13 minute read
Economic & Workforce Development/Continuing Education
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
24
Guidelines for Digital Communications
In E-communication (email, Discussion Forums, Blogs, etc) the traditional verbal and non-verbal cues such as tone, inflection, body language, and gestures are missing and thus the chances of misunderstanding or miscommunication are increased. The following etiquette for online communication will foster the clear and invitational style of communication we all desire and expect from one another. Guidelines are listed below. 1. Avoid ad hominem attacks. Attack ideas, not the person expressing the ideas. 2. Avoid personal agendas. If you have issues with individuals or college policies and procedures, pursue these through the appropriate college channels. 3. Be cautious with sarcasm and humor. Others may not share your sense of humor and expressions you find commonplace may be offensive to others. 4. Be cautious with the content of your communication. Assume the content of what you write may be forwarded or become public. 5. Do not use profanity or obscenities. This is unprofessional and inappropriate for any college related communication.
6. Respect the diversity of ideas and opinions. View your communication as part of a panel discussion and not a pulpit. 7. Provide a sound rationale for your position. Appeal to facts and reasons to defend your position. Avoid emotive language. 8. Verify the information you pass on. This will prevent chain-letter and gossipy-type mischief. 9. Do not use all upper case letters. It is the equivalent of screaming. 10.Do not use all lower case letters. It is the equivalent of mumbling. 11.Proofread and edit messages before sending. Do not rely solely on spell check. 12.Use proper grammar and syntax. Avoid sentence fragments and errors in paragraphing and punctuation.
The Economic & Workforce Development/ Continuing Education Division offers classes and training to support the economic development of the community and its citizens. Needs for higher academic education, employment skills, basic educational skills, job training and retraining, personal growth and development, and business and economic development are continually identified through a variety of assessments. Different learning approaches to meet community needs involve traditional classroom instruction, individualized instruction, computer-assisted learning, community-based learning centers, on-site classes and training for business and industry, and apprenticeships. Also available is assessment, consultation, and technical assistance for individuals, businesses, industries, and public and private sector agencies. The educational offerings of the Economic & Workforce Development/ Continuing Education Division are built on the concept of lifelong learning. Classes and training are provided in different formats, at a variety of times, and at locations where the needs of students can conveniently be met. Some of the Economic & Workforce Development/ Continuing and Off-Campus Education Programs are coordinated with the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) or the WorkFirst programs of other agencies. These and other similar programs represent joint efforts to bring education and training services to the community. Training and coursework may earn Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credit applicable to certain professions. The Economic & Workforce Development/ Continuing Education Division provides programs for adults age 18 or older. Minors can enroll for some classes with special permission and if space allows.
Costs
Costs for Economic & Workforce Development/ Continuing Education classes vary. Fees may be charged for books, materials, supplies, and accident insurance. For some classes, North Carolina residents age 65 or older are exempt from registration fees. There are no registration fees for Basic Skills classes.
Course Repetition
There is a limit to the number of times a student may enroll in a particular Economic & Workforce Development/ Continuing Education class. The Economic & Workforce Development/ Continuing Education Course Repetition policy guides enrollment in selected types of classes. Occupational Training courses may not be taken more than twice within a five-year period without the student paying the full cost of the course as determined by the College. Students may repeat Occupational Training courses more than once if the repetitions are required for certification, licensure, or recertification.
A course other than Occupational Training may not be taken for more than two consecutive terms without a break of at least one term. Students who are enrolled in Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Education Development (GED), or Compensatory Education courses may continue in the course as long as reasonable educational and/or social progress is being made according to the goals of the program. Students in Compensatory Education classes will be reviewed after no more than two years to determine whether they will continue in the program. The College reserves the right to modify this policy in general or relative to a given course as necessary to meet the needs of the College and its students.
Services
Economic & Workforce Development/Continuing Education needs are addressed in five domains:
1. Basic Skills
2. Community Enrichment Programs 3. Emergency Services Academy 4. Occupational and Public Service Training and
Human Resources Development 5. Workforce Development
Basic Skills
The Basic Skills Programs provide opportunities for upgrading reading, mathematics, English, and life skills. Assessment is a basic part of all these programs. The Adult Basic Education (ABE) Program supports academic remediation in reading comprehension, mathematics, and language skills and provides preGED instruction.
