Recognize the benefits of continuing education

First of all, you should ask yourself why you got one in the first place Further Training want to do. Surely you want more yourself Background acquire something that will be of use to you on the job market. Or you Executive want you one Further Training . make

Further education has to bring something

But it's not just about learning anything at all. Much more should be the continuing education that you put in the time and Money invest, from the employer – or, if you are self-employed, from your customers - also be valued and actually bring you a better job, new customers or more money.

But that can be problematic. Because what you learned in school was required by law and proof of this was provided by a nationally standardized school leaving certificate. And you too Study or you have probably completed your vocational training with a state-recognized qualification. All of these qualifications were generally recognized nationwide, and in some cases even internationally, and were therefore comparable with one another.

Training should be recognized

The advantage lies in the Hand: With such a certificate, everyone can directly assess what you can do. Unfortunately, this is a little different with many further training courses: On the one hand, there are around 35.000 providers with 400.000 different further training programs in Germany alone in the field of vocational further training – a field in which it is absolutely impossible to keep an overview.

On the other hand, these further training courses are hardly regulated by law. Content, type, Objective, Duration and examinations must be regulated by ordinances of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. However, state regulations are only absolutely necessary for retraining in a state-recognized training occupation. In contrast, the majority of further training qualifications are not regulated by law. Many of the qualifications that you can obtain with further training are certificates that the further training institution itself brought into being.

Continuing education legislation

After all, in most federal states there are further training laws 4 with partly strict requirements for the quality of further training. However, the degrees are not regulated here. Some further training qualifications are nationally known and widely recognized on the labor market, such as the qualifications of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Others, on the other hand, are hardly known and hide that Problemthat your (potential) employer, who has never heard of the degree, cannot assess the knowledge you have acquired with it.

One case in which further training imparts extensive knowledge, but the degree is only of limited use on the job market, is the several thousand euros expensive further training for “Psychological Adviser according to the Heilpraktikergesetz”. The job title sounds good, but the graduates are not on the same level as psychologists or psychotherapists who have a university degree. In contrast to their academic colleagues, psychological counselors are not allowed to bill the health insurance company. However, this can become a problem if the psychological counselor does not find enough wealthy clients afterwards.

Further training is difficult to compare

In addition, it is difficult to compare the content and form of the individual further training courses without uniform standards for the degrees: There are classic further training courses in the form of courses with or without a practical component, but also distance and self-learning programs, self-directed Things to Learn with the help of the media, reading specialist books or specialist journals as well as quality or workshop circles.

Further training institutions can be public and private providers such as universities and adult education centers, church and trade union institutions or professional associations and chambers, but also individuals. Some trainers specialize in vocational or political education, while others cover the entire spectrum. In other words: the field is almost unmanageable thanks to the wide range on offer. You should consider all of this in your considerations and the selection narrow down a bit.

Therefore: Limit the possibilities from the outset: Find out from the respective professional associations which further training and qualifications are available in the respective Industry recognition .