Education & Career Development

NEWS - Education & Career Development

JULY 5 - Barrow Introduces Bills to Subsidize Tech School Training, Army Corps Preservation

 

SBJ Staff Report

 

July 5, 2010 - Congressman John Barrow (GA-12) has introduced two pieces of legislation recently that will help make technical school education more affordable for people who are out of work due to the economic downturn; and will help the Army Corps of Engineers with historic preservation efforts.

 

H.R. 5594 is an amendment to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998, and would authorize the Department of Labor to create a pilot program that will provide a subsidy of up to $2,000 for technical school training. Funding for the “Technical School Subsidy Program” would be given to local Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) that would make funding available to prospective students through local One-Stop delivery systems as an education subsidy, according to Barrow. The amendment has been referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, and has no co-sponsors to date.

 

“Getting folks back to work is my highest priority,” said Barrow. “Over the last few months I’ve toured businesses large and small all across the 12^th District, and I’ve had the opportunity to visit a number of technical schools and training facilities. After talking to folks, it’s clear that we need to make sure that folks who are out of work right now have access to the training they need to get and keep good paying jobs in the future.”

 

“Many out of work Americans are using the economic downturn to go back to school and increase their ability to get a new job. The skills acquired through career and technical training are often the difference between getting a job or promotion, and missing out on it entirely. Career and technical schools also allow students to get new skills in high-demand fields without spending a lot of money.  It also gives local businesses the opportunity to hire qualified workers from local communities, rather than having to look elsewhere to build up the workforce,” he added.

 

The Association for Career and Technical Education, the nation’s largest not-for-profit education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers, has endorsed Barrow’s legislation, saying:

 

“This bill recognizes the value that career and technical education programs can provide in helping unemployed Americans get the education and training needed to re-enter the workforce in high-wage, high-skill and high-demand occupations.

 

“One of the biggest concerns our members have expressed related to the Workforce Investment Act, which your bill seeks to amend, is the difficulty many individuals have in accessing training under the current law… A greater focus must be placed throughout the workforce system on increasing skills training to ensure individuals are prepared to succeed in the workforce on a long-term basis,” according to the Congressman.

 

H.R. 5272 Army Corps of Engineers

 

Barrow has also written a bill to provide funds to the Army Corps of Engineers to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with curation and historic preservation activities, and “for other purposes.”  The bill is co-sponsored by Rep Brown-Waite,(FL-5) and Rep. William Clay (MO-1).

 

According to Barrow, the Army Corps of Engineers and other Federal agencies are required to preserve and catalogue artifacts and other items of national historical significance that are uncovered during the course of their work. Uncatalogued artifacts within the care of Federal agencies are stored in hundreds of repositories and museums across the country.

 

In October of 2009, the Army Corps of Engineers, Center of Expertise for Curation and Management of Archeological Collections, used $3,500,000 in temporary funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to begin the Veterans' Curation Program to employ and train Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in archaeological processing.

 

The Veterans' Curation Program employs veterans and members of the Armed Forces in the sorting, cleaning, and cataloguing of artifacts managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Employees of the Veterans' Curation Program gain valuable work skills, including computer database management, records management, photographic and scanning techniques, computer software proficiency, vocabulary and writing skills, and interpersonal communication skills, as well as knowledge and training in archaeology and history, the bill states.

 

Experience in archaeological curation gained through the Veterans' Curation Program is valuable training and experience for the museum, forensics, administrative, records management, and other fields. And, Veterans' Curation Program participants may assist the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a more efficient and comprehensive collections management program and also may provide the workforce to meet the records management needs at other agencies and departments, including the Department of Veterans Affairs.

 

The bill would require the Chief of the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a Veterans' Curation Program to hire veterans and members of the Armed Forces to assist the Corps with its curation and historic preservation activities. Beginning in fiscal year 2010, there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $10,000,000 for each fiscal year.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

SBJ Special Report

May 17 - College is done, but is anyone hiring? The answer is, despite the slow recovery from recession, yes, but experts on finding that first job says you have to know where to look and what mistakes to avoid.

"There are signs that there will be a slight uptick this year in hiring new college graduates, but the market will remain fiercely competitive," says Stephen Miles, a top CEO coach and Vice Chairman of executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles. Miles and Nathan Bennett, a professor of management at Georgia Tech, are authors of the book "Your Career Game."

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that employers are planning to hire 5.3% more graduates this year than they did from the class of 2008-09.

Miles and Bennett says there are five common mistakes college graduates should avoid while looking for a job:

1. Don't sabotage your personal "brand" - "I call this generation 'looking for your 15 minutes' - everyone thinks he or she is going to be a star," says Mr. Miles. "But managing your personal brand is about building a strong foundation for your career beyond a 15-minute time frame, both online and off. Recruiters today begin our research on candidates by doing extensive web searches on people - including all of the social media hot spots. A misstep online, whether it's a compromising photo or an immature status update, can be a career-limiting move for a candidate - before they've even stepped onto the game board."