The General Educational Development (GED) Program offers instruction in five subject areas in preparation for taking the high school diploma equivalency (GED) test. Instruction for Basic Skills Programs can be delivered on campus and at community learning centers or workplace sites when there is sufficient demand. At the GED Testing Center, students can take the tests of General Educational Development (GED). The tests cover: • Writing Skills • Mathematics • Social Studies • Science • Reading With passing scores, the student earns a GED which is awarded by the North Carolina Community College System. This certificate is generally accepted on an equal basis with a traditional diploma for employment, promotion, or further education. To be eligible for testing, an applicant must: • be at least 18 years old (16- and 17-year-olds may test with special permission). • be a current North Carolina resident. • be certified to test through the GED Preparation
Program (Call 254-1921, Ext. GED). • pay the testing fees ($7.50 for initial testing and $2.50 for retesting in Writing Skills) at the Continuing Education Business Office, Pines Building, Room 205D or the Business Office in the Bailey Student
Services Center and be prepared to present evidence of payment to the test center personnel.
English as a Second Language (ESL) is intended to improve the English reading, speaking, and writing skills of non-native students. American culture, history, and life skills are also taught. The Compensatory Education Program is an academic program specifically for adults with intellectual disabilities. The program features lessons in community living, consumer education, health, language, mathematics, social science, and vocational education. Emphasis is placed on helping each student become as independent as possible, primarily by improving academic, social, survival, and independent-living skills. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) classes are provided to improve and enhance the skills of adult survivors of traumatic brain injuries. Classes focus on memory, social, and time-management skills as well as community living, consumer education, health, language, and math.
Community Enrichment Programs
The Community Enrichment Programs provide courses, seminars and activities that contribute to the community’s overall cultural, civic, and intellectual growth. Courses are designed to assist adults in the development of new skills, or improvement or upgrading of existing ones. With hundreds of classes and events every year, these programs provide lifelong learning opportunities to community members of Buncombe and Madison Counties. The program provides a variety of art classes, from abstract painting to stained glass. The language component includes Mandarin Chinese, French, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish. Dance classes, from Ballroom to Salsa, bring hundreds of couples to the campus each year. Practical Skills classes such as upholstery, sewing, and quilting add to the diversity of the courses offered.
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
26
Emergency Services Academy (ESA)
The Emergency Services Academy (ESA) was created to establish a single point of contact for students, college personnel, and the community in the fields of Fire Service, Law Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Science. The Academy provides training in both curriculum and continuing education. A significant number of these courses are offered to meet licensure or certification requirements for employment in Fire and Rescue, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement, and Emergency Medical Science. The Emergency Services Academy also offers numerous specialized classes that meet qualifications and standards that are required by their governing agencies.
Occupational and Public Service Training Programs
Occupational Programs provide education and training for individuals to prepare for new or different employment and to upgrade the skills of individuals in their current employment. These opportunities are available through single courses or a series of courses specifically designed for an occupation. A significant number of these courses are offered to meet licensure or certification requirements. Offerings include programs for many occupational areas including: Computer Training, Health Occupations, and Technical and Industrial Training. Employability skills and life success skills are provided by Human Resources Development. The Computer Training Department provides hundreds of offerings each year. A-B Tech works to meet the needs of those in the marketplace who want to master emerging technologies, gain the professional certifications that allow them to advance in their professions, or enter a field that promises continued growth. For administrative, technical, customer service and professional workers alike, computer skills are a constant. A-B Tech’s programs provide training in a variety of disciplines to help North Carolina’s workforce grow and learn. From basic courses to intensive professional programs, A-B Tech provides critical and thorough instruction in areas of software, hardware, and peripherals. Designed for both beginning students and professionals seeking to update their skills, A-B Tech courses and programs cover such timely subjects as administrative and financial software, relational database technology, software-specific training programs, operating systems, and beyond. Courses are offered in traditional instructor-led, online, and hybrid formats. Health Occupations programs offered include training in healthcare professions such as Nurse Aide I, Nurse Aide II, Medication Aide, MEPAP Activity Professional, Ophthalmic Assisting, and Dental Radiology. Students successfully completing the Nurse Aide I program and state exam will appear on the North Carolina state registry for Nursing Assistants. Additional courses are offered to professionals for CEUs in the fields of dental hygiene and veterinary technology. The Human Resources Development (HRD) Program provides short-term, pre-vocational training and counseling designed to help unemployed and underemployed adults successfully enter the workforce with additional education. Instruction focuses on the following topics: • Career assessment
• Development of a positive self-concept
• Development of employability skills
• Development of communication skills
• Development of problem-solving skills
• Awareness of the impact of information technology in the workplace Technical and Industrial Training Programs provide education and training for individuals to prepare for new or different employment in industrial or technically challenging fields and to upgrade the skills of individuals in their current employment. These opportunities are available through single courses or a series of courses specifically designed for a business, industrial, or technical occupation. Some of these courses are offered as apprenticeships or to meet certification requirements for employment in careers such as electrical journeymen, building, electrical, mechanical or plumbing inspection and code updates. Additional course offerings include: blacksmithing, cabinetmaking, carpentry, substitute teacher training and welding. Classroom and hands-on training in the sustainability arena are also a significant focus.
