Career Training

Careers: Teaching

Are you thinking about teaching?

• Want to find out more about the profession?
• Whether you have just graduated from high school or have been out in the workforce for decades, the teaching bug won't let go when the teaching bug bites.
• This is where your community college can be helpful. Why? Because its website allows you to do some virtual exploration. You will need to do your four-year, master's, or doctorate at a four-year institution.
• However, let's say you want to know more about what teaching involves.
• Perhaps you're curious about how your language skills might fit into teaching credentials.
• Maybe you already have a bachelor's degree in a specific subject area, such as mathematics or physics but have never taken any education courses.
• Your community college's website is excellent for looking for information and answers to your questions.

Explore the possibilities.

As I said before, your community college can be helpful.

• First, search its website using the search term "education ."You will get results similar to what I got below when I searched for "education" on the Prince Georges County Community College, Maryland website.
• Ignore Continuing Education and Driver Education and similar search results for the moment, and explore the Education Department link.
• Now you have several choices to explore.
• With any luck, you will find more information to help you decide whether teaching

First Responders and Emergency Services: Specialized Roles and Training

Disclaimer: I am writing this article against the backdrop of the catastrophic Los Angeles fires. The Pacific Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire started on January 7, 2025. The scenes of destruction are appalling. If I seem emotional sometimes, it's because I ran with the Warren Volunteer Fire Department in the 80s when I lived in Litchfield County, Connecticut. I know firsthand how devoted these first responders, firefighters, emergency responders, and all the other personnel fighting the fires are to their calling. These folks work tirelessly in hazardous conditions. ~Rob Kennedy

The Premise

In an era marked by escalating environmental disasters and security threats, the field of emergency services (EMS) has never been more critical. Yet, the EMS field is facing a critical workforce shortage. The American Ambulance Association reports a 20-30% annual turnover rate for EMTs and paramedics, meaning agencies need to replace their entire staff approximately every four years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% growth rate for paramedic jobs from 2018 to 2028, with about 18,700 new jobs expected over the next decade.

As I will show you, there's a wide range of positions available in the field. Best of all, they suit dedicated men and women of all ages. For example, when I ran with the Warren VFD, I started by learning how to drive the ambulance.

Twenty-five thousand men and women work as air traffic controllers in the United States. Every year between 400 and 500 new air traffic control positions become available. Working in aviation as an air traffic controller is a lucrative career with a median salary of over $100,000 per year.

In order to become an air traffic controller, one must earn a two or four-year degree in aviation control or a closely related field, pass a medical exam, a security investigation, have related work experience and pass the Federal Aviation Administration’s pre-employment tests. The first test, the bio-data assessment, assesses a worker’s experience, general education, and work habits. The second test, the AT-SAT is an eight-hour computer-based test that assesses an applicant’s knowledge directly related to air traffic control.

Two-year air traffic control degree programs are developed specifically to help applicants acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to pass the AT-SAT exam. They are intended to supplement a student’s prior experience in aviation and serve as a pathway to a qualifying to become an air traffic controller. Students with no prior aviation experience can also prepare for the FAA Academy via an accredited two-year program.

The Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative is a partnership between the FAA and thirty different colleges and universities designed to make high-quality Air Traffic Control education available to students around the country. While earning a degree from a college or university within the program does not guarantee that an applicant will get a job in

Careers: Brewing and Wine Making

One of the more popular and less conventional fields of study at community colleges today is a degree in beer crafting or winemaking.

• While these programs may not seem like paths to lucrative professions on the surface, the truth is that the wine and beer industry is a booming one in the U.S. and beyond.
• Check out these community colleges that offer training in a long-standing craft that continues to be highly sought after today.

The Booming Business of Beer Crafting

According to a report at Blue Ridge Now, craft beer is a U.S. industry that is growing by leaps and bounds.

• The article cites numbers from the Brewers Association that show the $26.8 billion industry grew to 27 percent of the $100 billion beer market in 2021.
• The total number of craft breweries in 2021 is 9,118.

“I think it’s a great idea for a school to start this kind of program,” Andy Cubbin, co-owner and head brewer at Southern Appalachian Brewery, told Blue Ridge Now. “I think [the craft beer industry] is growing about 15 or 16 percent a year.”

The Community College Times reported earlier this year that providing a degree program in beer crafting gives community colleges another avenue to do what they do best, namely, offer training for employment opportunities right in their neighborhoods.

• The article uses Rockingham Community College in

Entrepreneurship has long been the backbone of the American economy, providing jobs and opportunities for U.S. residents across various industries. To help budding entrepreneurs see their dreams of business ownership come to fruition, community colleges across the country provide the training and education these aspiring capitalists need to succeed in their endeavors. Check out a sampling of what prospective and experienced business owners can find from their own local community colleges.

Entrepreneur Training through the California Community College System

Community college students and others in California looking for help in meeting their entrepreneurial dreams can find the assistance they need through the Business and Entrepreneurship Center offered by the California Community College System. This program brings together business, industry, and community leaders in the state to provide the information that budding entrepreneurs need to succeed. The center also serves as a resource for business improvements throughout the state.

The Business and Entrepreneurship Center works with various partners, including non-profit, private, and public organizations to build strong businesses throughout California. By strengthening local business, this center strives to improve the state's economic health through job and wealth creation and retention. The centers include locations throughout California, including sites in Redding, Oceanside, Bakersfield, Napa, Santa Ana, Aptos, and San Luis Obispo.

Alabama Community College System Offers New Network for Entrepreneurs

Another state that is taking entrepreneur training to the next level is Alabama. The Alabama Community College System is building a network of entrepreneurs to come alongside those