students to build a portfolio of practical skills, tools and methodologies. Boise State Online offers full degree programs, including plans built from your choice of certificates, such as the Bachelor of Arts in Digital Innovation and Design and Bachelor of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience.
Certification-to-online-degree-program pipeline
The table below helps provide more information on the direct path from vocational training to earning a degree for career advancement.
For example, earning a CompTIA+ certification can lead to an entry-level position in IT, which can then lead toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree in cybersecurity and eligibility and experience for higher-paying roles.
| Field | Vocational training focus | Advanced degree programs |
|---|---|---|
| IT and cybersecurity | Help desk training, CompTIA certifications | Bachelor of Science or Applied Science* in Cyber Operations and Resilience or Master of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience |
| Business and management | Quickbooks, administrative assistant certifications | Bachelor of Business Administration in Management or Master of Business Administration |
| Design and media | WordPress web design, user experience design certifications | Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Applied Science* in Digital Innovation and Design |
| Health care and medical support | Medical billing and coding, medical assistant, CNA or EKG technician certifications, medical assistant | RN-BS online program, Bachelor of Science in Imaging Sciences, Bachelor of Science Advanced Medical Imaging, MBA in Healthcare Leadership |
*Boise State’s online cyber operations and resilience bachelor’s degree and digital innovation and design bachelor’s degree offer a Bachelor of Applied Science option for students transferring credits from an Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Intermediate Technical Certificate or Advanced Technical Certificate.
Next steps: Choosing an online vocational training course
If online vocational training aligns with your career goals, these tips can help you get started:
- Assess your skills gap. Look at job descriptions in your field, are there recurring certifications you might be missing in your resume?
- Find programs and courses that meet your needs. Research which institutions offer the programming you need. Boise State’s PACE and ed2go courses, for example, have several online options that span across multiple career fields.
- Start implementing your new learnings and credentials. Update your LinkedIn profile, optimize your resume, network with others in your field or negotiate a raise in your current role with confidence.
- Map out your ideal degree pathway. If higher education is the logical next step for your goals, leverage work experience and prior credits to fast-track your degree plan and secure leadership roles.Â
Learn more about Boise State Online
Boise State Online offers 100+ online programs and 900+ unique online courses to help you make your educational dreams a reality — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online program is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.