stuckinarut2 - If stuff like that doesn't scream CULT ALERT, then nothing will...
Imagine telling people whether they can or can not choose to become educated!
When I was still in, stuff like that—though limited to paragraphs in Watchtower about higher education—didn't scream CULT ALERT to me. I realised how strange this belief was only when one elderly "sister" criticised me when I told her that I'm going to university.
Those people are... I'll let you finish.
NewYork44M - I would simply provide a non descriptive answer saying that my employer requires me to take some classes... and then change the subject. Based upon my experience the key is to lay low. Most people, don't really care.
That'd be an even more interesting experience to share if you actually told them that you were pursuing an advanced degree. Those two words—"pursue" and "advanced"—when said in relation to "degree" or "education" are utterly despised by the Jehovah's Witnesses, haha :D