what is associate level

An associate level usually designates a position that requires two or three years of experience. This level of work often follows an entry-level role in a typical career progression. The term "associate" is used to show that the employee has a lower ranking position than their colleagues who do not have the term in the same title. For example, an associate manager has a little less seniority than a manager. Associate positions at a company typically are indicative of being a job that has a high likelihood of promotion. Associates at law firms, for instance, are lawyers that have hopes of one day becoming a partner at the law firm. However, associate roles are not only regulated to high-profile professions, they can also be in workplaces such as a supermarket or department stores. An associate degree is the first level of non-vocational degree you can pursue following a high school diploma. Typically designed to be completed in two years or less, associate degree programs include introductory courses through which students can start to learn about a particular field or academic discipline.