Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Communication Programs at Centennial College Give You Options

Are you looking for a way to enter the workforce quickly? Do you already have previous training in communications? Consider one of Centennial College’s fast-track communication programs. The school has been leading a revolution that has resulted in the staggering growth of applied learning opportunities at the post-secondary level. Centennial is continually adapting its program offerings to meet the needs of today’s increasingly diverse group of learners. Many of these learners seek shorter, relevant programs that complement their education and experiences.

Communication studies encompass topics and contexts that range from face-to-face conversation and speeches to mass media outlets such as television broadcasting. This means that communication programs include areas of study such as journalism, film and cinema, radio and television, advertising and public relations and performance studies.

One option among the fast-track Communications program options is Interactive Digital Media. The undertaking takes just three semesters to complete and emphasizes technical competence, diversity of thought, exploration and an interdisciplinary approach creating a culture of risk-taking, problem solving and team building. Students are involved with the industry in early stages of the program and complete their learning with an intensive industry field placement. Jobs upon graduation include: online producer, interactive project manager, interactive visual designer, interactive media art director and interactive marketing specialist.

Another area of communication programs at Centennial College is advertising, in which two programs are offered. Advertising Account Management is a unique undertaking where you’ll maximize your creative, strategic and business skills to develop and coordinate advertising, sales promotion, event marketing, interactive or direct marketing. If you like planning, managing and working in collaborative and professional teams, then this program will provide you with what you need to speed past the competition. Meanwhile, Media Management is a hands-on and intensive industry-approved program that will provide you with the fundamentals of media management, with a focus on consumer-driven communication channel choices for advertising messages.

Other communication programs deal with the media. They are Corporate Communications, Book and Magazine Publishing and Journalism. First, the Journalism program is an accelerated course designed for university and college graduates. From covering breaking news to exploring human-interest stories, in this program you’ll report events, interview the newsmakers and examine the issues of our times. Another area is Book and Magazine Publishing. “The Book and Magazine Publishing program at Centennial gave me a strong understanding of the Canadian publishing industry, offered numerous opportunities to meet industry professionals and introduced me to classmates who have now become good friends,” says Maya Bahar, a 2005 grad. The last of the communication programs is Corporate Communications and Public Relations. Corporate communicators and PR practitioners research, write, plan, edit, design and implement everything from strategic communications plans and employee newsletters to gala dinners for hundreds of people. They create communications strategies that influence employee attitudes, shift stockholders’ opinions and tell an organization’s story to the media., shift stockholders’ opinions and tell an organization’s story to the media. Students in this program, learn all of these elements.


Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Computer Systems Technician Skills Can Be Attained in Just Two Years

Computer systems technicians, field service representatives, network technicians, network technical support specialists, help desk support and technical support are some of the jobs available to students who graduate from Centennial College’s Computer Systems Technician – Networking program. Despite the different titles, professionals in this field work as part of a team that implements and maintains networks, which link desktop computers to send e-mail, and to share data, computer applications and Internet connections. This process includes installing, configuring, and resolving conflicts among different hardware used in the network, such as network adapters. In addition technicians identify problems common to components of the network, such as cards, cables, and other related hardware. They also establish disaster recovery plans for various situations if the network were to malfunction.

At Centennial College in Toronto, Ont. students takes two years to complete the Computer Systems Technician program, which incorporates the latest in computer systems and network technology. In the program, students become one of 100 yearly graduates who find their jobs in technical support from the growing mesh of Internet, intranet, extranet and telecom networks. They are taught to go inside PC hardware and into the details of operating systems to have full human control of the computing and communicating technology. They also learn to maintain systems that will empower users in their creative, business and communication activities. Specific courses in the Computer Systems Technician program include: PC Hardware (concentrates on understanding terminology, how to do fundamental tasks, and advanced configuration and troubleshooting, including using command line to accomplish technical tasks); Windows Server Operation System (provides a comprehensive introduction to Windows 2000 through a variety of individual and group activities); Electricity for Computer Systems (students experience a combination of theory and lab while they learn the fundamental principles and theories of DC and AC circuits); and many others. There is an exit point after one year, which earns students a certificate or a possibility of a three-year technology diploma.