Workforce Development
The Department of Workforce Development provides programs and training that supports local business and industry. The Department links the College to the associated efforts of local, regional, and state agencies for economic and workforce development. The Customized Training Program supports the economic development efforts of the State by providing education and training opportunities for eligible businesses and industries. The program was developed in recognition of the fact that one of the most important factors for a business or industry considering locating, expanding, or remaining in North Carolina is the ability of the State to ensure the presence of a well-trained workforce. The program is designed to react quickly to the needs of businesses and to respect the confidential nature of proprietary processes and information within those businesses.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Customized Training Program is to provide customized training assistance in support of full-time production and direct customer service positions created in the State of North Carolina, thereby enhancing the growth potential of companies located in the state while simultaneously preparing North Carolina’s workforce with the skills essential to successful employment in emerging industries.
ELIGIBILITY
Those businesses and industries eligible for support through the Customized Training Program include Manufacturing, Technology Intensive (i.e., Information Technology, Life Sciences), Regional or National Warehousing and Distribution Centers, Customer Support Centers, Air Courier Services, National Headquarters with operations outside North Carolina, and Civil Service employees providing technical support to US military installations located in North Carolina. In order to receive assistance, eligible businesses and industries must demonstrate two or more of the following criteria: • The business is making an appreciable capital investment;
• The business is deploying new technology;
• The business is creating jobs, expanding an existing workforce, or enhancing the productivity and profitability of the operations with the State; and • The skills of the workers will be enhanced by the assistance.
Resources may support training assessment, instructional design, instructional costs, and training delivery for personnel involved in the direct production of goods and services. Production and technology support positions are also eligible for training support. Full-time probationary employees of qualified Customized Training companies are eligible for training delivered by the Community College. The use of Customized Training funds requires that trainees are paid by the company for all time during training hours. The Quality Initiatives Program provides training and technical assistance in Productivity improvement, total quality practices and international quality standards for businesses, healthcare providers, and public and private sector agencies. Offerings include Six Sigma, Lean, basic quality skills, statistical process control, and all phases of ISO 9001:2000 implementation. The program also partners with the American Society for Quality to provide quality course offerings. Additionally, a resource center for quality information and a lending library make specialized books and videos available. The Workforce Development Department also offers specialized training, certification and certification preparatory courses including: • APICS Certified Production and Inventory Manager (CPIM) Certification Preparation: CPIM certification prepares those in the fields of Production and
Inventory Management, Operations, Supply Chain
Management, Procurement, Materials Management and Purchasing to increase knowledge and skills, improve organizational efficiency, reduce cost and enhance credibility among their peers. • Building Operator Certification: Designed for Maintenance Technicians and/or Building Operators of large facilities, this course focuses upon achieving reduction in energy usage and cost as well as enhancing sustainability. • Escort Vehicle Operator Certification and/or Recertification: These courses satisfy the requirements set by the North Carolina Department of Transportation to certify Oversize - Overweight load escort vehicle drivers. Course components consist of defensive driving, escort driver requirements, skills training and examinations. • Fundamentals for Advanced Manufacturing Training: This training course is designed to narrow the skills gap between what skills manufacturers indicate job applicants have and what skills manufacturers actually need them to have. The curriculum includes safety, problem solving, math, measurement, blueprint reading, quality concepts, lean principles, lean simulation, and CNC interfaces. A strong emphasis is also placed on communication skills, interpersonal skills, and teamwork. Workforce Development’s additional training opportunities include but are not limited to the following:
• Blueprint Reading
• Braising, Soldering, and Welding
• Forklift Operation and Safety
• CPR/ First Aid/Blood Borne Pathogen Certification and/or Recertification
• Customer Service
• Leadership Development
• OSHA 10 Hr and 30 Hr General Industry Standards
• OSHA 10 Hr and 30 Hr Construction Standards
