Valdosta State University > Continuing Education > Professional Development

professional development

More updates to come... Check back often and register early!

For more information, click on a class title below or scroll down the page. Links to classes will become live as detailed information becomes available.

Certification Preparation
      arrow  Preparation for Professional Human Resource Certification
      arrow  Serving Safe Food
      arrow  Serving Safe Food - Exam only options

Maintaining Licensure
      arrowCourt Reporters Fall 2009 Workshop
      arrowState of Georgia approved "PLU" courses for teacher re-certification
      arrowInstitute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE)
       arrow Interdisciplinary Conference on End-of-Life and Bereavement Issues (2-day seminar - September 24 & 25)
       arrow Continuing Education for Nurse Managers (2-day seminar - September 24 & 25)

Business and Management
      arrow Getting Paid To Talk: Making Money with Your Voice
      arrow Make Your Business ServiceRICH!
      arrow Advertising & Marketing with Impact
      arrow Real Estate Investing  
      arrow Introduction to Beekeeping  - New!
      arrow Debt Collection Primer - New!

Speaking the Language
      arrow Conversational Spanish
      arrow Conversational French
      arrow Beginning Sign Language

Tech After Dark
     arrow Introduction to Microsoft Office Excel 2007
     arrow Social Networking Basics - New!
     arrow Creating Wiki Web Pages
     arrow Introduction to the Microsoft Office 2007 Environment - New!


and for those on the go
      arrowOnline classes


Preparation for Professional Human Resource Certification

Let this new course design help you to advance your career!

If you have at least two years of exempt-level experience in the HR field, isn’t it time you prepared for the Professional Human Resource (PHR) or Senior Professional Human Resource (SPHR) certification exam? These valuable credentials will set you apart from other HR professionals and open the door to new career opportunities.

Who should attend this course:

  • Human resource managers
  • Employee relations managers
  • Senior managers new to the HR field
  • Employee benefits directors
  • Training directors
  • HR specialists and consultants
  • HR staff members seeking advancement
  • Other mid-level managers seeking career change or enhancement

We offer this program in partnership with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). It is designed to give human resource professionals new tools for successful performance on the job. With the programs blended approach, you’ll learn from printed workbooks, software, online tools, and a dynamic classroom experience as you prepare to take the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) national exam (PHR, SPHR). The next test window starts December 1, 2009. Visit www.hrci.org for details.

 In addition, you can earn 3.6 continuing education credits (CEUs) for completing this course.


To allow time to order your course materials, please register by August 12.

      Dates:12 Wednesdays, September 2 – November 18, 2009
      Time:5:30 – 8:30 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructor: Ronnie Cooper
      Fee: $879 (includes Textbooks & CD-ROM); after August 12 - $929
                  Please Note: Registrations received after August 19 may incur additional express shipping charges for materials.

Register early to insure your materials will be available the first day of class.

Call (229) 245-6484 to receive a detailed brochure.

  This program is offered in collaboration with:
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SHRM Logo

Serving Safe Food With ServSafe


Servsafe logo One Day Certification Course

Do you know how to reduce critical risk factors for food-borne illness in your food service establishment? You owe it to your customers to be able to answer ‘Yes’! With ServSafe training you can bring back to work the tools that will enable you and your employees to serve safe food to your most valuable assets-your customers!

ServSafe is the industry standard for food safety education and provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive training available. The ServSafe Essentials 5th Edition is based on the 2007 Supplement to the 2005 FDA Food Code and the new job task analysis. The information you’ll learn reflects the most current science, knowledge, skills, and abilities managers must know to serve safe food and prevent food borne illness.

You’ll discover tips on how to share what you’ve learned with your employees. You’ll be provided with tools to help you keep track of your local and state food safety requirements. You’ll read true food safety stories that will help you connect concepts and information with the real world. Key concepts that will be covered are origins of food contamination, the flow of food, cleanliness and sanitation, pest management, and ongoing employee training. The class will conclude with the administration of the certification exam.

