Courses in College

Although most parents wish for manuals, young infants and children simply do not come with instruction manuals. Fortunately, community colleges nationwide offer excellent parenting classes to help parents stimulate a child's development and behavioral growth.

As all child development experts will support, the role of a parent in a child's earliest and most formative years is imperative; proactively seeking the best philosophies and strategies for optimal child rearing can help parents and children experience greater satisfaction and care.

To find out how your local community college parenting classes can help you and your family, consider some of the most popular and widely available opportunities at campuses nationwide.

This video offers a look at the parenting courses at South Puget Sound Community College.

Mt. San Jacinto Community College (MSJCC), California Campuses

As the San Diego News Network reports, Mt. San Jacinto Community College has gained much positive attention for its innovative parenting classes. Participants enjoy free classes and resources for improved parent-child relationships and child development by cooperating with Mt. San Jacinto-area campuses. Throughout the six-week course, participants will engage in sessions focusing on issues such as "From Power Struggles to Encouragement," "Challenges in Discipline," as well as other topics of exploration.

Led by parenting expert and author Sandi Schwartz provides parents with information based on her research and four decades of experience. Schwartz believes actively seeking solutions to parent-child

While some community colleges are cutting costs by boosting tuition rates or reducing instructor positions, other campuses have found an alternative approach. In lieu of sacrificing community college resources, some schools are implementing summer programs that are only four days long.

Leaders of these programs assert that by closing the school one day early each week, the school will be able to save on common costs, such as electricity, water, air conditioning, security, and additional day-to-day expenses.

This new approach, however, is not taking effect without ruffling a few feathers. Opponents of this plan argue that both students and faculty will be overwhelmed with longer work hours that are crammed into a shorter time period. While leaders have not yet found the perfect solution, many community college students are awaiting the reports and results of these proposed schedule changes.

This video offers some suggestions for scheduling your class schedule.

The Four Day School Week

Community colleges have been inspired by how the corporate world has minimized their expenses in the face of a recession. To strengthen their bottom lines, many companies have offered their employees the option to work from home or work four days instead of the standard five. By allowing employees to complete their work in just four days, companies have discovered that their facility costs have dropped, while employees have also benefitted from saving money on fuel.

For those who are artistically inclined, creative, and motivated, there are rewarding career options in the field of jewelry design. According to reports, a jewelry designer earns an average income of just under $29,000 in the first year of work! After just five years of work, a jewelry designer can begin to earn an average of approximately $54,000 per year—and potentially more. To begin an exciting and imaginative pathway in the field of jewelry design, students can start with programs at their local community college.

Jewelry Design Programs and Opportunities

Although many believe that the art of jewelry design simply involves aesthetic skills and training, this career actually incorporates technical understanding. For example, as inexperienced designers begin to craft their first pieces of jewelry, some of the pieces may be too heavy, may feel cumbersome to the wearer, or may not be made of a sustainable and durable material. Furthermore, some jewelry designers have learned to specialize in the creation of allergy-free jewelry, which is created with specific non-irritating materials.

Due to the industry’s technical demands, designers are often more successful when they have a trained background. With the rising interest in jewelry design careers, community colleges across the country are now offering both degree programs and individual courses to provide students with the essential skills to become successful in this field.

North Seattle Community College

Offering a Certificate in Jewelry Design, North Seattle Community College (NSCC) in Washington enjoys reputable

Despite a dwindling economy, many business experts believe there is still room for entrepreneurs. In fact, individuals with striking ideas that are budget friendly may be in for luck at their local community college!

If you have an idea for your own business and want to discover the secrets to entrepreneurship success, sign up at your local community college. With courses specializing in diverse fields, community colleges can help up-and-coming entrepreneurs refine their business concepts, set up their financial goals, and gain insight into the legal requirements of operating a company.

The Benefits between Community Colleges and Business

As the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) supports, community colleges have the opportunity to play an integral role in the economic wellness of a surrounding community. NACCE aims to boost the community college’s traditional role of workforce training into new and innovative forms of entrepreneurial development.

As NACCE explains, with a college’s ties to its community and a nationwide link to fellow colleges across the country, entrepreneurial opportunities result in “Innovative ideas and programs that advance economic growth and prosperity in the communities served by the colleges.” Community colleges can help stimulate job growth, economic development, and tax revenues for the local area by supporting entrepreneurs.

This video offers an overview of the MassBay Community College business program.

Community College Entrepreneur Programs

Understanding the learning differences between genders, community colleges are actively encouraging young women's full mental and emotional development. Many community colleges are creating new programs solely dedicated to providing young female students with leadership and role model opportunities.

Striving to boost young girls’ feelings of self-worth, confidence, and determination, community college programs for young females are available at local campuses across the country.

Community College Youth Outreach Programs

Many community colleges have created youth programs that are co-ed. For example, Corning Community College, located in Corning, New York, provides younger kids of any gender with an opportunity to celebrate their heritage with a local “Cook Kids” campus group. With this group, children can engage in various events, such as the “Cook Kids Young Spirit Dancers” venue, wherein participating children will wear an authentic Native American outfit from their family’s ancestry or tribal affiliation. Members of this particular youth group range in age from 3 to 24, and therefore, individuals of various backgrounds and maturity levels can interact and learn from one another. With such events, children can learn more about their history, grow in their identity, and boost their confidence and social relationships.

While these co-ed programs are certainly effective and positive, many campus leaders have realized that boys and girls may occasionally need separate opportunities to encounter success. Specifically, to provide girls with unique and individualized opportunities, an array of campuses have set up workshops, classes, and social groups to teach young females about the