Continuing Education on a Resume

Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, formal education is just the beginning. Employers increasingly value candidates who demonstrate commitment to ongoing learning—those who take courses, earn certifications, attend workshops, and actively develop new skills throughout their careers. Continuing education signals that you’re adaptable, ambitious, and invested in staying current in your field.

But how do you effectively showcase this ongoing professional development on your resume? Where should continuing education appear? Which courses merit inclusion and which should be omitted? How do you present online courses with the same credibility as traditional programs? These questions can be surprisingly complex, especially as the landscape of professional learning continues to expand.

This comprehensive guide will answer all your questions about listing continuing education on your resume. We’ll cover what types of continuing education to include, how to format different kinds of training, where to place this information for maximum impact, and how to avoid common mistakes. Whether you’ve completed a prestigious executive certificate program, earned industry certifications, taken online courses through major platforms, or attended professional workshops, you’ll learn how to present your commitment to growth in the most compelling way possible.

The right presentation of continuing education can differentiate you from candidates who stopped learning after their formal degrees. Let’s explore how to showcase your dedication to professional development effectively.

What Counts as Continuing Education?

Types of Continuing Education

The term “continuing education” encompasses a wide range of learning experiences undertaken after your initial formal education:

Professional Certifications Industry-recognized credentials that demonstrate expertise in specific areas. Examples include:

• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
• AWS Solutions Architect
• Google Analytics Certification
• SHRM-CP/SCP for HR professionals
• Six Sigma certifications

Professional Development Courses Structured courses designed to develop professional skills, whether taken in-person or online:

• University extension programs
• Executive education certificates
• Professional association courses
• Corporate training programs
• Intensive bootcamps

Online Learning Platforms Courses from major online education providers:

• Coursera
• LinkedIn Learning
• edX
• Udemy
• Skillshare
• Pluralsight
• General Assembly

Workshops and Seminars Short-form learning experiences focused on specific topics:

• Industry conference sessions
• Professional association workshops
• Company-sponsored training
• Leadership development programs

Continuing Education Units (CEUs) Required ongoing education for maintaining professional licenses:

• Medical continuing education
• Legal continuing education
• Teaching recertification
• Engineering professional development hours

Academic Coursework Individual college courses or programs not leading to a full degree:

• Certificate programs
• Non-degree coursework
• Graduate-level individual courses
• Community college courses

What’s Valuable to Include

Not all continuing education deserves resume real estate. Consider including:

Relevant to Your Target Role The learning should connect to skills or knowledge the employer values. A marketing course matters for marketing roles; it may not matter for an engineering position.

From Recognized Sources Courses from reputable institutions, known platforms, or respected industry bodies carry more weight than unknown sources.

Completed Recently Recent learning is more relevant than courses from many years ago. Generally, focus on the past 3-5 years unless older credentials remain highly valuable.

Demonstrating Commitment Significant programs that required real investment of time and effort demonstrate more commitment than casual learning.

Filling Gaps Learning that addresses gaps in your formal education or experience can be particularly valuable—for example, technical certifications for career changers.

What to Generally Exclude

Some continuing education is better left off your resume:

Very Short Courses Brief sessions (under a few hours) generally don’t merit inclusion unless highly relevant.

Recreational Learning Courses taken purely for personal interest without professional relevance.

Outdated Content Very old courses in rapidly changing fields may suggest you haven’t kept current since.

Incomplete Programs Generally, don’t list courses you started but didn’t finish, unless you’re actively enrolled and nearing completion.

Unknown or Questionable Sources Learning from sources without recognized credibility may not add value and could raise questions.

Where to Place Continuing Education

Placement Options

Several resume locations work for continuing education, depending on your situation:

Education Section The most common placement. List continuing education after your formal degrees, or in a subsection within education.

Dedicated Continuing Education Section If you have substantial continuing education that significantly supports your candidacy, consider a dedicated section titled “Professional Development,” “Continuing Education,” or “Training & Certifications.”

Certifications Section Industry certifications often warrant their own section, especially in fields where certifications are essential credentials.

Within Relevant Experience If training directly relates to your work at a particular company, you can mention it within that experience section: “Completed advanced leadership training program, selected from pool of 200 candidates.”

Skills Section Some brief certifications or courses that led to specific technical skills can be mentioned in a skills section rather than listed separately.

