Today, for older Americans, returning to work or continuing to work does not necessarily mean a job as a Walmart greeter.

There are many ways older adults can gain new skills without investing the time in a college degree. Colleges, community colleges and some trade associations offer training for professional certificate programs, many of them online. And the time commitment can be as short or long as you like.

Dorothy Umans, Community Ed and Learning Services Director at Montgomery County (Maryland) College, says older Americans are returning to work or going for continuing education for a variety of reasons. “Some of it is, I’m running out of money. Some of it is, I want human contact, or I want my brain to be engaged.”

“Most people 50 or older are looking at computers and IT and cybersecurity,” she continues. Depending on the program, 27% to 40% of the participants are in that age group.

Got Drive?

But there are many other certificate programs ranging from interior design to horticulture to nursing. One retiring couple together took a three-month program to get CDL-A (Commercial Driver’s Licenses) to drive big trucks, Umans says. They wanted to travel the country together. The CDL-B license training, for smaller trucks and buses, requires 70 hours.

“There’s plenty of opportunity because the number of contract positions in these kinds of part time jobs have just escalated coming out of the pandemic, and they haven’t abated, because employers really like the idea of not having full time employees,” says Kerry Hannon, career expert and author of “Great Jobs for People 50+: Finding Work That Keeps You Healthy and Happy and Pays the Bills.”

There’s money in…money

For example, you can get a certificate in accounting or business management essentials from Cornell University online, two-month programs. Certificates in a variety of colleges are offered in dental assistance or medical billing. Georgetown University offers a six-week program in finance for non-financial managers.

A dental assistant program is available at a variety of community colleges and other organizations. A program at DATS runs 11 weeks.

Hannon says you can get a certificate in event planning, or even in coaching or umpiring. “And there’s something called the Events Industry Council that offers a meeting professional certification that can help you with stuff like that,” she says.

Notary Public

Depending on which state you live in, you could become a notary public with little training. Some states stipulate that notary applicants take a class and pass an exam on relevant laws and job requirements. Others require the test but not the training class. Most states require neither training nor a test, though training is still encouraged.

You can pursue notary education through notary associations, vendors and some community colleges. Courses typically run three to six hours, while exams last about an hour, according to Forbes. According to the National Notary Association, half of the full-time mobile notaries earn $2,000 a month. More than two-thirds of full-time mobile notaries who work full time earn $4,000 a month.

Bookkeeper is another option. Intuit Academy offers a two-month program for a certificate in bookkeeping, but there are many other options.

A Sporting Chance

Interested in sports? There are certificates for that too. USA Soccer sponsors online programs for first-time referees through state organizations. You must be at least 13 years old. Courses, through the USA Soccer Learning Center, requires 4½ hours of training and a 45-minute quiz.

Other sports require various degrees of physicality and training, NASO offers details on most sports through its website. Most require contacting local youth organizations, and some do require equipment and physical demands.

“Senior fitness trainers are a big thing if you’re in good shape and that’s what you like, there’s lots of ways to get certified to be a senior fitness trainer,” says Hannon.

Umans, meanwhile, says the rapid growth in senior living facilities has also created many job opportunities – from food service to marketing. “Imagine working in food service and getting off at 7 p.m. every night,” she says.

YOUR TURN

What do you do for extra cash? Did you use a certificate program? Share your story in the comments!

Rodney A. Brooks is an award-winning journalist and author. The former Deputy Managing Editor/Money at USA TODAY, his retirement columns appear in U.S. News & World Report and Senior Planet.com. He has also written for National Geographic, The Washington Post and USA TODAY and has testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. His book, “The Rise & Fall of the Freedman’s Bank, And Its Lasting Socio-economic Impact on Black America” was released in 2024. He is also author of the book “Fixing the Racial Wealth Gap.” His website is www.rodneyabrooks.com

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