Education is key!
Education & Employment – What’s the connection?
Pretty much every job requires some sort of training beyond high school. That said, not everyone has to have an advanced degree, there are many ways to get the skills you need.

Resources for Earning a High School Equivalency Diploma
Without a high school diploma or equivalency diploma, finding a job can be challenging. Employers want their employees to have at least a basic education. Here are some resources to help:
- The Literacy Project
- Franklin Hampshire Career Center
- SABES/ACLS
- High School Equivalency Testing Information for Massachusetts
Post Secondary Options
Education & Training Programs
Community Colleges and trade schools are a great resource to start with. They offer the chance to get started on a college career and are very affordable. They also offer job training programs to help you begin or advance your career.
Vocational Training
Also known as on the job training, these programs give you the opportunity to learn by doing, and obtain credentials in the process.
Skills through service
Want to make the world a better place while you learn? You might consider one of the many national and state service programs. These are a great way to build skills and experieces.
Short-term training
Career One Stop has a Find Short-Term Training tool that you can use to find programs that take less than one year to complete.
College Decision-Making Tools
National Center for Education Statistics’ College Navigator
You can use this site to search for college/university programs that fit different criteria such as location, program, size of school, type of school, and more to fine-tune a list of post-secondary options.