It should be noted that Centennial College’s Computer Systems Technician training is nationally accredited by the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists, and, as such, has met the established national technology accreditation requirements. In addition, the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists (OACETT) recognizes the Computer Systems Technician - Networking program as meeting all the academic requirements for certification in the Technician category.

To apply, students possess at minimum an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or be 19 years of age or older. They must also have completed the compulsory English 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent and Math 11M or U, or 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent. Students will be placed in the appropriate English level based on skills assessment results. Please note that meeting minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the Computer Systems Technician program.


Monday, June 6, 2011

By Attending A Sales Management Program, You Obtain Theory and Practical Experience

Key account manager, account executive, commercial sales representative, sales specialist, technical sales representative, sales consultant, sales coordinator, inside sales representative, territory sales representative, these are some of the job titles available to those who have attended a sales management program. Despite the different positions, essentially, the field of Marketing: Sales and Account Management involves acquiring and maintaining relationships with major client accounts of mid to large sized companies that have their own sales force. These companies range from ones who handle medical and dental technology to those offering software and pharmaceutical products.

At Centennial College, students can take the sales management program, which in just one year prepares them for career success in key account management and professional sales. Those interested in applying must go through the application process, which begins by submitting an official transcript demonstrating proof of successful completion of a post-secondary advanced diploma or degree program. They may also be required to conduct an interview with officials, submit a resume and undergo an English and/or math skills assessment. Centennial College will also consider applicants presenting a combination of partial post-secondary education and relevant work experience, open to all disciplines.

Professors with extensive experience in sales, negotiation and account management in the business-to-business realm teach the sales management program. It is conducted out of Progress Campus, which is centrally located and houses many of Centennial College’s business programs, allowing for ample networking opportunities. The undertaking itself extensively uses learner-centered approaches such as: role-playing, simulation and cases, with a focus on developing selling, negotiating and presentation skills. Hands-on training is also provided in using sales force automation software. There is an ideal balance between theory and hands-on learning so that students are equipped with a wide range of skills upon graduation that will make them instantly employable. Specific courses within the sales management program include: Business Presentations (the course is intended to provide a solid grounding in the important business communication area) and Marketing (provides an overview of contemporary marketing, emphasizing the management of the product/service, price, promotion and distribution areas of an organization within a changing environment); and many others such as Case Analysis and Marketing Metrics, Fundamentals of Selling, Sales and Account Management, and Strategic Account Development.

In order to graduate from the sales management program, students must maintain a C grade average and an overall GPA of 2.0. Once they receive their Ontario College Graduate Certificate, graduates of the sales management program walk away with a solid foundation in the intricacies of acquiring and maintaining relationships with major client accounts. If, however, students would like to gain even more experience, an optional third semester internship in the sales account management program is available.

This Toronto College Will Get You Noticed!

Finding a Toronto college that will suit your needs and help you to obtain the education you want can be quite stressful. Luckily, Centennial College takes some of that stress away with its variety of options (full-time and part-time programs, distance learning and fast-track undertakings), an easy-to-navigate website and helpful staff members who can answer questions about everything from financial aid to what makes Centennial College's program stand apart.

