Education and continuing to learn is a part of life. You are going to need some form of post high school education (often called post-secondary) for most careers. You always want stay on top of your job because the work place is pretty competitive. Knowledge is what will help you stay ahead. How much education you will need past high school will depend on your career path.

Trade schools help you focus on a specific job. They provide the skills that are necessary for a career in a particular field. These types of schools don't provide a broad curriculum covering multiple fields. Keep in mind, it's important to find out if this trade school is nationally and or regionally accredited. This will allow the degree that you get from the school to carry more recognition. Knowing this will also help you so that you don't dump money into a school that won't actually help you grow in your career.

Community colleges are another option for you. They offer a variety of programs, which usually culminate in an Associate's Degree or specialized certification. Some people use community college as a low cost way to gain credits so that they don't have to spend quite as much money on a four-year college or university. So, you can knock out some broader or more generalized courses for sometimes half the price. That's not such a bad idea, don't you think?

Next up is the four-year college. Students in these institutions will pursue a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. These schools offer a broad range of majors – everything from a degree in Psychology to Filmmaking. Keep in mind though that these degrees don't automatically get you a job in the specific area you study. They simply provide you with the skills and knowledge that will help you get closer to that field.

After the four-year college degree, you could go on to pursue other degrees. Professional careers look highly on graduate work. Graduate school offers students an opportunity to get a Master's degree at the end of a two-year program. One of the benefits of graduate studies is that you can usually take evening classes. That means that you can work during the day in your career, and then go to school at night to advance your career. Pretty cool, right?

There are also professional schools. These are typically specialized schools that you can enter into after you get your Bachelor degree. They can help you earn your credentials in fields such as law, medicine, or dentistry.

Certifications are another way to gain training and a necessary certificate to work in a specific field. Many employers will assist you and pay for you to get this certification. This offers the opportunity for you to bring the training, certification, and expertise to new jobs past the current one you are working within.

Remember, it's a great big world out there and furthering your education past the high school level will help you be better prepare for it.