Are Certification programs thriving these days or going down the drain?

Answer 1

What kind of certification programs are you talking about? In general, many people are becoming certitified in a specialty rathr than four years of college. It seems like there isa glut on the market for college grads. There are many certification programs: phlebotomy, nurses assistant, horticulture, you name it and they are alive and well. Just be careful of an institute's accrediation before taking some of these programs on the net.