Economic Education
ShareThis It seems that everywhere you turn, you hear conversations about friends and loved ones getting touched by the most recent round of their company’s layoffs. “People are losing jobs in every conceivable situation,” says Sandra Stevenson, adult enrichment coordinator for the Wayzata School District. That’s why Wayzata’s adult community education program, based out of Central Middle School (305 Vicksburg Ln.), offers a wide array of courses for those looking to advance their job skills and become more desirable candidates to employers.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a forklift operator or a business manager,” Stevenson says. “You need to learn how to use a computer.” From sending an e-mail to creating a business website, the following courses help students of all ages gain skills and confidence on a PC.
For small business owners struggling with navigating and promoting themselves on the web, two recommended courses are Website Development followed by Developing a Marketing Plan (using your website), both taught by Romaine Turner. The first course assists students in learning how to locate, create and purchase a domain name through online programs such as godaddy.com. The course also covers topics such as how to tag your site so prospective clients can find you on Internet search engines, blogging and online networking. Through the class, students have the option to end up with a functioning small business website. The course also teaches students how to collect and send online payments using programs such as paypal.com.
Directed toward individuals or families that have experienced a loss of income, Take Charge of Your Finances educates people on saving and spending wisely. In this course, students overcome the mysteries of overspending and learn how to set financial goals for the future. “This class is especially important today when families are faced with very difficult circumstances and financial hardships,” Stevenson says. Subject matter includes basic personal finances, cost-cutting tips, credit and debt, and defining needs versus wants. Liz Beckmann, communications coordinator for the Minnesota Society of CPAs, says this course is designed to help people manage their finances. The class is taught by a certified public accountant, lending some real-time value to students.
Other courses such as Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint are six-week courses available to students looking for more traditional computer skills. Susan Howard, a Microsoft Excel instructor, says many of her past students have been longtime stay-at-home mothers of now-adult children. Oftentimes, they have little to no computer knowledge. Microsoft Excel, in particular, is perfect for anyone looking to work as an administrative assistant; the program covers spreadsheet applications, complex math formulas and how to create an address list for printing labels, a “feature-rich application necessary in the business world,” Howard says.
Interested in Tweeting? Understanding Internet websites such as Twitter, Facebook and eBay helps students utilize the web to make connections and sell goods. In the course Facebook and Twitter 101, students will create a personal or small business account during class and learn the value of social networking. Twitter and Facebook can help small businesses by connecting with potential clients or simply family and friends. Ebay and Craigslist 101 and Beyond eBay focus on setting up online storefronts. One popular site, etsy.com, allows artists and craftspeople to sell handmade items. Some artists are so successful, they’ve turned their Etsy shop into a fulltime job.
Courses being offered at Central Middle School are daily courses, typically lasting up to three-and-a-half hours. Class sizes cap at 10 people, allowing teachers to provide more personalized attention. In addition to the courses mentioned above, traditional computer subjects are also available, as well as a plethora of personal enrichment courses ranging from bead-work to yoga. For those who prefer to study from home, there are a wide variety of online learning courses, including Twelve Steps to a Successful Job Search, Make Your Age an Asset in your Job Search and Introduction to Business. Turner encourages everyone to consider community education: “It is a great value, and there are always new things to learn.”
@
For a full list of classes, visit wayzata.k12.mn.us/ces.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a forklift operator or a business manager,” Stevenson says. “You need to learn how to use a computer.” From sending an e-mail to creating a business website, the following courses help students of all ages gain skills and confidence on a PC.
For small business owners struggling with navigating and promoting themselves on the web, two recommended courses are Website Development followed by Developing a Marketing Plan (using your website), both taught by Romaine Turner. The first course assists students in learning how to locate, create and purchase a domain name through online programs such as godaddy.com. The course also covers topics such as how to tag your site so prospective clients can find you on Internet search engines, blogging and online networking. Through the class, students have the option to end up with a functioning small business website. The course also teaches students how to collect and send online payments using programs such as paypal.com.
Directed toward individuals or families that have experienced a loss of income, Take Charge of Your Finances educates people on saving and spending wisely. In this course, students overcome the mysteries of overspending and learn how to set financial goals for the future. “This class is especially important today when families are faced with very difficult circumstances and financial hardships,” Stevenson says. Subject matter includes basic personal finances, cost-cutting tips, credit and debt, and defining needs versus wants. Liz Beckmann, communications coordinator for the Minnesota Society of CPAs, says this course is designed to help people manage their finances. The class is taught by a certified public accountant, lending some real-time value to students.
Other courses such as Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint are six-week courses available to students looking for more traditional computer skills. Susan Howard, a Microsoft Excel instructor, says many of her past students have been longtime stay-at-home mothers of now-adult children. Oftentimes, they have little to no computer knowledge. Microsoft Excel, in particular, is perfect for anyone looking to work as an administrative assistant; the program covers spreadsheet applications, complex math formulas and how to create an address list for printing labels, a “feature-rich application necessary in the business world,” Howard says.
Interested in Tweeting? Understanding Internet websites such as Twitter, Facebook and eBay helps students utilize the web to make connections and sell goods. In the course Facebook and Twitter 101, students will create a personal or small business account during class and learn the value of social networking. Twitter and Facebook can help small businesses by connecting with potential clients or simply family and friends. Ebay and Craigslist 101 and Beyond eBay focus on setting up online storefronts. One popular site, etsy.com, allows artists and craftspeople to sell handmade items. Some artists are so successful, they’ve turned their Etsy shop into a fulltime job.
Courses being offered at Central Middle School are daily courses, typically lasting up to three-and-a-half hours. Class sizes cap at 10 people, allowing teachers to provide more personalized attention. In addition to the courses mentioned above, traditional computer subjects are also available, as well as a plethora of personal enrichment courses ranging from bead-work to yoga. For those who prefer to study from home, there are a wide variety of online learning courses, including Twelve Steps to a Successful Job Search, Make Your Age an Asset in your Job Search and Introduction to Business. Turner encourages everyone to consider community education: “It is a great value, and there are always new things to learn.”
@
For a full list of classes, visit wayzata.k12.mn.us/ces.
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