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The Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College Wins Environmental Excellence Award of Distinction

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Yavapai College’s Southwest Wine Center, located on the Verde Valley campus in Clarkdale, won the Award of Distinction at the Arizona Forward 39th Annual Environmental Excellence Awards Gala on Sept. 21. The honor recognizes the Southwest Wine Center as a leader in adopting environmentally sustainable practices for a better Arizona.

The Arizona Forward Environmental Excellence awards, presented in partnership with the Salt River Project, recognize projects, businesses, and individuals that support environmental sustainability and stewardship in Arizona.

The Southwest Wine Center won in the Governor’s Award for Arizona’s Future category, specific to programs that nurture “Arizona’s future through creative initiatives, public policies and/or collaborative efforts that enhance the state’s environmental quality, economic vitality and sustainability.”

Environmentally sustainable practices, such as reusing reclaimed Grade A+ effluent water and conserving water via an advanced drip system, led to securing the award.

Michael Pierce, Director of the Viticulture and Enology programs at the Southwest Wine Center, accepted the award on behalf of Yavapai College. “We are proud to be acknowledged as a leader in environmentally sustainable practices in Arizona. Although our primary goal is to teach students the skills and knowledge they need to be a success in the wine industry, we also stress the importance of cultivating a climate-appropriate agricultural crop using sustainable water conservation practices,” said Pierce.

The Southwest Wine Center is the only program of its kind in Arizona, offering hands-on instruction in both Viticulture (science of grape growing) and Enology (science of winemaking). The programs immerse students in real-world experiences, which cannot be duplicated in a classroom setting alone.

The Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College is located at 601 Black Hills Drive in Clarkdale. The wine tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m. For more information, contact lisa.russell@yc.edu or 928.634.6566. Learn more about their academic programs and resources by going online to www.southwestwinecenter.com.

 

Pursuing an Interest, Advancing a Career

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At the start of the spring term at Yavapai College, the convocation keynote address was given by the incoming college president Dr. Lisa Rhine. During her talk, she made mention of the ratio 1:2:7 in today’s job market and how that impacts education.

The 1: 2: 7 ratio means: one job will be available with a master’s degree or higher, two jobs will be available with a bachelor’s degree, and seven jobs will be available with an associate degree or certificate. “Success in the New Economy,” a video by Kevin Fleming and Brian Marsh, explains where we are in today’s economy. The short film also touches on the reason why businesses are having a difficult time hiring qualified individuals for their open positions.

I have been in the career coaching field since 1996, after working in various industries, and have found that this ratio has not changed through the years. During coaching sessions or classes, I would always start with self-exploration, so an individual would know and analyze his or her talents and their strengths. Next, we would move into career exploration to identify areas of interest. Only then would a career plan be developed. The goal was always to align an individual’s knowledge, skills and abilities with a career that was a good fit.

For the past six years, I have been a career coach at Yavapai College’s Career and Technical College, working with students in more than 10 technical AAS degrees and 35 technical certificate programs, most of which are STEM related.

In reviewing the Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop data for 2018, median income for our technical programs ranges from $21,040 to $124,540 annually. These income levels reflect both certificate and AAS degree programs. The college combines both education and applied technical skills. The college also is a catalyst for industry-driven credentials and developing specific preparation for employment in today’s job market by working with and listening to industry representatives through advisory boards for each program, staying current within budget limits and providing some of the best labs for students to have hands-on experiences.

In addition, the college also has grant-based paid internships and apprenticeships for some of our high industry demand programs. These internships and apprenticeships can range from 10 to 16 hours per week at the current pay rate of $14.25 to $14.75 per hour, with a term limit of 14 to 16 weeks. The experience that students receive in their chosen field while working at companies enables them to determine whether this is a good fit for them, gain industry experience for resume building, enhance their academic achievements, and add to their personal growth.

In today’s workplace, one has to accept that lifelong learning is a reality for continued success in the job market. The average age of our students at CTEC is 28 years old, with an age range from 16 to mid-50s and older. The younger students are seeking and exploring their first career path. The mid-range age group is looking to improve a current position with a company, change careers completely or pursue professional development. The older age group is focused on personal development and learning for the sake of learning. I just need to mention: individual success is usually tied into having a passion for what an individual achieves. QCBN

By Jim Voska

To explore career technical programs and careers at Yavapai College’s Career and Technical Education College, go to yc.edu/CTEC.

For more information on Yavapai College’s technical (STEM) programs, contact Linda Brannock (linda.branock@yc.edu) Career Coach Yavapai College Enrollment Services and/or Jim Voska (james.voska@yc.edu) Career Coach, Yavapai College, Career and Technical Education College.

