|
Print from PC: Right click, and select "Print" |
|
|
|
Under a statewide initiative, help for the teaching sector is on the way. State officials estimate that 60 percent of Maryland teacher education graduates begin or complete their studies at community colleges. The new program will assist graduates transfer all credits earned in their first two years at AACC to four-year University of Maryland system education programs. AACC students can now earn an associate of arts degree in teaching (AAT). AACC’s 64-credit-hour program in elementary education incorporates general education, professional education courses and a field-based experience. Graduates will be eligible for state certification once they complete a bachelor’s degree from an approved teacher education program. AACC’s Education Department also has an answer for provisionally certified teachers who need courses to become certified. The college offers every course these teachers need, except those seeking special education permits. The Maryland Board of Nursing reports 55% of Maryland nurses prepared at the associate degree or community college level historically have a higher first-time success rate on the RN licensure exam than do four-year graduates. AACC RN nursing graduates typically exceed both national and state first-time pass rates on national exams. AACC also offers a nursing transfer associate degree, LPN and patient care technician certificates, as well as associate degrees in medical assisting and a therapeutic massage option. Students can earn certificates in managed care operations, medical coding and medical assisting. Other AACC allied health career programs in hot career fields include radiologic technology and physical therapist assistant associate degrees, physical therapist assistant, pharmacy technician and physician assistant programs. Biotechnology is one of the nation’s fastest-growing scientific fields. Maryland ranks among the top six states in biotechnology investment per capita, with several major federal research facilities, as well as independent and university institutes and incubator facilities. AACC’s associate of sciences degree with 14 science and premedical professional degree options (including a biology concentration) provides for the transfer of the first two years of credits toward a university baccalaureate degree. A biomedical engineering technology associate of applied sciences degree awarded by Howard Community College is available to AACC students. Most courses may be taken at AACC; a few courses must be taken at HCC by video-conferencing or arranged scheduling at in-county tuition rates. AACC offers many continuing education courses in the building trades. These range from core training for the trades to electrical training and HVAC, from plumbing to carpentry, from welding to masonry, from high-tech cabling to construction management. Other opportunities include skill training for construction apprenticeships in partnership with unions, contractors and employers.
Accelerating the enrollment engine at AACC is the division’s five-year, 1996-2001, noncredit growth of 43%. That rate is more than five times faster than the state system average and three times faster than other large state community colleges. In fiscal year 2002, the division’s noncredit enrollment headcount was a record-breaking 38,015 people. The division provided 1,862 contract and noncredit continuing education courses. In fiscal year 2002, the college enrolled more than 27,000 persons in new or updated skills training. AACC provided workforce training to 80 private companies and government agencies. Division opportunities include:
The National Alliance of Business recognized the college’s innovative approach in preparing students to conquer the challenges of today and tomorrow when it named AACC the Community College of the Year. NAB praised the college as a prime workforce development resource. An innovative partnership with Northrop Grumman Corporation, now in its seventh year, has chalked up 52,589 enrollments and played a role in the NAB award. The corporation has praised the partnership as a model for the nation. Instruction has included such areas as the first SAP information-training curriculum by a Maryland community college. The partnership recently won the highest National Council for Continuing Education and Training honor, the 2002 Exemplary Program Award for workforce development. AACC’s experts identify training needs and develop instruction. The spectrum of choices includes customized workforce programs and services; training at a company site, college classroom or other location; day, evening or weekend instruction; college credit or continuing education units. The Teacher Technology Training project (T3), a contract training partnership with the public school system, began in January 1988. T3 provides free professional development for public school teachers and staff members in the use of technology and integration of technology in instruction. The program won the highly coveted 1999 NCCET Program Award in the workforce development category. In 2001, the Maryland Higher Education Commission honored T3 with its Outstanding Program Award. The college ranks among area leaders in computer technology instruction. Computer training includes not only basic office and graphics software applications but also programming and certification in software and hardware systems. Microsoft technical certification courses include Microsoft Certified Systems administrator and engineer training, as well as Windows 2000 and NT 4.0 classes. AACC has been designated also as an authorized Cisco Networking Academy. This program provides eight terms of learning that include both the Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) designations. For information about AACC workforce development programs, call the dean of workforce development and business services, at 410-777-2371.