Choosing the Right Placement

Place in Education Section When:

• Continuing education is an extension of your formal education
• You have limited continuing education to list
• The courses are academic in nature (university certificates, coursework)

Create a Dedicated Section When:

• You have substantial continuing education (3+ significant items)
• Continuing education is particularly relevant to your target role
• You want to emphasize your commitment to ongoing learning
• You’re in a field where continuous learning is especially valued

List in Certifications Section When:

• You have industry certifications that serve as credentials
• Your field requires or heavily values specific certifications
• Certifications are what employers will specifically look for

Incorporate into Experience When:

• Training was company-sponsored and prestigious
• The training directly relates to achievements at that company
• You want to demonstrate employer investment in your development

Formatting Continuing Education

Standard Formatting Approach

For most continuing education, use a consistent format similar to your formal education entries:

Course/Program Name | Issuing Institution | Completion Date [Optional: Brief description or key learnings]

Examples:

Project Management Professional (PMP) | Project Management Institute | 2023

Advanced Digital Marketing Certificate | Cornell University | 2022

Leadership Development Program | Company XYZ Internal University | 2021 Intensive 6-month program covering strategic planning, executive presence, and organizational change management.

Formatting by Type

Certifications

List the credential name, issuing body, and date earned. Include credential ID or expiration if relevant:

AWS Solutions Architect – Associate | Amazon Web Services | 2023 Credential ID: ABC123456

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | State Board of Accountancy | 2019 Active license, renewed annually

University Certificate Programs

Treat similarly to degrees, emphasizing the institution:

Digital Marketing Strategy Certificate Cornell University, SC Johnson College of Business | 2022 Completed 6-course specialization in digital marketing analytics and strategy

Executive Leadership Certificate Stanford Graduate School of Business | 2021 Highly selective 4-week program for emerging executives

Online Course Certifications

Include the platform and institution (if applicable):

Machine Learning Specialization Coursera | Stanford University | 2023 Completed 4-course specialization covering supervised learning, neural networks, and ML algorithms

Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate Coursera | Google | 2022 8-course program covering data cleaning, analysis, visualization, and R programming

Professional Workshops and Training

For shorter programs, a more condensed format works:

Professional Development:

• Crucial Conversations Workshop, VitalSmarts (2023)
• Situational Leadership II Certification, Blanchard (2022)
• Design Thinking Bootcamp, IDEO U (2022)

Formatting Multiple Items

When listing several continuing education items, organize them for easy scanning:

By Category:

CERTIFICATIONS

• PMP, Project Management Institute (2023)
• Scrum Master, Scrum Alliance (2022)

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Executive Leadership Program, Wharton Executive Education (2021)
• Strategic Negotiation, Harvard Business School Online (2020)

By Relevance: Put most relevant items first, regardless of chronology, so employers see high-priority credentials immediately.

Chronologically: List in reverse chronological order (most recent first) when all items have similar relevance.

Industry-Specific Guidance

Technology

In tech, continuing education is particularly valued because the field evolves rapidly. Emphasize:

• Current technical certifications (cloud platforms, programming languages, security)
• Platform-specific credentials (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Development methodology certifications (Agile, Scrum)
• Recent courses in emerging technologies

Example Tech Section:

CERTIFICATIONS & TRAINING

• AWS Solutions Architect – Professional | Amazon Web Services | 2024
• Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) | Cloud Native Computing Foundation | 2023
• Machine Learning Specialization | Coursera, Stanford University | 2023
• Certified Scrum Master | Scrum Alliance | 2022

Healthcare

Healthcare professionals often have required continuing education for licensure. Organize by relevance:

• Required licensing CEUs can be mentioned briefly (e.g., “Current RN license, all CEU requirements maintained”)
• Highlight specialty certifications and advanced training
• Emphasize patient safety and quality certifications

Example Healthcare Section:

CERTIFICATIONS

• Board Certified (ABIM), Internal Medicine | 2019, Recertified 2023
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) | American Heart Association | Current
• Patient Safety Certificate | Institute for Healthcare Improvement | 2022

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Diagnostic Excellence Program, Johns Hopkins Medicine | 2023
• Healthcare Quality Professional Training, NAHQ | 2022

Finance and Accounting

Financial credentials are often essential qualifications. Treat major certifications as credentials, not just education:

• CPA, CFA, CFP designations warrant prominent placement
• Continuing education requirements for maintaining credentials can be noted
• Compliance and regulatory training matters

Example Finance Section:

PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS

• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) | CFA Institute | 2020
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) | State Board | 2017

CONTINUING EDUCATION

• ESG Integration in Equity Analysis | CFA Institute | 2023
• Advanced Financial Modeling | Wall Street Prep | 2022

