Shoot for goals at FCCJ Summer Education Fest

By Michael Corby
FCCJ Media Relations Coordinator
June 1, 2008

Spring 2008 has provided a bevy of career fairs sponsored by colleges, women’s centers and publicly funded agencies such as WorkSource. Representative Corinne Brown held her 17th annual job fair for Northeast Florida this May with hundreds in attendance. These are excellent opportunities for job seekers and career changers to pursue jobs for which they are qualified to apply.

Career fairs are also a good way to find out about the fields that job seekers want to shoot for—those that are in high demand and pay higher wages, but perhaps require more skills or higher education than they currently possess.

To answer the needs of those who need to bump–up their skills, earn a certificate or pursue a degree, Florida Community College is offering a Summer Education Fest June 19 at the Downtown Campus’ Advanced Technology Center. This event will arm attendees with information on the skills and education they need to pursue the careers they desire.

“One of FCCJ’s reasons for existence is to respond to the economic and workforce needs of the community,” said FCCJ’s Director of Recruitment Kevin Cotton. “We have programs, classes and training to meet the needs of those just beginning their educational or workforce careers; to those who are seeking a change for reasons of personal satisfaction; to those who may be or have been forced into a change because of evolving workforce needs.”

Short–term certificate programs which can be completed in less than a year exist in fields as varied as of health care, construction and industry, logistics and distribution, and culinary arts. Many of these certificate programs are the first steps in degree programs so students can build on their knowledge and progress in their career field as their schedules and desire allow.

Counselors will be available to discuss at least 50 of the 200 programs offered at FCCJ and their related career fields. Enrollment Development Coordinator Deborah Ayer has been working with the College’s program managers to schedule workshops and information sessions on programs of particular interest, FCCJ’s four bachelor degree programs. This fall (pending SACS approval), the Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Bachelor of Applied Science in Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications; and Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management degrees will join the College’s first, the Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Fire Science Management.

“This Education Fest is for anyone seeking to advance their careers,” said Ayers, a former human resources manager in the Washington, D.C. area for nearly a decade before coming to Florida. “There’s so much more to it than coming to ‘get your education’ at FCCJ. The programs are hands–on. Partnerships with employers provide students with equipment and practical experience. That, combined with our networking connections, gets people hired right out of classrooms in many cases.”

A recent U.S. Department of Labor grant is providing FCCJ the means to initiate an Air Traffic Control training program, also scheduled to begin in Fall 2008. The grant provides about $1 million for state–of–the–art air traffic control simulation equipment, from the same supplier to the Federal Aviation Administration and about another $1 million for program enhancements that include orientation camp, tuition and other attributes.

“We will be the first school in the nation to have a system that will integrate radar contacts with visual tower simulators,” said J.B. Renninger, director of the Aviation Center of Excellence.

The Summer Education Fest at the FCCJ Advanced Technology Center, 401 W. State St. runs 5:30–8 p.m. on June 19, and is free and open to the public. For more information call 904.632.3269.

Summer Education Fest Schedule

Print the schedule (PDF). Note: PDF files require Adobe Reader software. Download the free Adobe Reader from Adobe’s Web site.

Information Tables

• Adult Education
• Air Traffic Control
• Automotive and Diesel Technology
• Aviation Maintenance and Operations and Pilot Training
• Business, Logistics, Marketing and Accounting
• Computer Networking and Data Security
• Construction Management, Drafting Design and Building Trades
• Criminal Justice
• Culinary Management/Hospitality Management
• Dental Hygiene/Dental Assisting
• Digital Media, Graphic Design, Multimedia and Video Production
• Education and Child Care
• Electronics Engineering Technology
• Emergency Medical Technician
• Environmental Science
• Financial Services/Financial Para-Planner Certificate
• Fire Science Technology
• Histological Technology
• Industrial Management Technology
• Interior Design
• Massage Therapy
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Office Administration
• Paralegal studies
• Radiography
• Respiratory Care
• Truck Driving

Getting Started and College Life

• Career Development
• CROP (College Reach-Out Program)
• ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)
• Financial Aid and Enrollment Services Scholarships and the Perks Program

Workshops/Information Sessions

6 p.m.

• Aviation Programs & CDL
• Financial Aid
• Fire Science Academy, BAS Fire Science Management
• Hear what current students have to say about FCCJ
• Overcoming Test Anxiety

6:45 p.m.

• Air Traffic Control Program
• Culinary Management/Hospitality Management
• Computer Networking (Bachelor's Degree)
• Financial Aid
• Financial Services

7:30 p.m.

• BAS in Supervision and Management
• Financial Aid
• BS Nursing

For more information call 904.632.3269.