In 1999, she decided to try an online course at Anne Arundel Community College. She’s been taking most courses online ever since then. Dufrenne is not alone. During the fall of 2002, online registrations boosted the college’s total online registration to more than 11,000 students. AACC first began offering online courses in 1996. AACC is one of four community colleges in the nation chosen to provide classes as part of a $453 million U.S. Army project to coordinate delivery of distance learning classes to soldiers worldwide. PricewaterhouseCoopers formed a team of ten companies and 21 colleges, universities and community colleges to work on the PwC e-learning Network. Together these partners have offered over 3,000 online courses to about 250,000 students. Some 265 students are in AACC’s program with almost 16,000 in the entire program. Paul Warner, director of learning technologies and distance learning at the college, said the college is averaging a 30% growth in distance learning enrollment each term. The popularity of online courses comes from the students," he said. "They want it. It allows them the versatility and flexibility they need. Even for students who take some courses in a traditional classroom, it allows them to work in an extra course without coming on campus." Dufrenne said that flexibility meant she could take more than one course at a time to complete her education faster and still be at home with her children. She’s currently taking her 12th online course, just finished her first associate’s degree in computers and has begun a second one in cybercrime. The most popular courses are introductory, general studies courses. Courses leading to an associate’s degree also are popular. At AACC, students can earn all the credits online for associate’s degrees in general studies, business administration and business management. During the fall of 2002, the college offered more than 100 courses online, including 18 new courses. Students without access to a computer can use the computer lab in the Truxal Library on the Arnold campus or at the Glen Burnie Town Center. Some classes may meet on campus for discussion, quizzes and exams. Everything else, including access to materials, takes place online. For information, call the 24-hour voice mail service at 410-777-2739, the Distance Learning Center at 410-777-2464, email the center at dlcenter@aacc.edu or visit the website, www.aacc.edu/diseduc. Anne Arundel Community College at Arundel Mills:
Situated in the western portion of Anne Arundel County, AACC at Arundel Mills is located north of the Muvico Egyptian 24 Theaters entrance at Arundel Mills in Hanover. While evening classes have been offered for many years at area high schools, there has been a recent demand for day classes as well. Expanding services into the western portion of the county became a top priority of the Board of Trustees of Anne Arundel Community College. Continued business expansion, population growth and further development at Fort Meade spurred the college to seek a long-term permanent presence in this area. A demand analysis, surveys and studies were conducted to determine what was needed. The college learned that companies desired business management, business administration and computer information systems programs. Studies also revealed that businesses continue to need resources for employee training external to their companies. More than half of businesses in the county’s western portion stated that they expected to expand in coming years (through 2006) and will need a trained workforce to do so and to remain competitive. Arundel Mills has proven to be remarkably accessible. An extensive infrastructure linked to a major highway system – Routes 100 and 295 – make it an easy destination; public transportation also serves Arundel Mills. Two Maryland companies have been hired for this project — the architectural team of Grimm and Parker Architects of Calverton and the construction team Hess Construction Company of Gaithersburg.
In addition to these facilities, AACC offers services to help employees improve their productivity:
The Office of Training and Performance Improvement (OTPI) provides high quality, cost effective training and performance improvement services to business, industry, government agencies and non-profit organizations in Anne Arundel County and Greater Washington. OTPI offers training in such diverse areas as software applications, technical training, management, communications, project management, technical writing and Command Spanish. In addition to traditional training programs, OTPI also offers Performance Improvement services its clients. Performance Improvement is a systematic approach to identifying barriers that prevent people from achieving their best performance. For a complete picture of an organization, the Office of Training and Performance Improvement conducts a cause and/or gap analysis that demonstrates any performance problems among employees. This analysis serves as the blueprint for preparing a customized training plan or other solutions to address the performance gaps. The Office of Training and Performance Improvement uses internal staff, practitioners and experienced consultants to provide training and performance improvement services. During the past year, the Business and Industry Office has trained over 5,500 individuals in more than 50 organizations.
Examples of such programs are AACC’s Institute of Criminal Justice, Legal Studies and Public Services, the Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute and the Cybercrime Studies Institute. These institutes offer comprehensive programs that bring together credit and noncredit instruction, resources and faculty focuses on the needs of employers and the workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that law, law enforcement and criminal justice careers will grow from 21-35% through 2008. The college’s American Bar Association-approved paralegal studies degree and certificate programs allow students to choose from business, litigation or general practice paralegal options. Those with nursing backgrounds can select the nurse paralegal certificate option. AACC’s Police Academy, certified by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions, offers an associate of applied sciences degree or a certificate option. Other programs include an associate of applied sciences degree in law enforcement and criminal justice and certificates in law enforcement and criminal justice, with concentrations in corrections or juvenile service or police and law enforcement. In the fall of 2002, the institute began offering two new degrees and a certificate program in law, jurisprudence and cybercrime. The associate in arts degree in law and jurisprudence is a transfer program for those interested in pre-law. The 65-credit-hour program will allow students to transfer seamlessly into four-year pre-law programs. The associate of applied sciences degree program in cybercrime responds to requests for a credit program that integrates law enforcement and technology. The 64-credit-hour program will teach students in areas of criminal justice, paralegal and computer information systems to identify potential threats, lawfully search, seize and acquire evidence of a crime and to present results in court. A 36-credit-hour cybercrime certificate program includes the same cybercrime detection, investigation and prevention courses as the degree program minus the general education courses needed for a degree. Hospitality careers are hot, officials say, because of critical worker shortages generated by the industry’s success. Tourism is the second-largest employer in Anne Arundel County. Hospitality is the top private industry in the state, employing more than 165,000 people; Maryland restaurants alone employ 145,000 workers. Projections indicate the hospitality industry will grow by 25% during the next five years. Worker demand ranges from hotel and restaurant managers to chefs, wait staff and hotel front desk personnel. Those willing to invest in continuing professional education can gain career advancement through regional and national hotel and restaurant chains. AACC academic credentials can be gained as a conference planner, dining room manager, front desk hotel manager, caterer or chef. In fall 2002, HCAT opened a 10,000 square-foot culinary arts facility in the Glen Burnie Town Center. Renovated and furnished at a cost of $1.8 million, the building is home to HCAT’s award-winning Chef Apprenticeship program. The facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen professionally equipped for instruction in savory and baking/pastry programs. Also included is a computer classroom with 25 stations, two café-style classrooms and a smart classroom wired to provide use of the latest technology. HCAT hosts other cooking classes and related instruction at the Arnold campus and at sites throughout Anne Arundel County. Employer-requested customized training includes alcohol awareness, chef certification in nutrition, sanitation training and ServSafe instruction. This material was prepared for the Greater Washington Initiative by Anne Arundel Community College. |
