Trying to get certified later in life can be quite difficult. Whatever the reason, you may find yourself in a position where you need to expand your education, don’t be intimidated! Learning and gaining experience are possible at any age and in any circumstance.

Find a Trade School

If you need to find a career to pursue, but either cannot afford it or do not particularly want to go through college, you should consider trade school. Not only are there a great variety, and not only are they relatively quick and cheap, but you will be set with a career for the rest of your life that is always in demand. You can go on to work in software development, nursing, paralegal duties, electricity installation and repair, plumbing, HVAC repair, occupational therapy, and more. While not as glorified as college-graduate careers, trade school jobs are mostly growing, pay decently, and offer decent job security no matter where you go.

Go to a Community College

If you need a college degree, don’t be worried! You can attend a university as an irregular student, or you can even attend a community college. Community colleges are great for a few reasons – they are open enrollment (meaning everybody can attend), but they also often offer high-quality programs and degrees in whatever field you might want. They also tend to be a whole lot cheaper than state universities or private universities. There are a few caveats: you will probably need to take one or more standardized tests, like the GED. You can take the GED test online or in person. Research your local community college to know if they have the field that you want, and what tests will be required.

Take an Online Course

The internet houses a wealth of educational resources that can be fantastic for learning on the cheap or on the fly. There is also a large variety; you’ll probably be able to learn the basics of practically any skill for free, off of YouTube (or other sites where people just want to share knowledge). Khan Academy and Codecademy are two examples. However, if you want to dig deeper, you can pay a fee to take a course from any number of professional resources to learn a new job-worthy skill. Many offer free trials as well.

You may be at a difficult place in life currently. Few people want to have to learn an entirely new skill and get into a new career field later in life. But sometimes, that’s just your circumstance. And that’s okay! Thousands of people do it every day. Have confidence that you can learn and become just as knowledgeable as anybody else.

Check out this article on insurance benefits to look for during your job hunt!