Your career has a significant impact on every aspect of your life. It determines how you spend your workdays and what types of workplace opportunities you’ll enjoy. It determines your salary and your job prospects. Some careers are localized, making it impossible to move without changing careers, while you can pursue other careers across the country or around the globe.
To pursue a career, you must have the appropriate credentials and training. Completing a certification program can increase your job prospects and help you find employment and can also lead to advancement opportunities. Let’s explore five certifications that will increase your job prospects and help you secure a job in your chosen career field.
1. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) certification is beneficial in multiple fields.
OSHA is a government agency that establishes workplace safety regulations. OSHA employs technicians who conduct tests and evaluate worksites, determining if the worksite complies with safety regulations. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports OSHA technicians took home median annual incomes of $53,340 in 2020 and should expect a stable five percent job growth rate from 2019 to 2029, slightly higher than the national average job growth rate for all occupations.
Aspiring OSHA technicians can prepare for their careers by completing an OSHA certification program. Completing OSHA standard training ensures you’re familiar with best practices for workplace safety and workers’ rights.
OSHA certification benefits individuals in several other fields, including the construction industry. Employees may be required to complete an OSHA outreach training program to work in their field. Completing the 30-hour OSHA outreach training equips individuals to eliminate workplace hazards and promote on-site safety.
2. Certification can lead to a career as a network technician.
From healthcare to education to finance, many career fields use computers and computer networks to complete everyday tasks. Many businesses can’t function when computers or computer networks break down. They rely on network technicians to restore their systems so employees can get back to work.
Earning network plus certification leads to opportunities as a network technician. The program covers 99 lessons and a trial exam to prepare students to pass their certification exam. Students learn about networking, network communications, enhancing the network, and network hardware.
According to the BLS, computer support specialists earned median annual incomes of $55,510 in 2020 and will see an eight percent job growth rate from 2019 to 2029, double the national average job growth rate for all career fields.
3. Earn your certification to become a court reporter.
Court reporters and simultaneous captioners took home median incomes of $61,660 in 2020, per the BLS. The BLS projects opportunities for these professionals will increase by nine percent from 2019 to 2029.
Court reporters use stenography machines to create transcriptions of trials, hearings, and other events in courts. You can prepare for a career as a court reporter by earning certification from professional organizations, such as the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA). Many states also recognize Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification.
Court reporting is an ideal career option for those with fast typing speeds and strong attention to detail. You’ll also need excellent listening skills to thrive in this career field.
4. Certification can open doors in the healthcare field.
There are plenty of career opportunities in healthcare you can pursue with certification. You can become a Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) by passing the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting exam. Alternatively, you can earn certification from the National Center for Competency Testing, the American Board of Surgical Assistants or the National Commission for the Certification of Surgical Assistants to qualify for a career as a surgical assistant.
The average salary for surgical technologists was $49,710 in 2020, per the BLS, and these healthcare professionals could expect to see a seven percent job growth rate from 2019 to 2029. Most surgical technologists work in hospitals, where they prepare operating rooms and sterilize surgical equipment.
Certification increases career opportunities for aspiring dental assistants, massage therapists, and medical assistants. Dental assistants can explore advancement opportunities with credentials from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). Most massage therapists are required to have cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. The American Association of Medical Assistants awards certified medical assistants (CMA) to individuals who pass their certification exam.
The BLS reports the median annual incomes for dental assistants, massage therapists, and medical assistants were $41,180, $43,620, and $35,850 in 2020. The BLS expects job opportunities for these professionals to increase by seven, 21, and 19 percent, respectively.
5. Capitalize on opportunities in information security with the proper certification.
Network technicians aren’t the only IT professionals in demand. The BLS reports that information security analysts should see a 31 percent job growth rate from 2019 to 2029, while the average salary for information security analysts was $103,590 in 2020.
Information security analysts install firewalls and use other tactics to protect networks from hackers. Multiple certification programs can prepare you to exploit opportunities in this field, including credentials from Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) programs. Some information security analysts attempt to penetrate networks to identify network weaknesses and determine how to improve security.
OSHA, network, court reporting, healthcare, and information security certifications can increase your job prospects and lead to opportunities for advancement. OSHA certification benefits professionals in multiple career fields, including the construction industry.