Plain-English glossary

Career training comes with a lot of initials, and it's easy to feel behind before you've started. Here's what the terms on this site and in your roadmap actually mean — in plain words. You don't need to memorize any of it; just look up what you run into.

Words that trip people up

• Accredited — a program that's been checked and approved by an outside body. It matters because you usually can't sit for a licensing exam unless your program was accredited. Always confirm this before enrolling.
• License — legal permission from your state to do a job (e.g., a licensed electrician or nurse). Doing the work without it is illegal, which is part of why licensed jobs resist automation.
• Certification — proof from a national body that you passed a standard, often on top of (or instead of) a state license. Sometimes optional, sometimes required by employers.
• Registration — being on a state's official list to work in a role, often the first step (e.g., a registered apprentice) before a full license.
• Apprenticeship — a paid, on-the-job training path: you earn wages while you learn, with classroom hours on the side, and finish with a credential. Common in the trades.
• Journeyman — a fully qualified, licensed tradesperson who has completed an apprenticeship (the level above apprentice).
• Prerequisite — a course or requirement you must finish before you can start a program.
• Clinicals / externship / practicum — the hands-on, in-person hours you do in a real workplace as part of a healthcare program. Even "online" programs require these, usually arranged near you.
• OJT — On-the-Job Training. Learning while working and getting paid, rather than in a classroom.
• PPE — Personal Protective Equipment (safety glasses, gloves, boots, etc.).

Paying for training

• FAFSA — Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The free form you fill out to unlock federal grants and loans; the first step for most funding. (studentaid.gov)
• Pell / Pell Grant — a federal grant for lower-income students that you generally don't repay. Often the biggest single source of "free" tuition help.
• FSEOG — Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Extra grant money at some schools for students with the greatest need.
• WIOA — Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Federal workforce money, run through your local American Job Center, that can pay for training in in-demand jobs.
• American Job Center — a free local office that helps with job search and training funding (your first stop for WIOA).
• SNAP E&T — SNAP Employment & Training. If you get food assistance (SNAP), this can help cover training and support costs.
• TANF — Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Cash assistance for low-income families that can include work/training support.
• SCSEP — Senior Community Service Employment Program. Paid, part-time training for low-income workers age 55+.
• VR / Voc Rehab — Vocational Rehabilitation. State programs that fund training and support for people whose disability affects their work.
• GI Bill — VA education benefits that help veterans, service members, and some family members pay for school or training.
• VR&E — Veteran Readiness & Employment (VA Chapter 31). Training and job help for veterans with a service-connected disability.
• UI — Unemployment Insurance. If you're collecting it, some states let you keep benefits while attending approved training.

Trades & apprenticeship

• IBEW — International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. The main electricians' union; a common way into the trade.
• JATC — Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee. The union-run body that runs and admits electrical apprentices.
• IEC / ABC — Independent Electrical Contractors / Associated Builders and Contractors. Non-union groups that also run apprenticeships.
• UA — United Association. The union for plumbers, pipefitters, and related trades.
• IUEC — International Union of Elevator Constructors. The union for elevator mechanics.
• NEIEP — National Elevator Industry Educational Program. The training program for elevator apprentices.
• NCCER — National Center for Construction Education and Research. A widely recognized construction-trades training and credential body.
• NEC — National Electrical Code. The safety rulebook electricians work by.
• EPA 608 — a federal certification you need to handle refrigerants (required for most HVAC work).
• Aptitude test — an entrance test (often math and reading) some apprenticeships use to rank applicants.

Healthcare: licenses, exams & accreditation

• LPN — Licensed Practical Nurse. A licensed nurse role you can often train for in about a year.
• RN — Registered Nurse. A higher nursing license (usually a 2–4 year degree); LPNs sometimes bridge up to it.
• CNA — Certified Nursing Assistant. A short-training entry role that sometimes precedes LPN.
• GPN — Graduate Practical Nurse. What you're called right after finishing an LPN program, before you pass the exam.
• NCLEX-PN — the national exam you pass to become a licensed practical nurse.
• RDH — Registered Dental Hygienist. The licensed title for dental hygienists.
• CODA — Commission on Dental Accreditation. The body that must accredit a dental hygiene or dental assisting program.
• NBDHE — National Board Dental Hygiene Examination. The exam for dental hygiene licensure.
• ARRT — American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. The national body that certifies X-ray, CT, and MRI technologists.
• R.T. / R.T.(MR) — Registered Technologist; the (MR) tag means the MRI credential from ARRT.
• ARMRIT — American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists. An alternate MRI certification route.
• JRCERT — Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Accredits radiography/imaging programs.
• CoARC — Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. Accredits respiratory therapy programs.
• NBRC — National Board for Respiratory Care. Gives the respiratory therapy credentialing exams.
• CRT / RRT — Certified / Registered Respiratory Therapist. CRT is the entry credential; RRT is the advanced one many employers prefer.
• CAAHEP — Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Accredits many allied-health programs (surgical tech, sonography, and more).
• CST — Certified Surgical Technologist. The credential for surgical techs.
• CPT — Certified Phlebotomy Technician. The credential for phlebotomists (drawing blood).
• CMA / RMA — Certified / Registered Medical Assistant. Optional certifications many clinics prefer for medical assistants.
• AAMA / AMT — the bodies that grant the CMA and RMA certifications, respectively.

Our data & ratings

• AI-Resistance Score — our 1–100 rating of how hard a job is to automate or offshore. Higher means the work depends more on a licensed, hands-on, accountable human. It's our editorial judgment, not a government number.
• BLS — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The government source we use for pay and job-outlook data.
• OEWS — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The BLS wage dataset behind the pay figures in your roadmap.
• OOH — Occupational Outlook Handbook. The BLS guide we cite for training, education, and outlook.
• O*NET — Occupational Information Network. A government database of job tasks and requirements.
• SOC — Standard Occupational Classification. The government's numbering system for job titles.
• CIP — Classification of Instructional Programs. The government's numbering system for school programs (used to match careers to training).

Missing a term you ran into? Email [email protected] and we'll add it. Ready to start? Get your personalized roadmap.