2. Don't be afraid to jump on an "out of the box" opportunity - "Everyone understands how difficult the job market is for the class of 2010," says Dr. Bennett. "No one will question an 'out of the box' career move, such as teaching or working for a nonprofit; the economy actually provides great cover for you to do something you want to do. But remember that an unusual move will become part of your story that needsto compel future employers to want you on their team. You need to be able to tell a great story about how this experience was an investment you made in yourself. As a result, you've become a better buy for your next employer. To the extent you can do that, you will see this first move pay an ROI across your entire career."

3. Don't be afraid to take the job "no one else wants" - "People constantly misunderstand the risk/reward ratio in opportunities like this," says Dr. Bennett. "This might mean working at an 'off-label' company, or in a less attractive place to live, or at a company known for destroying people's spirit - but still teaching a lot about an industry. Or there may be an opening at a company that is struggling or broken in some way. This can be an opportunity to find something and fix it, and your reputation will be enhanced."

4. Don't miscalculate the trade off between breadth and depth - Some employers will provide you an opportunity to develop deep skills in an area, while others will allow you to experience rotation programs that expose you to many aspects of the business. Each has its advantages and disadvantages as "first stops" in a career. As Mr. Miles says, "Excellence does not come from doing many things at once. In fact, you typically get below-average outcomes when you try to master too many skills." On the other hand, Dr. Bennett adds, "When you leave school still unsure about where you can best make a positive impact on a company, the opportunity to learn on the company's dime makes sense."

5. Don't be blinded by a paycheck - "You may have to sacrifice some on compensation for opportunities to make a real investment in your skills and experience," Dr. Bennett advises. "The best jobs are where you can learn the most and make the quickest impact. The sooner you can demonstrate your ability to make a difference, the sooner you will make yourself a tougher competitor for the next job."

Dr. Bennett says many new grads this spring will be forced to take jobs they believe are beneath them' based on their own long-standing expectations of where they'd be after leaving a good school. "But we think it is critical not to despair. Your first job out of school is just one move in a very long career game. This first job will be prominent on your resume for some time - and you should consider what it will communicate to the next few employers down the line. But the key is in understanding how each opportunity you have will improve the quality of the story you tell about yourself as an employee and as an important contributor of skills and experience."

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/24/2009 - Hands-on learning in a concentrated two- or three-day course makes the difference for future fiber optics technicians taking Georgia Southern University's short courses in Savannah this December.

Running from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, each class course trains participants to install, terminate, and test an actual fiber optics network. Participants complete each course with a Fiber Optics Association certification exam, given and graded at the end of class.

The course trainer has a 90 percent exam-pass rate for those who went through these training programs, since three-fourths of classroom time is applied to physically learning the processes.

The entry-level Certified Fiber Optics Technician (CFOT) course will be held Monday through Wednesday, Dec. 7-10 at the Coastal Georgia Center in Savannah. Course handouts and the textbook are included in the $700 course.

Running Dec. 11-12, the follow-up class is Certified Fiber Optics Specialist in Testing and Maintenance (CFOS/T) for those who want to be certified to do more advanced work with fiber optics networks.

Technicians seeking to certify in installing and making fiber optics splices should register for the third course, Certified Fiber Optics Specialist/Splicing (CFOS/S), on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13-14.

Participants in the two advanced courses must complete the CFOT course first or have a year or more of related experience. Each advanced course costs $675 and concludes with the related FOA certified specialist exam.

For more details or to register online, visit http://ceps.georgiasouthern.edu/conted/fiberoptics.html. Class size is limited, so register early.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/23/2009 - Savannah State University's (SSU) total enrollment figure for fall 2009 is 3,820 students, representing the largest enrollment in the university's history. Total enrollment increased from fall 2008 to fall 2009 by 10.6 percent, or approximately 365 students. The record-high number exceeds the projected enrollment of 3,600 students.

According to the fall 2009 Semester Enrollment Report, Savannah State is one of 10 University System of Georgia institutions that experienced double-digit enrollment growth from fall 2008 to fall 2009.

"We know the struggling economy is a factor in the enrollment increase," said Irvin Clark, Ed.D., vice president for Student Affairs, which includes the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. "But our aggressive recruitment strategies, quality housing options and aesthetic campus improvements also contributed to the growth."

Savannah State can house approximately 2,250 students in two apartment-style complexes - University Village and University Commons - as well as the freshman suites and three traditional residence halls. While the majority of students enrolled at SSU come from the Savannah-Chatham area, a large number hail from metro Atlanta followed by Macon and Augusta.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/09/2009 - Chatham Academy and the Royce Learning Center celebrated the completion of the school’s $350,000 in renovations with a ribbon cutting on Thursday morning, Oct 29.

A large group of parents were in attendance to watch students perform, hear about the school’s kickoff of its annual fundraising event and thank contributors to the project.

Several of the school’s older students said the new entrance looks much more “high-tech” and gave them a “proud feeling, compared to the prior entrance” and exterior.

Ashley Smith with Neely Dales Commercial Realty, who is this year’s chairman of the board of the school, thanked Erickson Associates, Inc., led by Clate Ralston, president, who was the general contractor, and Cogdell & Mendrala Architects, who did the design.