Human Resources

HR certifications (SHRM, PHR/SPHR) are important professional credentials:

Example HR Section:

CERTIFICATIONS

• SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) | 2021
• Certified Diversity Professional | Cornell ILR School | 2022

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Employment Law Update | SHRM | 2023
• HR Analytics Certification | Wharton Online | 2022

Marketing

Marketing evolves rapidly, making recent learning particularly relevant:

Example Marketing Section:

CERTIFICATIONS

• Google Analytics 4 Certification | Google | 2024
• HubSpot Inbound Marketing Certification | HubSpot | 2023
• Meta Certified Marketing Science Professional | Meta | 2023

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• Brand Management Specialization | Coursera, IE Business School | 2022
• Advanced Content Strategy | Content Marketing Institute | 2022

Handling Online Courses

The Credibility Question

Online courses have become increasingly legitimate, but credibility varies. Here’s how to present them effectively:

From Major Platforms + Prestigious Institutions Courses offered through platforms like Coursera or edX in partnership with top universities carry significant credibility. Mention both:

“Machine Learning Specialization, Stanford University (via Coursera)”

From Major Platforms Without University Partners Courses from LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, or Skillshare can still be valuable but require selectivity. Include only when:

• Highly relevant to your target role
• Part of a comprehensive program, not single casual courses
• You can demonstrate practical application

From Company-Specific Programs Platform-specific certifications from companies like Google, HubSpot, Salesforce, or AWS carry credibility because they verify knowledge of those specific platforms.

Best Practices for Online Courses

Focus on Specializations Over Single Courses A comprehensive specialization or certificate program demonstrates more commitment than individual courses.

Emphasize Project-Based Programs Courses that required significant projects or assessments show deeper engagement than lecture-only programs.

Connect to Practical Application If possible, note how you’ve applied learning: “Applied course learnings to implement analytics dashboard increasing team productivity 25%”

Be Selective Don’t list every online course you’ve taken. Choose the most relevant and substantive programs.

Keep Current In rapidly evolving fields, courses from several years ago may seem dated. Focus on recent learning.

Formatting Online Courses

With University Partnership:

Data Science Professional Certificate IBM (via Coursera) | 2023 Comprehensive 9-course program covering Python, SQL, data visualization, and machine learning

Platform-Specific:

Google Project Management Certificate Google (via Coursera) | 2023 6-course professional certificate covering project initiation, planning, execution, and agile methodology

Grouped Format (for multiple shorter courses):

Online Learning (LinkedIn Learning):

• Advanced Python Programming (2023)
• Data Visualization with Tableau (2023)
• SQL for Data Analysis (2022)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Listing Too Much

Including every course, webinar, and workshop overwhelms readers and dilutes impact. Curate ruthlessly—include only what’s most relevant and substantial.

Mistake 2: Including Irrelevant Learning

A photography course doesn’t belong on a software developer’s resume (unless you’re applying for a role combining both skills). Filter for relevance.

Mistake 3: Using Outdated Credentials

Certifications in rapidly changing fields become stale. A Java certification from 2010 may raise more questions than it answers. Remove or update outdated learning.

Mistake 4: Overemphasizing Minor Courses

Don’t give equal formatting weight to brief online courses and substantial certificate programs. Use formatting to indicate relative significance.

Mistake 5: Listing Incomplete Programs

Don’t list courses you started but didn’t finish. The exception is if you’re currently enrolled and can indicate expected completion. Using tools like 0portfolio.com can help you organize your credentials and ensure you’re presenting completed achievements.

Mistake 6: Missing Relevant Certifications

In fields where certifications are expected (IT, HR, project management, healthcare), omitting them can be as damaging as missing required education. Research what credentials are standard in your target field.

Mistake 7: Inconsistent Formatting

Mixing formats—some entries with dates, some without; some with institutions, some without—appears disorganized. Apply consistent formatting throughout.

Mistake 8: Putting Certifications in the Wrong Section

Industry certifications often deserve more prominent placement than being buried at the bottom of an education section. Consider placement carefully based on your field and the certification’s importance.

Special Scenarios

Career Changers

For those changing careers, continuing education can bridge the gap between your background and target role:

• Emphasize learning directly relevant to your new direction
• Use continuing education to demonstrate commitment to the transition
• Place relevant new credentials prominently, possibly before older education
• Consider a summary statement that references your new learning

Example for Career Changer:

“Marketing professional transitioning to data analytics, combining 8 years of marketing experience with newly acquired data science skills through comprehensive certification programs.”