Yavapai College Providing Engineering Education, Paid Internships with NSF Grants

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Spring is in the air, and Yavapai College’s National Science Foundation (NSF) grant internships are starting out strong. The NSF has awarded Yavapai College’s Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC) in Prescott an $855,350 Advanced Technical Education Grant.

The award will fund “Engineered for Success: Engineering Technician Training for Rural Arizona,” a three-year project designed to expand capacity for high quality engineering technician training, in Central and Northern Arizona. Spring 2018 is the second semester Yavapai College will place students into the NSF internship program.

Each semester, Yavapai College selects seven CTEC students to participate in the NSF internships. Students are selected from four YC programs: Applied Pre-Engineering, Industrial Machine Mechanic, Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Machining and Electrical Instrumentation Technician. Students placed with local area employers learn hands-on skills in their field of study. YC is committed to the development of strong, working internships with employers in Yavapai County as a way for employers to retain and build a quality workforce. For the spring 2018 semester, Yavapai College is currently working with RESA Wearables founder Glen Hinshaw for the NSF internships.

Prescott Native Glen Hinshaw’s vision began over two decades ago, when he was on the professional road cycling circuit. Hinshaw discovered that custom crafted insoles would benefit his performance and health. He learned that orthopedic labs controlled the industry, which made the task of obtaining custom insoles expensive and tedious. Hinshaw’s mission became clear at this point: make the term “digital footprint” a literal reality.

RESA began working with three YC students via the NSF internship program during the fall 2017 semester, and has accepted four Yavapai College students at RESA for the spring 2018 semester, from Yavapai College’s Applied Pre-Engineering program.

The interns at RESA are learning hands-on skills in troubleshooting and fabrication with the proprietary 3D printers, which make custom insoles in about an hour. The RESA interns are applying their classroom and lab training to the hands-on skills needed in the manufacturing of RESA products.

Yavapai College is also collaborating with RESA to train new technicians in the Electrical and Networking field, with the responsibility to train students to work in three areas at RESA: production, operating and maintaining propriety equipment and sales of RESA wear insoles.

Yavapai College’s RESA training program features six courses including electronics fundamentals, digital systems, 3D printer operation and maintenance, embedded systems and IoT and basic advanced networking. Classes run Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and the internship at RESA is Thursdays and Fridays. Student interns are paid $14 an hour to start while they are in the program, with the opportunity to earn $25 an hour upon competition of the training program. For additional information on Yavapai College’s RESA training program, call 928-717-7721.

The NSF grant will provide paid internships for seven Applied Pre-Engineering/Integrated Systems Technician students each semester. YC’s ability to combine a quality engineering education with paid, practical work experience is a win-win for both YC students and the Yavapai County businesses that employ them.

If you are a local employer interested in working with the NSF internship program, or a prospective YC student hoping to update your employment skills, Yavapai College is here to help. Contact Yavapai College Career Coaches Linda Brannock at 928-776-2170, or James Voska at 928-717-7726. QCBN

By Linda Brannock

 

YC Paves Road to 21st Century Production Occupations

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Yavapai College’s Integrated Systems Engineering Technician Certificate (ISET) paves the way for students to enter into 21st century production occupations, commonly known in this era as the Mechatronics Field. Mechatronic Engineering is one of the newest branches of engineering, and has far reaching applications to every sector of society. The Mechatronic field is a multidisciplinary field of science that includes a combination of mechanical engineering, electronics, computer engineering, telecommunication engineering and computer coding and programming. As technology advances, the subfields of engineering multiply and adapt. A mechatronic engineer is capable of thinking holistically about the entire mechatronic system, rather than focusing on certain domain specific elements of a company’s processes and service. Mechatronic engineering is a bachelor or master level field of study, and is one of the newest branches of engineering. Mechatronic engineers are in high demand as industries seek to apply evolutionary advances in computers, electronics, sensors and actuators to improve their products, processes and services.

Yavapai Colleges Integrated Systems Engineering Technician Certificate is a pathway into the Mechatronics industry. YC’s Integrated Systems Engineering Technician Certificate (ISET) prepares students to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills to the identification and resolution of production problems in the manufacturing of products. YC’s ISET certification program includes training in machine operations, production line operation, robotics, systems integrations, computer-aided drafting (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM). YC ISET Certificate also prepares students to take third-party industry level examinations from the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET).

YC facility member Rick Peters is one of the greatest advocates for the evolution of this program at YC. ISCET is the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians, a globally recognized leader in third party certification of electronics technicians. ISCET offers a number of ways to certify including the Electronics Systems Associate (ESA) program that we use here at YC, as well as associate and journeyman levels. The ESA system is broken down into four exams that cover the following areas of study: DC electronics, AC electronics, solid state devices and digital electronics. When our students pass all four of these, they automatically achieve associate level CET status.

