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Careers: Welding
Whether you have technical or creative skills, a career in welding technology can be rewarding and lucrative. Learn how you can start a welding career right at your local community college.

Welding continues to provide steady career opportunities, which range from creative endeavors to logistical practices. For many community colleges, studying welding can open lucrative doors for lifelong employment. According to Syndicate Pay Scale Data, professional welders begin their careers with an average starting salary ranging from $54,000 to $71,000 per year. Best of all, the annual pay increases exponentially with years of experience, which means technical welders with 20 or more years of experience can earn an average of $100,000 annually.

Welding commonly involves using heat and technology to join various metal parts; building on this core focus, some aspects of a welding career can include the use of equipment to create welds and the inspection of welds to ensure specifications and standards are met. Additional tasks may involve reading blueprints, drawings, or other visual or written instruction forms.

Through diverse training and degree options at community colleges across the country, students can begin to prepare for their career through an Associate of Applied Science of Welding degree or a Welding Technology Certification.

The Employment Prospects for Technical Welders

Professional welders most commonly work in the manufacturing industries. Often hired to create industrial machinery, transportation vehicles, and other forms of fabricated products and pieces of equipment, trained and licensed welders can take advantage of a wide variety of employment venues.

In fact, adding to the manufacturing options, many welders also work

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Careers: Aquarium Science

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Careers: Aquarium Science
This article explores the growing field of Aquarium Science and how community colleges are offering specialized programs to prepare students for careers in marine biology, aquaculture, and aquarium management. It highlights specific programs and potential career paths for graduates.
Careers: Aquarium Science

If you have a passion for Earth’s underwater worlds, consider starting an exciting career in the field of Aquarium Science at your local community college! Many community colleges in the country have comprehensive programs specifically designed to teach students about the fundamental concepts, skills, and theories needed to effectively work in a professional aquarium or related marine setting.

For example, through the marine and aquatic biology program offered at the Florida Keys Community College, students can pursue careers in “Fisheries Science,” “Aquaculture / Mariculture,” or “Ecology and Conservation.” Through these programs, students explore their surrounding Florida marine habitats. At the same time, both hands-on and formal learning venues provide students with the necessary skills and experience to pursue a professional career in the field.

This video outlines the programs available at The College of the Florida Keys in Key West, Florida.

While The College of the Florida Keys is certainly located in an ideal location for marine-based studies, an array of colleges in other areas also provide students with similar training, utilizing their own local marine science resources and facilities.

Oregon Coast Community College

One of the most notable schools providing students with unique marine-based educational opportunities is Oregon Coast Community College (OCCC), located in Newport, Oregon. At OCCC, students have the opportunity to earn their Associates of Applied Science degree in Aquarium Science by pursuing

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Earn Your Scuba Diving Certification at Your Local Community College

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Earn Your Scuba Diving Certification at Your Local Community College
Dive into the world of scuba diving with exhilarating community college courses! Discover how students and community members alike can embark on an exciting journey to earn their scuba certification through top-notch programs designed for adventure seekers.

Are you interested in a new hobby that will open the sea's mysteries? Are you hoping to enrich your college experience with a unique and entertaining course? Whether you're interested in learning to scuba dive for recreational or educational reasons, community colleges across the country are qualified to provide students with the necessary skills, training, and practice to become certified divers. These courses are generally open to registered students and adult community members pursuing continuing education.

Indeed, scuba diving courses can be a fun and engaging opportunity to explore new underwater worlds!

How to Get Certified to Scuba Dive

Scuba divers must obtain a certification card to prove they completed a reputable training course. The most common certification agencies are PADI, NAUI, YMCA, SSI, and other local institutions. Often, community college campuses provide certification courses through one of these leading agencies.

The most common certification venue when enrolling in a scuba training class is an “open w" or” scuba" class. Once you complete this primary scuba course, you must pass all the tests and required dives before receiving official certification. Upon earning a certification card, a scuba diver never needs to re-enroll for training, but once this step is completed, you can maintain your certification status for life!

Most scuba courses require that all participants be in healthy physical shape. Participants should be able to swim at least 200 yards and float or tread water for at least 10 minutes without stopping. In addition to these standards,

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The Top 15 Community Colleges for Digital Technology

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The Top 15 Community Colleges for Digital Technology
Learn about which community colleges are ranked in the top 15 in the nation for their digital technology programs and infrastructure.

Which community colleges in America have the best digital technology programs? To answer this burning question, the Republic’s Center for Digital Education and Converge magazine have collaborated to review and announce their fifth annual list of the top ten schools in the country.

As the Center for Digital Education reports, schools earning the survey’s top ranks “Aae the leading community colleges across the U.S. that offer exceptional technology support to students and educators.” The community colleges were evaluated based on each school’s digital technology resources, applications, and support services.

Why Digital Technology is Critical for Modern Learning

With so many comprehensive rankings of colleges in America, why is there one specifically dedicated to digital technology? Many advocates argue that digital technology is now intimately tied to a student’s learning process and experiences. Therefore, a campus with an excellent digital technology infrastructure is better equipped to train students for today’s high-tech jobs.

In this video, Paul Hamilton presents 'Technology in Education', a creative and artistic look at the challenges ed-tech faces.

The Future of Networking Technologies for Learning reports that the use of technology in schools has allowed students to access better collaborative resources, which enhances the entire education experience. For example, in exploring the influence of simply the Internet among educators, “When students, teachers, parents, administrators, and even legislators can communicate via the Internet and begin to collaborate electronically on issues, the

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How Community College Classes Can Improve Your Marriage

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How Community College Classes Can Improve Your Marriage
Community college workshops and credit courses are improving marriages across the country. Learn about how you can take advantage of these great resources at your local community college.

Could being married help you earn better grades in college? Interestingly, studies have found that students who are married generally report higher grades and grade point averages.

According to the Research in Higher Education Journal, a study of college students “confirms earlier work regarding the positive influence of marriage on the scholastic achievement of community college students.” The study also found that married students tended to excel most significantly in programs such as Business Administration, Executive Secretarial, and Nursing Education.

While the causation relationship between marriage and good grades still remains unclear, community colleges are not wasting any time in helping their students benefit from the positive correlation! Many college campuses offer marital workshops and classes that help improve relationships, while other courses delve into the sociological underpinnings of marriage in our society.

Community Colleges Workshops that Foster Stronger Marriages

Through workshops and lectures, many community colleges specifically cater to students who are currently or planning to be married. For example, at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colorado, couples can take a variety of non-credit workshops, such as “Before You Say ‘I do’ Marriage Education for Engaged Couples, "Four Hours to a Happier Relationship," "Is Anyone Listening to Me? Solving Communication Problems in Relationships,” and “Preparing for Your Empty Nest Marriage: Now That the Kids are Leaving.” Through these workshops, students learn about how to strengthen their relationships – and potentially even their grades in school!

On a broader basis,

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