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Institute stays with the leading edge

by Kathy Hagood
Brevard Technical Journal

BY KATHY HAGOOD

The importance of lifelong learning in career advancement during this information age shouldn’t be underestimated, educators advise.
Individuals and organizations who don’t stay on the leading edge of the learning curve tend to fall behind in the global market-place, especially in high-tech and manufacturing industries. Alter-nately, strategic investments in training can pay major dividends.
To meet the ever-changing continuing education needs of employers, employees and other members of the community Brevard Community College’s Institute for Business Training & Community Education offers a full range of educational programs from custom corporate training to open-enrollment classes to on-line learning.
The institute’s various seminars and courses may be taught on-site at business locations or at BCC campuses across the Space Coast.
Kieta Osteen-Cochrane serves as executive director of BCC’s institute, which has evolved in recent years to serve as an umbrella organization for the college’s Center for Contract Training, Center for Industry Training & Economic Development, Center for Information Technology, WENDI Career Success Center, Intensive English Program and the Florida Small Business Development Center.
“We offer so many continuing education options that it’s likely if an employer or individual has a training need we can meet it,” said Osteen-Cochrane, whose office is based at BCC’s Cocoa campus.
The institute also offers an “education gold card” that allows organizations and individuals to save money by purchasing a series of computer courses held at the BCC Cocoa campus. For example, one course is $85, four courses $400 and 20 courses $1,400. Computer classes include keyboarding, introduction to PCs, Windows XP, Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, Project and Publisher, accounting practices, Quickbooks and more.
Through the institute’s Center for Contract Training employers may contract for general or highly specific training for employees for certifications or technology or soft skill updates. Just a sample of possible subject areas: computer skills, project management, occupational Spanish, business writing, lean manufacturing, forklift certification, airborne radar, leadership and sign language.
Contract seminars and courses may be tailored to business needs. For example, center director Suzie Van Meter is now working with a company to train a small group of employees how to improve their photography skills to sharpen up the image of the employee newsletter.
In another recent example Van Meter worked with a Fortune 500 company to provide BCC facilities so that a trainer from corporate headquarters could be brought in to teach classes rather than flying employees across the country.
“With contract training we have the flexibility to provide a company just what it needs,” Van Meter said.
The institute’s Center for Industry Training & Economic Development, headed by Richard Belton, provides open-enrollment courses in management and technical skills, occupational Spanish and conversational foreign languages for travel and business, technical and profes-sional certification and various personal enrichment offerings.
“In some cases smaller companies that only need a few of their employees trained in a certain area will come to us with course topic suggestions and, if there’s enough demand, we’ll set up a course,” Belton said.
The Center for Information Technology is the institute’s hub for computer and on-line training, including the “gold card” education program. In addition to computer classes offered at BCC, on-line training is available through the center, which is led by Cherylan Bacheller.
Its Ed2Go courses focus on computer training, soft skills, medical front office, test preps, real estate and languages. Certificates in computer-Internet business as well as technical and construction industries are available through on-line Gatlin Education Services. Florida Department of Insurance licensing courses are available through the center’s online and classroom instruction.
English for those who wish to become more fluent is available through the institute’s Intensive English Program, led by Agniesha Dokrosielski. The program is suitable for foreign students and employees of local companies.
The institute’s WENDI Career Success Center, managed by Cindy Earp, is focused on those in transition. WENDI stands for “When Entering New Directions.”In addition to offering courses in career options, resume writing and interview skills, WENDI also offers travel learn options, leisure and life-enrichment courses and computer training for seniors.
And if a life transition leads an employee to consider opening his or her own business, the in-stitute features a wealth of small business start-up support through the Florida Small Business Dev-elopment Center at BCC. Headed by Vicky Peake, the center features free and low-cost courses in busi-ness basics as well as continuing education for entrepreneurs as their business grows.
“We strive to provide a wide variety of programming that responds to needs as they arise in the community,” Osteen-Cochrane said.
For more information on the institute and its continuing education options, call 433-7500 or visit www.brevard. cc.edu