Continuing Education Johnson County Community College Continuing Education is committed to educational excellence and affordability. Currently one of the largest continuing education programs in the country, the branch offers noncredit courses, professional licensure and certifications as well as life skills training and personal interest classes.
Workforce development
Virtual computers, instant job: David Boldt Most of us apply for a job, hope that we ace the interview and wait for the phone to ring. A recent recipient of JCCC’s continuing education Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) Server Administrator course had a somewhat different experience. After his interview but before he reached his home’s front door, David Boldt’s phone had already rung — a job offer from The Lewer Companies was on the answering machine. Boldt has always loved working with computers, and he knew he needed a few more certifications under his belt. What he didn’t realize is how quickly his educational efforts would pay off. “The courses gave me the information and experience to advance my career to the next level,” he said. “The mix of experience from the instructor and the hands-on learning environment in the lab gave me not only the skills but the knowledge and confidence I needed to take the next leap in my career.” Boldt is now a system administrator, and his career is soaring in a new direction. From servers to phones: “If it has to do with technology, I am in charge of it,” he said. Boldt has been an IT professional for 18 years and his certification only adds to his deep knowledge and affection for the field. “I have always loved working with computers,” he said. “That’s what makes this the perfect job for me. I never dread going to work because I work at what I truly enjoy.” The MCITP certification from JCCC’s continuing education computer technology department combined with the unique delivery of the course taught by Bob Carney, gives students a boost by exposing them to the technology they’ll encounter in the workplace. JCCC’s program is different from other training because it uses virtualization extensively. Virtualization uses software to turn a physical computer into a piece of software that runs in exactly the same fashion as the physical device it replaced. Besides a larger paycheck, Boldt’s reward for all of his efforts is that he gets personal satisfaction for being the person known for coming up with the answers for technological questions. “Knowing those who work with me trust me to find the best solution – that’s a good feeling,” Boldt said. 34
JCCC’s strategic workforce training program continued to be a student-focused provider of professional education, licensures, certifications and skill development courses, meeting the needs of individuals and organizations throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. The branch is continually developing new classes and career programs while strengthening existing course offerings. In 2013-2014, JCCC Continuing Education had 9,716 enrollments in its computer/ information technology, professional education, healthcare, small business, public safety and health information systems programs. In addition, 2,301 enrollments came through customized contract training programs with 94 area businesses. The lifelong learning programs included: • Licensing and CEUs for professionals in healthcare, mediation, early childhood education, banking, payroll, human resources and Lean and Six Sigma continuous process improvement tools. • Customized projects that included competency development models, designing curriculum, instructional guides and assessment. • Customized training and development for organizations, including solutions for leadership, management, finance, project management and coaching at various levels. • Public classes and contract training in computer applications and information technology. • Assistance to local companies applying for Kansas Department of Commerce grants that will pay for workforce training for newly created jobs or jobs requiring new skills. • Public classes and contract training in supply chain and logistics as well as transportation classes including commercial driver’s license training (CDL).