Hoosiers earned more than 20,000 workforce certifications in 2019 according to a new report, many in health care or business sectors. That’s part of a larger state goal of seeing the majority of Hoosiers with some form of post-secondary education by 2025.

Only about 10 percent of post-secondary education in Indiana comes from short-term credentials instead of college degrees. But the state has been emphasizing those training paths. That’s resulted in about five times as many residents getting a certificate last year compared to a decade ago. The report also noted that certificate earners are slightly more diverse than those with college degrees.

Peggy Bulanda went back to school in her late 50s to earn a certification as a licensed practical nurse. She received tuition assistance from the state’s Workforce Ready Grant.

“What an incredible blessing the Workforce Ready Grant was,” she said. “I was shocked; I didn’t even know it existed, but it found me.”

Now in her early 60s, Bulanda said she happily works as an in-home caregiver. She encourages people considered going back to school to research training opportunities through Ivy Tech – where the vast majority of Hoosiers earned certificates – and the state's Next Level Jobs.

“My message to any student – especially middle-aged or the unconventional students – is it’s never too late,” Bulanda said. "Go for it."

The report notes that the numbers do not reflect a recent downturn in enrollments at Ivy Tech due to the pandemic.

Contact reporter Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM.