What does certification mean?

Certification

Most employers require certification training for employees in unlicensed positions (like a Medical Assistant or Nursing Assistant). But certification can mean different things from different schools and programs.

Before you select a certification program, you should know a lot about the school you are planning to go to.

Employers may:

• Prefer certificate programs from one school over another
• Not accept certifications from certain programs
• Only accept certifications from programs that cover areas that they have found are important to quality care delivery

It is hard to know where your certification will be accepted if you don’t ask the right questions. We recommend that you:

• Ask the school or program to provide you with information about who hires their graduates
• Contact local employers that you might want to work for and see if they accept certification from the program(s) you are considering
• Ask people who are currently working where they got their certificate and if they would recommend the program to others

If you are considering a proprietary school (often called technical or career institutes), visit our page on proprietary schools to find out more information on questions to ask.

If you are considering a community college, visit our page on selecting a school for more tips on how to find the perfect school for you.