Continuing Education - A Way to Look to the Future
It is often said that education is the key to success. In the past, those who could not attend post-secondary school for a variety of reasons didn't have many options. That is until Continuing Education programs became popular and opened up doors. Today, continuing education is similar to adult education, at least in being intended for adult learners. However, it is not normally considered to include basic instruction such as literacy, English language skills or programs such as vocational training or GED preparation. Instead, as the term suggests, it is assumed that the student already has an education and is simply continuing it. In Canada, Continuing Education involves enrollment in college/university credit-granting courses, often by students enrolled part-time.
One such Canadian institution to offer a Continuing Education option is Centennial College, which has nearly 22,000 learners each year in 160 programs that feature more than 1,200 courses and a 97 per cent learner satisfaction. This school's programs are designed to help students improve their skills, further their education, pursue a variety of interests and enable them to embrace new possibilities. In addition, the Continuing Education school at Centennial College provides experienced instructors who understand adult learning needs, offering flexible, learner-centered teaching methodologies; provides practical hands-on knowledge to place relevant theory into context and perspective; recognizes and respects both the level of maturity and work experience of its students; provides effective instructor to student ratio and an optimal classroom size enabling competent peer interaction.
Areas of Continuing Education study include: Addiction Studies, Business, Computers and Information Technology, Early Childhood Education, Engineering Technology, Food Service Worker, Media and Design, Part-time Health Studies, Retirement Communities Management/Long Term Care Management, Transportation, and more.
All programs facilitated through the continuing education school have their own prerequisites and it's best to check each individual program's page to ensure that students have the necessary requirements to apply. It should also be noted that within certain programs there might be qualification requirements and costs for external accreditations, designations, certifications or recognitions. These are set by the granting bodies and not by Centennial College. In order to qualify for any of those external accreditations, designations, certification or recognition, students and graduates will need to follow the processes and meet the applicable requirements listed on the websites and materials of those external bodies.
In addition, those students who can't make it to campus but wish to attend the Continuing Education School can choose the Distance Learning option, which is conducted entirely online. This study option still allows students to enjoy similar in-person benefits of a physical classroom such as: a qualified and industry-experienced instructor, communication tools, discussion boards and forums, a sense of email access with their classmates, digital assignment capability, and more.