Obtaining a Toronto education is made much easier by Centennial College, which serves four areas of the GTA with its Centre for Creative Communications, Morningside, Ashtonbee and Progress campuses. Each campus is uniquely staffed and equipped to handle a different area of study. The Centre for Creative Communications, as the name implies, houses Centennial College's most creative programs. It offers undertakings such as Game Design, Film and Broadcasting, Fine Arts Studio, Digital Animation, Marketing, Advertising and more. Its facilities include TV studios, computer labs, art studios and large creative spaces that serve students from all programs. Meanwhile, Morningside campus is this Toronto college's most technologically-advanced location. It houses many of the School of Community and Health Studies’ programs, including: Nursing, Esthetician, Paramedic, Food Service Worker, Spa Management and more. Facilities range from computer and science labs to a fully-equipped esthetics clinic and a mock hospital setting. As Centennial College also offers many automotive programs, its Ashtonbee campus is actually the largest transportation training centre in Ontario. Students study out of fully equipped labs that have the same high-tech equipment they will find in the field, including assembly lines and even an airplane hangar. The final campus location is also the largest. Called Progress, it is the site of many business programs as well as the base of the School of Hospitality. It is centrally located and fully equipped to handle students’ needs.

As previously mentioned, all of these locations offer a full range of programs. This includes more than 100 diploma and certificate programs on a full-time and Continuing Education basis in business, communication arts, community and consumer services, engineering technology, health and transportation. These career-oriented programs emphasize practical experience with laboratory learning, industry and agency placements, as well as co-op education. This Toronto college supports enrolments of 14,400 full-time students and 28,000 in Continuing Education. Students also have the option to pursue continuing education off-campus via its Distance Learning option, which is conducted through virtual classrooms and includes much independent study.

To help guide you into the appropriate education, Centennial College offers an extensive website that features everything from a full database of its program with descriptions of courses, prerequisites, benefits, learning outcomes and much more; to a look at the school's history and dependable reputation. The school's website even publishes success stories about graduates who have gone on to have successful careers in their respective fields.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Bioinformatics Courses in the Bioinformatics Software for Professionals Program Combine Practical and Academic Training

Organizations such as OICR, Ontario health networks, Ontario hospitals, the provincial government and many others have hired graduates of Centennial College’s Bioinformatics Software for Professionals program, which offers a variety of bioinformatics courses.

Before we take a more in-depth look at Centennial College’s program, let’s look at bioinformatics itself. This area combines biology with information technology and computers. Current advances have increased the need for the creation of new and innovative bioinformatics tools. Unique computational tools open a vast potential for new scientific discovery, with the ultimate goal of understanding and modeling living systems. Essentially then, bioinformatics entails the creation and advancement of databases, algorithms, computational and statistical techniques and theory to solve formal and practical problems arising from the management and analysis of biological data.

The first of its kind in Canada to provide 12 months of concentrated training that results in a post-degree bioinformatics certificate for students with existing software backgrounds, the Bioinformatics for Software Professionals program is reliable and reputable. During the application progress, students must submit an official transcript demonstrating proof of successful completion of a four-year degree in Computer Science or Software Engineering or related discipline, from an accredited college or university. They are also expected to submit a resume.

Bioinformatics courses within the program are intensive, hands-on and problem-based. They include course work, an individual research thesis and are delivered using leading-edge technology geared to industry standards and project-based learning. Faculty members are knowledgeable and approachable with diverse business experience and academic credentials.

Specific bioinformatics courses within the program include: Bioinformatics Tools, Databases & Models (students explore the current biological data types and existing array of biological databases); Molecular Biology and Genomics (students are introduced to the exciting field of molecular biology through an analysis of its origins, exploration of its key concepts, and an investigation into its future potential); Parallel and Distributed Computing (students examine parallel and distributed computing architectures, algorithms, software, and applications in relation to bioinformatics); and many others.

To balance their on-campus learning, students take part in a one-semester paid co-op experience. In order to participate in the co-op component, students must obtain a minimum GPA 2.5 or above in their bioinformatics courses. Co-op lets students explore their career interests so they have a better idea of what type of job they want to pursue when they graduate.

Demand actually exceeds supply in this field, ensuring that graduates of bioinformatics courses will enjoy a meaningful career. Employment in bioinformatics is found at research centers, universities, private companies and government institutions. However, skills in bioinformatics can also be utilized in the pharmaceutical, agricultural and environmental industries and in all areas of biotechnology.