Building Your Financial Literacy: Part 2 of 4
The Classroom Is Everywhere: Adult Education Options for Building Financial Skills
By Michelle McNeil-Brown, MBA | MMB MBA, LLC
One of the most common things I hear from people who want to improve their financial knowledge is some version of this: “I just don’t know where to start.” It is an understandable feeling. The range of options available for adult financial education today is genuinely wide — and without a map, it can feel overwhelming rather than empowering.
The good news is that there has never been a better time to be an adult learner. Whether you prefer a structured classroom environment, the flexibility of learning on your own schedule, the depth of one-on-one instruction, or the immediacy of a focused workshop, there is an option that fits your life. The key is understanding what each format offers — and which one is the right match for where you are and what you are trying to accomplish.
In this post, we will walk through the main categories of adult financial education available today, with practical guidance on what to look for in each.
Community College Courses
Community colleges are one of the most underutilized resources for adult financial education. They offer structured, credit-bearing courses in accounting, personal finance, business math, and financial management at a fraction of the cost of four-year institutions — and many now offer both in-person and online options to accommodate working adults and busy schedules.
The advantages of a community college course are significant. You get a structured curriculum, a qualified instructor, homework and assessments that reinforce your learning, and the opportunity to ask questions in real time. For someone who learns best with accountability and a clear progression, a formal course is often the most effective path.
What to look for:
• Courses designed for non-accounting majors, such as Personal Finance, Introduction to Accounting, or Financial Literacy for Adults
• Flexible scheduling options including evening, weekend, or fully online sections
• Instructors with professional experience in addition to academic credentials — someone who has worked in the field brings practical context that a textbook alone cannot provide
• Non-credit continuing education options, which are often shorter, less expensive, and specifically designed for adult learners who want practical skills without pursuing a degree
If you are in Southern Maine, York County Community College and Southern Maine Community College both offer a range of business and financial coursework worth exploring.
Workshops and Seminars
Workshops and seminars offer a more concentrated learning experience than a semester-long course — typically a half day, a full day, or a weekend — focused on a specific topic or skill. They are ideal for someone who wants to build knowledge in a targeted area quickly, without committing to a full course.
Financial workshops are offered through a wide range of organizations: SCORE, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), local chambers of commerce, libraries, credit unions, and professional associations. Topics range from small business bookkeeping basics and QuickBooks training to personal budgeting, tax preparation, and retirement planning.
The interactive nature of a good workshop is one of its greatest strengths. You are learning alongside other people who are working through similar challenges, and the small-group format typically allows for more questions and discussion than a lecture-style course. Many participants find that the networking aspect — connecting with other business owners or individuals in similar situations — is as valuable as the content itself.
What to look for:
• Workshops led by practitioners with real-world experience, not just sales pitches disguised as educational events
• Clear learning objectives stated upfront — you should know exactly what skills or knowledge you will leave with
• Opportunities for hands-on practice, not just passive listening
• Follow-up resources or materials you can reference after the event
Webinars and Online Learning Platforms
Online learning has transformed adult education over the past decade, and financial literacy content has benefited enormously from that shift. Today, you can access high-quality instruction in virtually any financial topic from your living room, on your own schedule, at a cost that ranges from free to very affordable.
Live webinars offer the immediacy of a classroom experience with the convenience of remote access. Many professional organizations, accounting software companies — including Intuit, the maker of QuickBooks — and financial institutions offer free or low-cost webinars on topics ranging from bookkeeping basics to advanced tax strategies. Intuit in particular offers an extensive library of QuickBooks training webinars that are directly applicable to small business owners who want to get more out of their accounting software.
On-demand platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and Khan Academy offer self-paced courses that you can work through at whatever speed fits your schedule. Khan Academy’s personal finance content is free, comprehensive, and written in genuinely accessible language — an excellent starting point for anyone building foundational knowledge. LinkedIn Learning offers more advanced business finance and accounting courses that are well-suited to professionals and business owners.
Do not overlook YouTube as a serious learning resource. It is easy to dismiss as entertainment, but YouTube hosts an enormous library of high-quality financial education content — including step-by-step QuickBooks tutorials, personal budgeting walkthroughs, accounting concept explanations, and tax guidance from credentialed professionals. Channels run by CPAs, bookkeepers, and financial educators offer content that is current, practical, and completely free. The key is being selective: look for channels with verifiable credentials, consistent posting histories, and content that prioritizes education over promotion.
What to look for:
• Content from reputable sources — established educational institutions, professional organizations, or software companies with a track record of quality instruction
• Current material, particularly for anything touching on tax law, software features, or regulatory requirements, which change frequently
• A format that matches your learning style — some people do well with video-based instruction, while others prefer reading-based content or interactive exercises
• Certificates of completion where available, particularly for professional development purposes
Professional Organizations and Industry Associations
For small business owners in particular, professional organizations and industry associations are an often-overlooked source of financial education. SCORE, which offers free mentoring and workshops through a network of experienced business volunteers, is one of the most accessible and practical resources available to small business owners at any stage.
The National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers (NACPB) and the American Institute of Professional Bookkeepers (AIPB) both offer educational resources, certification programs, and continuing education for those who want to deepen their bookkeeping knowledge at a professional level. Your local chamber of commerce is also worth exploring — many chambers offer educational programming specifically designed for the small business community they serve.
Industry associations in your specific field — whether that is retail, construction, healthcare, hospitality, or any other sector — often provide financial education tailored to the unique characteristics of your industry. The financial challenges of a restaurant owner are different from those of a freelance consultant, and industry-specific education can address those nuances in ways that general programs cannot.
Choosing the Right Path for You
With so many options available, the question is not whether you can find financial education — it is which format will work best for you. A few questions worth asking yourself as you consider your options:
• Do I learn best with structure and accountability, or do I prefer the flexibility of self-directed learning?
• Is my goal to build broad foundational knowledge, or to develop a specific skill as quickly as possible?
• How much time can I realistically commit, and over what period?
• Is cost a significant factor, and if so, what free or low-cost options are available in my area or online?
• Would I benefit from learning alongside others, or do I prefer to work independently?
There is no wrong answer to any of these questions — they are simply a tool for matching the right format to your real situation. And it is worth noting that many people find value in combining approaches: a community college course for foundational knowledge, supplemented by webinars for specific topics and occasional workshops for hands-on practice.
Next week, we will go deeper on one format in particular: one-on-one instruction with a tutor or consultant, and why personalized guidance can accelerate your learning in ways that group settings simply cannot.
Have Questions? MMB MBA Can Help.
At MMB MBA, LLC, we offer QuickBooks consulting and training tailored to your specific business needs and experience level, as well as private tutoring in accounting and financial concepts for individuals and business owners. If you are ready to build your financial skills with personalized, professional support, we would love to hear from you.
Contact us today at mmb@mmbmba.com or call 207.468.6833 to schedule a consultation.
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