The most effective training is action-oriented! Take action now by learning how to transfer good food safety practices to all your employees! (.55 CEU)

Please Note: Registrations must be received by September 23 to guarantee materials will be available in time for the class. Registrations received after September 30 will be subject to additional express delivery charges. Call Sue Bailey for more information at  229-245-6484.

Test Only Option is available for October 13 from 4PM-6:30PM. Cost is $99 for test materials only and $129 for textbook and test materials. Call Sue Bailey at 229-245-6484 or email subailey@valdosta.edu for more information.

ServSafe Essentials 5th Edition course books and exams available in English, Spanish and Chinese. ServSafe Essentials 4th Edition course books and exams available in Korean.

      Dates: Tuesday, October 13
      Time: 9 AM – 6:30 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructor: Sue Bailey
      Fee: $179 (textbook and exam included); after September 23 - $199
                  Test Only Option: $99 for test materials only and $129 for textbook and test
                                         
 (MUST register by September 25th for this option)

ServeSafe - Exam Only Option

This option is for individuals who are seeking a proctor only, are retaking the ServSafe exam, or are non-English speakers who are doing self-study in their preferred language. During this session, the instructor/proctor will answer questions, explain test-taking rules and procedures and administer the exam. Participants will have a maximum of two hours to complete the exam. For more information, contact Sue Bailey by phone at 229-245-6484, or by email at subailey@valdosta.edu.

Test date 1
      Dates:
Tuesday, November 17
      Time:
9AM - 11:30 AM
      Location:
Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructors:
Sue Bailey
      Fee1:
$129 (includes textbook & test materials); after October 28 - $159
      Fee2:
$99 (includes test materials only); after October 28 - $129

Please note:
Registrations must be received by October 28 to guarantee materials will be available in time for the class. Registrations received after November 4 will be subject to additional express delivery charges. Call Sue Bailey for more information: 229-245-6484.

 

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Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE)

Attention, attorneys! Did you know that you can earn your CLE credits without leaving Valdosta? The Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia offers live webcasts on Fridays during which the participants may call in with questions. Replays of the webcasts are generally available the following Thursdays. Programs are scheduled from November through March, with a program for new attorneys in the spring.  

Walk-in Registrations Welcome

Fall 2009 Statewide Satellite Downlink Schedule

Date

Title

Seminar #

  Check back in August for more information
 
 

     Dates: Note schedule above
     Time: Check in 8:30 AM, Welcome 8:55, Various ending times
     Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
    Instructors: ICLE
     Fee: Varies, go to www.iclega.org for more information

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Check the ICLE web site at www.iclega.org, or call 1-800-422-0893 for a complete schedule of programs and registration information


Introduction to Beekeeping

Over the last decade, the world’s wild bee population has been in serious decline due to pesticides, mites, and disease. This decline is affecting the food supply here in South Georgia and around the world. Farmers depend on honeybees to pollinate their crops. If the decline continues, many fruits and vegetables may disappear from the food supply. You can do something to help! Become a beekeeper!

In this introductory course, you will explore the world of the honey bee and find out how to work, manage, and handle bees. You will also see a live demonstration of the installation of a package of bees into a hive.

By the end of the course, you will have the knowledge to be able to set up your own apiary and manage your bees. The textbook is First Lessons in Beekeeping by C.P. Dadant and is not included in the cost of the course. The book, new or used, is available from a variety of online booksellers for approximately $6.00 and up. (1.4 CEUs) .

      Dates: 7 Thursdays, September 17 - October 29
      Time:6 - 8 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructors: John Avera
      Fee: $69 (text not included); after September 14 - $79


Real Estate Investing

It’s a buyer’s market and Mike Hill and Don Brotherton are back to help you make the most of it! Learn from the experts how to protect yourself in these tough economic times when buying homes, rental houses, and foreclosures.     

