Continuing education is important for everyone now, in all fields. Even if you have worked in the same field for years and have accumulated a rich repertoire of experience, continuing ed is vital. Certification, in a wide variety of fields, is becoming more and more common these days, too. Of course, if you're involved in any aspect of technology you will need to continually seek continuing education in order to stay current with ongoing trends and changes. In many cases the same applies to those in business and industry since methods change for many occupations as new hardware and software is introduced.
Ongoing education is one of the surest routes to promotion and it increases job security.
It also enhances opportunity on the job market when you're seeking a new job. And, carefully planned, it can provide a good insurance policy against obsolescence. It can take many forms. In other areas, like technology, there are new languages, new operating systems, and the like released continually that may be important to learn about for your particular field or business niche. For some, achieving specific certifications is vital.