Lesa Norris

With 2015 just a few weeks away, many people are busy making their New Year’s resolutions. Among the most popular are those related to finding new or better employment. For some, that may mean dedicating more time and effort to the job search process. For others, it means gaining the updated, relevant skills needed to be a competitive candidate for a job or promotion, and that’s where Waubonsee Community College can help. 

As part of the college’s core mission, Waubonsee offers a variety of career training programs. Some of these take the form of traditional college credit certificate and degree programs, but others, like the offerings of the Workforce Development Division, are a bit different. These courses cover a myriad of skills that are fundamental to your career success, delivered by expert facilitators on a fast, flexible schedule.  

Some of our programs are designed to introduce career changers to an entirely new industry. This spring, we’re offering individuals the opportunity to gain the knowledge needed to enter the fields of facilities management, medical coding and billing, pharmacy technician, dental assistant, EKG technician, home inspection or commercial food equipment repair. 

Other courses are meant to strengthen a worker’s skills in their current industry, and perhaps even satisfy continuing education requirements in the process. Individuals in such fields as human resources, education and mental health can earn or maintain their professional credentials with training at Waubonsee.   

Then there are the skills that are beneficial no matter what career field you’re in, and Workforce Development can help you sharpen those as well. Our computer courses, which typically meet just three or four times and cover everything from Excel to QuickBooks to Photoshop, are especially popular. And given the growth of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn as marketing channels, we’re happy to host the second annual Fox Valley Internet Marketing Summit on Feb. 20, 2015. Visit www.foxvalleyimsummit.com for more details. 

Speaking of the online world, that’s where many of our professional development courses are offered – because the only thing better than training for a new career is doing it from the comfort of your own home. These courses cover a range of topics and offer a variety of start dates throughout the year. Investigate career and course options at www.ed2go.com/waubonsee

Just as individuals make resolutions to grow professionally, so too do companies, organizations and businesses. For these entities that need help with a particular business challenge or training their workforce, Waubonsee offers customized training services. Drawing upon the vast knowledge provided through our extensive content experts, Workforce Development can assess and train employees, while also providing other consulting services and business solutions. And we provide all these services whenever and wherever is most convenient for the business client. Learn more at www.waubonsee.edu/training

This new year, take a new look at where you are and where you want to be professionally. If you realize that you or your business could use help achieving your career or growth goals, I encourage you to check out Waubonsee’s Workforce Development Division. Possibilities begin here.   

Lesa Norris is the Dean for Workforce Development. 

Tagged As
Voices