Join us and discover:

· How much home or rental property can you safely afford
· Different mortgages and financing methods
· How to find and evaluate homes based on price, condition, and location 
· How to find and evaluate rental property & return on investment
· How to manage what you’ve bought
· Fixer-uppers & flippers
· Real estate as a retirement plan
· Real estate and special tax treatment
· Advantages and pitfalls of buying at auctions
· Negotiating to save thousands

 Don’t miss this chance to reap the benefits of Mike’s and Don’s combined 40+ years of experience. Learn more ins and outs of real estate investing from the men who have made all the mistakes and survived! (.75 CEU)

      Dates:Tuesdays & Thursdays, September 24, 29 & October 1
      Time:6 - 8:30 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructors: Mike Hill & Don Brotherton
      Fee: $69; after September 21 - $79


Debt Collection Primer

Accounts receivable is a major cash flow concern in small business. In this tough economy, you cannot afford to put aging receivables and collections at the bottom of your priority list. Find out what you can and cannot do and learn basic tips and techniques to help you be more successful in collecting debts from your customers. Your instructor, Brad Folsom, is an attorney with Moore, Clarke, DuVall & Rodgers, P.C. (.2 CEU)

      Dates:Wednesday, October 7
      Time:9 - 11 AM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructors:Brad Folsom
      Fee: $29; after October 2 - $39

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Advertising & Marketing with Impact

These are tough economic times. Are you doing all you can to build revenue and profit in your business? Instinct may tell you to put the breaks on spending, but the strategies you implement now will mean the difference between your success and the success of your competitors. In this comprehensive workshop, learn to recognize and use the who, what, where and how of marketing your business, products and services. Find out how to test and measure your marketing to judge the return on your investment, lower your acquisition costs, write ads that sell, implement the rule of 10x10, and more! Join us and build stronger strategies for success in a declining economy. Registration fee includes Instant Advertising by ActionCOACH founder and CEO, Brad Sugars. (.3 CEU)

Check in begins at 8:30 - join us for a continental breakfast.

      Dates:Wednesday, October 14
      Time:9 AM - 12 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructors: Michael Jetter, ActionCOACH Business Coaching
      Fee: $99 (includes book); after October 9 - $109

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Make Your Business ServiceRICH!

Are you in the business to make money? How your team takes charge of serving your customers has an enormous impact on your bottom line. Let business coach Michael Jetter show you how to get your customers to buy from you again and again. Learn why customer satisfaction is not enough. Find out how to identify your best customers and those who are more trouble than they are worth. Discover simple, yet effective, techniques to get customers raving about your business to everyone they meet. Learn about the ActionCOACH Ladder of Loyalty, the most effective way to generate referrals, and more. In these tough economic times, why spend six times more to get a new customer?  Make first-class customer service a way of life in your business and keep your customers for life!

      Dates:Wednesday, September 23
      Time:9 AM - 12 Noon
      Location:Nashville Community Center 102 N. Jefferson Street, Nashville, GA
      Instructors: Michael Jetter, ActionCOACH Business Coaching
      Fee: $79; after September 18 - $89

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Court Reporters Fall 2009 Workshop          

Information and technology change almost daily. The field of court reporting requires that practitioners continually gain knowledge and improve their skills in a wide range of subject areas related to the field throughout their careers.

Application for approval of this workshop for 5 hours of continuing education credit has been made through the Court Reporters Training Council of Georgia by the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education (ICJE).
              Session topics are:

· Dealing with difficult people
· Drug identification, terminology and paraphernalia
· Business writing for court reporters   

Sign-in and refreshments will begin at 8:15 AM. Pre-registration is requested. The first presentation will begin at 8:45 AM.

