How would you feel if you spent the better part of a year attending a school in order to receive certification for a particular occupation only to find out the school wasn't authorized to offer you that certification in the first place? It happened to Denise Parnell of Englewood, Illinois. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, Ms. Parnell enrolled in the Illinois School of Health Careers in Chicago (A Lesson They Won't Forget). She wanted to become a nursing assistant and the school told her she would be able to become certified by completing the program they offered. When she was almost finished with the program, Ms. Parnell learned that the Illinois Department of Health hadn't approved it. This meant she wouldn't be able to become certified.
To work in many occupations you need some sort of certificate or license, for which there is generally an educational requirement. The program from which you receive that education must typically be accredited by an organization or approved by a state agency. Ms. Parnell's case clearly illustrates why it is so important to thoroughly investigate the occupation in which you want to work to find out what all the requirements are. Before you enroll in any school or other educational program, make sure it has the proper accreditation.