Workforce Services to offer 46 new courses

The halls of the main building, Kluge-Moses and Dickinson hum with activity as students at Piedmont Virginia Community College acclimate to busy spring schedules.

This semester, however, many students are setting their sights on the building at the bottom of the hill.

PVCC’s Workforce Services, located in the Stultz Center for Business and Development, is offering 46 new opportunities for students this spring.

These courses and programs come as new or updated additions to over 750 Workforce Services offerings per year, according to Dean of Workforce Services, Valerie Palamountain.

New opportunities range from non-credit classes to online certificate programs, 36 of which begin Feb. 15 or later. Popular subjects include horticulture, arts and leisure, healthcare, and computers.

New classes are implemented “according to the needs of the business community. If there’s a need, we respond,” said Palamountain.

This spring Workforce Services is accounting for a growing demand for computer- dexterous employees by offering 15 new or updated computer-specific classes. These include beginner and intermediate levels of Microsoft Office 2010 programs such as Word, Excel, Access, Powerpoint and Outlook.

Spanning an extensive scope of interests, these classes lend themselves to preparation for industry certification exams or simply to career exploration.

“It’s a low-risk, high-reward option,” said Palamountain. “Non-credit classes are a great place to start, and it won’t hurt your GPA. A lot of students get higher-paying jobs while still going to school.”

Courses and programs are offered at the Stultz Center, the Charlottesville- Albemarle Technical Education Center (CATEC) and online through a partnership with ed2go, formerly Gatlin Education Services.

Those interested in learning more may visit the Workforce Services page at pvcc.edu, email workforceservices@pvcc.edu or call 434-961-5354.