The General Business Skills low-unit certificate prepares students for entry-level positions for many industries. Students learn how businesses operate, under what influences, with what stakeholders. They learn to communicate clearly on business matters, and they develop an understanding of human relations in the workplace. Completion of this low-unit certificate with the BUS13 elective option provides students with the three core courses required of most of the Business Certificates of Achievement. Entry level positions that need the skills learned by students who complete this low-unit certificate include entry level office clerks, accounting assistants, production assistants, office assistants, recreation assistants, audio and video equipment assistants, billing and posting clerks, and many others across a wide range of industries.

The General Automotive Technician Certificate of Achievement provides students with knowledge of all operating systems in the modern automobile. A student that completes this certificate will have a broad knowledge base to prepare them for a career in the automotive industry as an Automotive Engine Mechanical Technician (Heavy Line Technician), Automotive Engine Performance Diagnostics Technician, Automotive Suspension Technician, Automotive Alignment Technician, Automotive Brake Technician, or General Automotive Technician. Ideal for the small business owner, independent shop, or the dealership career‐oriented technician.  Graduates of the General Automotive Technician program will be qualified to take the related National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification exams A1, A3, A4, A5 and A8. 

The Foods Certificate of Achievement program is designed to train students for career applications in the food and hospitality industries in entry level positions with food companies such as cooks and food service workers in specialty restaurant operations, food and beverage service, fast foods operations, and food service in schools, day-care centers, and senior living facilities. The program offers coursework for professional improvement. Students will be provided with the essential skills of sanitation, foundational cooking and baking, operations, and production in order to reach their career goals and to be competitive in the global marketplace.

The Financial Literacy Certificate of Completion prepares students to begin college courses in finance as well as for jobs in banking and finance and other jobs that require knowledge of basic financial principles. Students learn financial literacy skills related to managing small business and personal finances, such as budgeting, tracking spending and investing, creating and achieving financial goals, insurance, credit, debt, compound interest, time value of money, tax planning, and investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate, and other financial securities. Students learn to use mathematics to solve typical business problems including simple and compound interest, installment sales, trade and cash discounts, markup percent, pricing, discounting notes and drafts, depreciation, taxes, insurance, statistics, stocks and bonds, and distribution of ownership and profits. Students also learn to use technology including Quicken to track, organize, and manage finances.

The Family and Consumer Sciences Certificate of Achievement program is designed to develop the skills necessary for gainful employment in the field of Home Economics and Human Sciences. These skills involve learning how to efficiently manage a household including safe and healthful food preparation, household and small business budgeting, as well as the basics in interior design, space planning and clothing construction and selection. Electives provide additional skills as selected in areas of fashion, sewing, weight management, and communication and relationship skills. Combined with courses such as business, journalism, television, or advertising, the Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum can also fulfill the vocational objectives of those who want to enhance their marketability in these other fields.

The FCS certificate allows students employment in a variety of careers in business, industry, health and human services, and educational settings, including but not limited to independent living services, youth programs, community organizations, after-school programs, nonmedical senior care centers, programs for older adults, and self-improvement programs. Specific job titles include community or social service specialist, customer service representative, social and human service assistant, public relations specialist, store manager, youth counselor, program coordinator, and marketing specialist.

The Entrepreneurship Occupational Skills Award is particularly useful for members of the community and other students who are planning or are in the process of starting a new business.

The Entrepreneurship Certificate of Achievement program is designed for students who plan to engage in entrepreneurship or who have already begun their own business. Completion of this certificate provides students with critical knowledge and skills for planning, starting, and operating a new business. The program provides valuable preparation in proven business practices and business ownership, operation, and management issues, such as market focus, measures of success, and development of a clear and useful business plan. Career paths and occupations for students with entrepreneurship skills include business development, e-commerce, finances, marketing, and management, across industries. Completion also demonstrates persistence and achievement and may support job applications.

This program introduces students to creating and maintaining e-commerce web sites. The program emphasis is on industrial standards. These include SQL the database communication language, PHP the most used server-side web scripting language, JavaScript the most used client-side scripting language, jQuery the most used client-side JavaScript framework. The restricted electives allow a student to emphasize either marketing, WordPress, or programming.

The Data Analytics Certificate of Achievement enables full-time students and existing working professionals the ability to enhance their skills with state of the art training in the rapidly evolving information technology areas of data analytics (the analysis and presentation of data) and database (collection organization of data). The certificate core requirements introduce students to the critical evolving data technologies, including relational databases, SQL (universal standard language for communicating to relational databases), data visualization, data modeling, data warehousing, database reporting using Tableau, big data, NoSQL, cloud, and business intelligence using Microsoft Power BI and Excel.

Completion of this certificate will enable students to acquire the skills needed by professionals in information and communication technologies to support the converged network that carries voice, data, image, and video traffic.  This career is an emerging IT-related career that sees high demand and growth.

Program Outcome

✓ Students who receive the Network Technician Certificate of Specialization will be able to design and implement a converged network.