Also known as further education, continuing education consists of organized instructive activities, which provide professionals with lifelong learning experiences. Continuing education consists of programs, courses, and training opportunities that are usually taken after a degree or professional certification is obtained. Oftentimes, a continuing education unit, or CEU, credit is issued by the training facility.
Government agencies offering certification programs to professional such as nurses, real estate agents, public accountants, financial planners, and insurance agents, sometimes require these professionals to take a certain number of continuing education credits to retain certification. This structured learning process is used to ensure these professionals remain up-to-date on developments in their areas of expertise, and the interactions with consumers continue at a high standard.
The term continuing education can also apply to a number of adult post-secondary learning experiences.