Paralegal Training: An Array of Options
You can undergo paralegal training in a number of ways, although you should know that the position usually requires a two-year associate’s degree at a minimum—and not necessarily in law, although it’d be to your advantage if your degree was in a law-related or part of a paralegal training program. However, how you go on to complete your paralegal training after earning an associate’s degree will differ depending on your experience, your employer, and your own motivation.
While the paralegal job market is expected to grow, there may be more and more applicants for the available positions. This means that you should aim to complete as thorough a paralegal training program as you can. The more impressive your paralegal training program, the greater advantage you’ll have over the competition when it comes to landing a job. You’ll also be in a position to earn a higher salary when you’ve had a more thorough paralegal training experience.
Aside from an associate’s degree, you can earn a four-year bachelor’s degree or a six-year master’s degree in law or a program specifically tailored for paralegal training. The more education you have throughout your paralegal training, the greater your prospects are for finding and securing a job.
You can also try becoming a paralegal as a second career choice. If you have an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s in an unrelated field, you can opt to complete paralegal training in an intensive several-month-long paralegal training certification program. An intensive paralegal training program will give you an important introduction to law and the responsibilities you’ll face in your new profession. Sometimes an employer will look quite favorably on a candidate who changed professions after completing a paralegal training certification program. For example, paralegals with nursing or health care backgrounds are usually highly valued.
You can get further paralegal training by studying for paralegal certification, which is usually purely optional for working in the field. Nevertheless, many paralegal certification programs require annual enrollment in classes to keep you up-to-date with current applications of law; this ensures that your paralegal training continues even after you’ve begun the work.
Some employers may decide to train you on-the-job and allow you to begin work with little law experience. However, it would be to your advantage to pursue additional paralegal training in classroom settings and via certification in order to increase your job security and your value as an employee.