      Dates:Saturday, October 3
      Time:8:45 AM - 2:30 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Presenters:Becky Murphy, Det. Alan Girsch, Roy Pace
      Fee:$99 (includes lunch); after September 30 - $109

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Getting Paid To Talk: Making Money With Your Voice

An Introduction to Professional Voice Overs

Have you ever been told that you have a great voice? In this exciting class, you’ll explore numerous aspects of voice over work for television, film, radio, audio books, documentaries and the Internet in your area. Discover all the basics, including how to prepare the all-important demo and how to be successful and earn great income in this exciting field. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and to hear examples of demos recorded by professional voice actors. You’ll even have the chance to record a commercial script under the direction of our Voicecoaches.com producer! This class is informative, lots of fun, and a great first step for anyone interested in voice acting professionally. Space is limited, and registration closes one week prior to class, so register early.

Space is limited, so register early.
Registration closes Monday, October 20
.

 

      Dates: Tuesday, October 27
      Time:6:30 – 9 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructors: Voice Coaches, Creative Voice Development Group
      Fee: $39; after October 22 - $49

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Conversational Spanish

Spanish is spoken by more than 35 million people in the United States and 500 million worldwide. Develop your Spanish communication skills through conversation and listening in this fun and stress-free class. Learn common words and phrases, sentence structure, and how to ask and answer basic questions. No textbook required. Handouts will be provided. (1.2 CEU)

      Dates:6 Mondays, September 21 - October 26
      Time:6 - 8 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructors:Laci Medeiros
      Fee: $69; after September 16 - $79

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Conversational French

Learn basic conversational French in an informal and relaxed atmosphere while using photographs, the Internet, and music to immerse yourself in French culture. You’ll focus on conversation for the traveler so you can communicate with native speakers about dining, sight-seeing, traveling and more. No textbook required. Handouts will be provided. (1.2 CEU)



      Dates:6 Tuesdays, October 6 - November 10
      Time:6:30 - 8:30 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructor:Lisa Buie-Collard
      Fee: $69; after October 1 - $79

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Beginning Sign Language

Come learn the basics of American Sign Language (ASL), the language used by Deaf and Hard of Hearing persons. You’ll learn about Deaf culture as you practice the manual alphabet, basic signs, and common phrases. Build your conversational skills so that you can better communicate with your Deaf and Hard of Hearing friends, neighbors, co-workers, and customers!

The textbook is American Sign Language Phrase Book by Lou Fant. The book may be purchased for approximately $14 through local or online bookstores. (1 CEU)

      Dates:5 Wednesdays, October 7 - November 4
      Time:6 - 8 PM
      Location: Regional Center for Continuing Education
      Instructor:Erin Salmon
      Fee: $69 (book not included); after October 2 - $79

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Leading and Developing Others

In this 4-day workshop, you’ll be introduced to leadership skills and techniques that will help you develop the individuals who work for you. Learn about the continuous performance management process and discover techniques for coaching and mentoring your employees. Learn how to use decision-making tools for effective leadership and how to apply problem-solving techniques. (1.2 CEUs)

      Dates: TBA
      Time: TBA
      Location: TBA
      Instructors: TBA
      Fee:TBA

Offered in conjunction with VSU Employee & Organizational Development.
This course is open to current VSU Faculty & Staff at no charge.

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How to Run Effective Meetings

Have your meetings become a counter-productive “fact” of organizational life? Learn how to hold streamlined and cost-effective meetings that are a productive centerpiece of a new, team-based organization. In this workshop, you’ll learn proper meeting preparation, selection of participants, and how to set the right tone. Discover how to examine your role as “chair” to determine your contribution to the productivity of your meetings. Identify “meeting robbers”, individuals that hurt the productivity of the group, and explore strategies for stopping them. Understand the roles and responsibilities of participants and the meeting leader for keeping meetings on track. Learn how to create or follow an agenda that focuses energy on the task at hand. (.2 CEU)

      Dates: TBA
      Time: TBA
      Location: TBA
      Instructors: TBA
      Fee:TBA

Offered in conjunction with VSU Employee & Organizational Development.
This course is open to current VSU Faculty & Staff at no charge.

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