Peters says CET status is a big deal. “I’m a journeyman CET and there are less than 50,000 of us globally. ISCET certification is third-party proof that our students know of what they speak. It’s one of the best ways to move a resume to the top of a stack of applicants. YC is a certified administrator and has access to any and all ISCET exams. All anyone has to do is contact us, and we can set up a proctored exam. ISCET offers certification in a number of specialty fields for journeymen (all applicants must have a least four years of work-related experience) including: computers, communications, industrial electronics, fiber optics and more. Mechatronics at its simplest level is just a combination of electronics and mechanics. Additionally, all of the process and motor control I teach is ‘mechatronic,’ as it’s a blend of electronics controlling mechanical devices (i.e., motors, valves, transducers). Pretty much the whole Electrical and Instrumentation Technology Program is “Mechatronics.’”

The field of Mechatronics is the essence of production in the 21st century, integrating mechanical and electrical along with computer coding and software programs. YC is dedicated to engaging students in the future of automation and innovation manufacturing techniques, by continuing to expand academic program in these field. YC’s ISET Certificate combined with the ISCET Certification from the International Society of Certified Electronics Technician helps students move from YC into good paying jobs, or students can utilize the courses offered to familiarize themselves with a pathway into the newest in demand engineer field of study called Mechatronics. Either choice makes it a win for YC Students. For a complete listing of academic programs and certificates contact YC REDC Career Coach Linda Brannock at 928-776-2170, or CTEC campus James Voska at 928-717 -7726. QCBN

Linda Brannock is a career coach at Yavapai College.

 

 

 

Fast-Track Management Courses Offered

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fast-trackYavapai College’s Fast-Track Management Program has late-start courses geared toward working adults for professional development beginning Oct. 17. Students can take one course or earn a Management Certificate with eight courses, build managerial skills, confidence and professional recognition with the Yavapai College Management Certificate program. Online courses in a seven-week format with optional on-campus sessions are provided. The program is accredited, and costs $237 per course. Employer partnerships are also available with courses taught on-site at the workplace for employee professional development. For more information contact Dr. Joy D’Angelo, Program Director at 928.776.2343, joy.dangelo@yc.edu

YC Online Paralegal Best in Arizona

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legal Yavapai College’s online Paralegal Studies program has been ranked as Arizona’s most affordable online paralegal degree program and the 2nd most affordable program in the U.S. by the Online Paralegal Degree Center, an organization that helps students locate online paralegal degrees and certification options.

The Online Paralegal Degree Center examined 117 schools based on two- and four-year online degree offerings in legal assistant and paralegal studies. The Center assessed each program’s cost and the percentage of grant or scholarship aid each school offered to come up with an official ranking.

“Yavapai’s online Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies program is designed to prepare students for work as paralegals in various legal fields,” notes Michael Davis, Director of YC’s Paralegal and Administration of Justice programs. “The flexibility of online classes paired with the program’s affordability makes it a great route for students interested in law.” The program prepares students for employment upon graduation, and also prepares them to transfer to four-year degree-granting institutions.

“At $1,896 in undergraduate tuition and fees, the Yavapai’s program is extremely affordable,” Davis says. Making Yavapai College offerings even more attractive are the many forms of financial aid available to students. Currently, 36 percent of YC students receive grants or scholarships.

All told, Yavapai College offers 13 online degrees and 22 online certificate programs at some of the lowest tuition costs in the country.

To read more about the ranking methodology, go to http://www.online-paralegal-degree.org/affordable-online-paralegal-degree-programs/.

To learn more about Yavapai College’s online Paralegal Studies program, go to https://www.yc.edu/academics/degrees-and-certificates/associate-of-applied-science—paralegal-studies/22.

 

Yavapai College Mid-Semester Classes Now Enrolling

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CollegeLearning opportunities abound for college students of all ages who wish to enroll in one of the many “late start” classes offered by Yavapai College. Classes are now available at both the Prescott and Verde Valley campuses as well as online, and start at various times until early November.

Courses range from professional skills building to health and fitness. For example, there are academic courses on learning Internet essentials, career searches and success and social media marketing.

A sampling of health and fitness courses includes aqua Pilates, weight loss with health and whole foods, and cross-training. QCBN

Search for all available late-start classes by visiting www.yc.edu/latestart.

 

YC Mid-Semester Classes Now Enrolling

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Yavapai College YCLearning opportunities abound for college students of all ages who wish to enroll in one of the many “late start” classes offered by Yavapai College. Classes are now available at both the Prescott and Verde Valley campuses, as well as online, and start at various times from this week until early November.

Courses range from professional skills building to health and fitness. For example, there are academic courses on learning Internet essentials, career search and success, and social media marketing.

A sampling of health and fitness courses includes aqua Pilates, weight loss with health and whole foods, and cross-training.

Search for all available late-start classes by visiting http://www.yc.edu/latestart