On hand for the event were Claudia Thomas, the school’s past board president; Chelsea Davis, Mall Boulevard manager for Darby Bank; Connie Williams, chairman of the board of Darby Bank; Doug Yates, Darby Bank’s city president;  Catherine Cooper, board member; and Liz McAlpin, with Travelers Insurance, also a board member.

Smith also thanked Chatham County for supporting the project.  Darby Bank provided a portion of the lending on the project, along with funds raised by contributors to the school.

According to Doug Yates, Darby's new city president, who was formerly on the board of a similar school in Greenville, S.C., such projects "are some of the most meaningful work you do."

Fresh Market and Krispy Kreme both donated food for the event.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/09/2009 - The Savannah College of Art and Design and Jittery Joe's Coffee have joined to market a unique, university-specific blend of coffee with product packaging that features the artwork of SCAD sequential  art student Andy J. Hirsch.

The Slam-N-Study Blend, a certified organic blend, is being sold at the Jittery Joe's location at the school’s Ex Libris bookstore, 228 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. SCAD and Jittery Joe’s are sharing proceeds from the sale of the blend.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

11/09/2009 - Catherine Malandrino, Angel Sanchez and Tuleh’s Bryan Bradley have joined the Savannah College of Art and Design Style Lab in Savannah and Atlanta to mentor top student designers in the fashion department.

“The Style Lab program and designers will challenge and influence students to develop and grow their creative thought process, preparing them for an ever-changing fashion industry that is redefining itself,” said Michael Fink, dean of the School of Fashion.

Malandrino arrived on the New York fashion scene with the idea of blending the romance of Paris with the energy of the Big Apple. Her eponymous designs attract a dedicated clientele among the Hollywood and New York elite.

Bradley apprenticed in many New York fashion houses before he and then-partner Josh Patner launched Tuleh in 1998, inspired by Mary McCarthy’s Vassar girls. His designs are a blend of American sportswear and couture.

Sanchez is renowned worldwide for both bridal and eveningwear designs that reflect his architectural discipline and structure while creating new shapes and proportions that hold true to the timeless perfection of traditional couture dressmaking.

NEWS - Education & Career Development

10/26/2009 - The Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute helps companies, entrepreneurs, economic developers and communities across Georgia improve their competitiveness through the application of science, technology and innovation. Savannah’s campus is located just off Interstate 95, north of the airport.

It is one of the most comprehensive university-based programs of business and industry assistance, technology commercialization and economic development in the nation, and provides programs that help entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies and improve the competitiveness of established Georgia companies.

An example of this just took place where a Marietta company was assisted by one of the Institute’s offices, enabling then to land a major government contract.

In 1996, Toney Sellers, a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, decided he wanted to start a janitorial company. Unique Cleaning Service, Inc. began with commercial clients, and by 2000, had branched into the federal arena. Over the past nine years, Unique Cleaning’s government contracts have grown from one to more than 60, a feat Sellers attributes partially to Georgia Tech’s Procurement Assistance Center (GTPAC).

GTPAC – part of the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute – provides no-cost assistance with government procurement to any company licensed to do business in Georgia. Last year, GTPAC conducted seminars in Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Carrollton, Columbus, Gainesville, Rockmart, Savannah and Warner Robins. The center assists companies with all aspects of federal, state and local government procurement processes, including solicitation analysis, proposal preparation, pre- and post-award counseling, and quality and accounting systems.

Procurement counselors also analyze whether companies have the potential for participating in the government procurement process.

“We heard about GTPAC, contacted a procurement counselor, and he helped us develop a company profile to begin receiving electronic notifications that enabled us to view solicitations in the janitorial field based on a certain geographical area,” recalled Sellers. “Postings that we were interested in led us into the bid process with government agencies.”

In January 2001, Unique Cleaning became 8(a) certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration, meaning the company meets the requirements of being a small business, is unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged people who are U.S. citizens, and demonstrates potential for success. Most importantly, having 8(a) certification means a business can bid on government projects that uncertified companies cannot.

In addition, at least one staff member from Unique Cleaning has attended every GTPAC seminar on topics as varied as preparing successful bids and proposals, understanding the General Services Administration schedules process, using the computer to win government contracts and marketing to state and local governments. They have also contacted procurement counselors to prepare a Freedom of Information Act request and provide information on small business size standards.

Unique Cleaning has now grown from a one-person business to more than 125 employees today, with contracts from Massachusetts to Puerto Rico to Oregon. The company, which has increased its revenue from $225,000 its first year, is now targeting the $10 million threshold, and now generates approximately 90 percent of its revenue from government-related contracts.

Unique Cleaning’s success has even been recognized by its hometown economic development agency. In 2009, the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce named Unique Cleaning one of the Top 25 Small Businesses in Cobb County, an award that recognizes member companies for increased sales and contributions to community-oriented projects.

“When we signed on with GTPAC in 2000, we had one government contract; we now have more than 60,” Sellers said. “Their professionalism and dedicated efforts to providing needed information are second to none.”

It’s a story that highlights what is possible by tapping into the local resources available for all businesses in the region, particularly in light of the constantly changing technology landscape affecting all businesses.