2 Career Programs You Can Complete in Fewer Than 18 Months

Training for your career is crucial if you want to qualify for the best job opportunities in your chosen field. Employers look for skilled applicants with the latest relevant education. Completing post-secondary education indicates you’re capable of acquiring and applying new skills and can adapt to changes in your industry.

Despite the value of postsecondary education, there are several reasons you may wish to limit the amount of time you spend on your studies. On average, college students in the United States spend over $10,000 on tuition each year when attending a college in their home state. Out-of-state students spend over $15,000. Whether you can’t afford to spend four years completing postsecondary studies or want to enter the workforce as quickly as possible, you might be interested in programs you can complete in under 18 months. Let’s look at two postsecondary career options you can qualify for with under 18 months of training.

You can prepare for a career in automotive technology in 15 months or less.

Career Programs

Automotive service technicians and mechanics perform routine vehicle maintenance, inspect vehicles, and repair vehicle systems. Diesel service technicians perform the same tasks while working with diesel-powered vehicles. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians service specialized vehicles, such as farm and construction equipment.

Preparing for a career as an auto, diesel, or heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technician typically involves completing a postsecondary program in automotive or diesel technology. Aspiring technicians and mechanics can complete an automotive and diesel technology program in 15 months. This program ensures graduates can perform repairs on major vehicle systems, including steering and suspension systems, brakes, gas and diesel engines, electrical and electronic systems, climate control systems, manual drive trains, and axles. Graduates receive an associate in occupational studies (AOS) degree and are ready to take their Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam.

Individuals interested in this career field can also complete an automotive service technology certificate in 11 months. A truck and diesel service technology certificate also takes 11 months of postsecondary study. In 12 months, students can complete a collision repair technology certificate. All certificate programs cover the essential information required to take the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam to receive ASE licensing.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that auto service techs and mechanics received median annual salaries of $44,050 in 2020, while those who worked with diesel-powered vehicles earned $50,200 per year. Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians made $53,370 annually as of 2020, per the BLS.

You can prepare for an information technology career with less than a year of training.

Career Programs

Information technology’s a thriving career field. As technology advances, the demand for qualified IT experts increases. The BLS reports that jobs for computer support specialists will increase by eight percent between 2019 and 2029, which is double the national average job growth rate for all occupations. Computer and information systems managers will enjoy a 10 percent growth rate during the same period, while the BLS reports jobs for information security analysts will increase by 31 percent.

You can acquire the skills required for an IT career by completing networking bootcamp training and become a full-stack network engineer through a 24-week part-time program. The program covers local area network (LAN) setup and cybersecurity. Tech enthusiasts acquire practical technical skills, ensuring they’re ready to pursue network security or network support careers. You can prepare for a future in the technical field even faster by completing the program through 14 weeks of full-time study. The program instructors have a combined total of over 40 years of technical experience working for leading IT companies such as Cisco, ensuring program graduates have the knowledge and skills required to thrive in the workplace.

The BLS reports that computer support specialists earned median annual incomes of $55,510 in 2020. The BLS also reports that information security analysts took home annual salaries of $103,590 the same year.

Whether you want to work with vehicles or computer systems, you can prepare for your career with less than 18 months of post-secondary studies. Customized programs ensure you have the training required for a successful career in the auto repair or IT industries.