ANALYTICS EDUCATION

• Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate | 2023
• SQL for Data Science, UC Davis (Coursera) | 2023
• Statistics with Python Specialization, University of Michigan (Coursera) | 2023

Gaps in Employment

If continuing education occurred during employment gaps, it demonstrates productive use of that time:

• List the education with dates that overlap your gap
• Consider mentioning the learning in a cover letter to explain the gap positively
• Focus on how the learning prepared you for your return to work

Required Continuing Education

Some professions require ongoing education to maintain licensure. Handle this efficiently:

For Licensed Professions: “Current [License Type], all continuing education requirements maintained”

This addresses the requirement without consuming valuable resume space with individual CEU courses.

Extensive Continuing Education

If you have substantial continuing education (many certifications, multiple programs), consider:

• Creating a dedicated “Certifications” or “Professional Development” section
• Using a resume addendum for the complete list (mentioning its availability)
• Prioritizing and listing only the most relevant items
• Grouping by category (Technical Certifications, Leadership Training, Industry Credentials)

Maximizing Impact

Connect Learning to Results

When possible, show how continuing education contributed to work outcomes:

“Project Management Professional (PMP) | 2022 – Subsequently led 5 projects to on-time, under-budget completion”

“AWS Solutions Architect Certification | 2023 – Applied to migrate company infrastructure, reducing costs 30%“

Use In Cover Letters

Reference significant continuing education in your cover letter to demonstrate motivation:

“My recent completion of Cornell’s Digital Marketing Certificate reflects my commitment to staying current with evolving digital strategies and prepared me to contribute immediately to your digital transformation initiatives.”

Prepare to Discuss in Interviews

Be ready to discuss your continuing education:

• Why you chose specific programs
• What you learned and how you’ve applied it
• What you’re currently learning or plan to learn next
• How you balance ongoing learning with work responsibilities

Update Regularly

Keep your continuing education section current:

• Add new credentials as you earn them
• Remove outdated items that no longer serve your candidacy
• Update certification dates when renewed
• Ensure active credentials are clearly marked as current

Conclusion

Continuing education demonstrates something formal degrees cannot: your commitment to growth beyond minimum requirements. In a job market that values adaptability and continuous improvement, showcasing your ongoing learning can significantly strengthen your candidacy.

The key is thoughtful curation and presentation. Include learning that’s relevant to your target roles, from credible sources, and substantial enough to merit inclusion. Format it consistently and place it where it will have maximum impact—whether that’s in your education section, a dedicated professional development section, or a standalone certifications section.

Be particularly thoughtful about online courses. While increasingly legitimate, they require selective presentation. Emphasize comprehensive programs over individual courses, highlight platform partnerships with prestigious institutions, and focus on recent, relevant learning.

Remember that continuing education serves multiple purposes on your resume: it fills gaps in formal education, demonstrates commitment to staying current, signals growth mindset to employers, and can differentiate you from candidates who stopped learning at graduation. Leverage these benefits through strategic presentation.

Your resume should tell the story of someone who invests in their own development. When continuing education is presented effectively, it becomes a compelling chapter in that story—one that shows employers they’re getting a candidate who will continue growing and improving long after they’re hired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I include continuing education if I have advanced degrees? Yes, especially if the continuing education is recent or covers skills not addressed by your formal education. Advanced degrees don’t preclude the value of ongoing learning.

How do I list courses that don’t have formal certificates? You can still list them, but be clear about what they were: “Completed advanced Python training program, DataCamp (40 hours)”

Should I include internal company training? Include it if it’s substantial and transferable—leadership programs, technical training, or methodology certifications. Skip routine compliance or orientation training.

How recent does continuing education need to be? Focus on learning from the past 3-5 years for most fields. In rapidly evolving areas (technology), prioritize even more recent education. Established credentials (CPA, PMP) remain relevant regardless of when earned.

Can continuing education substitute for missing degree requirements? It can help but rarely fully substitutes. If a job requires a degree, continuing education alone probably won’t qualify you. However, extensive relevant continuing education combined with experience can sometimes offset this.

Should I include my grades or scores from continuing education programs? Only if they’re exceptional and the program is rigorous enough that grades are meaningful. Don’t include completion badges or basic passing scores.

How do I handle certifications that have expired? Generally, remove expired certifications unless they demonstrate foundational knowledge still relevant to your work. If you plan to renew, you can note “Certification lapsed, renewal in progress.”

Is it worth listing free courses? Cost doesn’t determine value—relevance and substance do. Free courses from reputable platforms can be just as valuable as paid programs if they’re relevant and well-regarded.