Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College will launch three new programs this month to meet community demands.
They include an early childhood evening program for working child care specialists, a medical claims billing certificate and a business graphics certificate.
The college's community advisors from business fields say better-qualified applicants are needed for medical claims billing and graphics positions.
Needs have been identified in these programming areas, said Laura Wassenaar, academic dean of business and marketing, early childhood education and supervisory management.
"They all address different needs and career goals people might have," she said.
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The courses have been set up for the convenience of students. Many of the certificate courses can be completed online or in a flex-lab to fit students' schedules. The classes are also offered in a traditional classroom setting. Certificates can be completed in one year or longer depending on how much time a student can devote to classes.
The Early Childhood Education Evening Cohort is designed specifically for working early child care professionals who want to further their education. The course is open only to people working at least 25 hours a week in the field. The classes are held Thursday evenings, so students can work during the day. The associate degree program can be completed in two years, Wassenaar said.
WITC has received a Community Child Care Initiative Grant that allows the college to present five of the Early Childhood Education Cohort's courses tuition free. To be eligible for the grant, students must be working at least 25 hours per week in the field, have a letter of recommendation and receive a qualified score on the entrance exam.
The Early Childhood Education program starts Jan. 18, and a few spots are still open. The certificates have a more flexible schedule, since many of the courses are online. For more information, call Ann Charbonneau at WITC at 394-6677.
An Early Childhood Education program is also offered as a day program for people interested in entering the child care profession. This program is not part of the Community Child Care Initiative Grant.
WITC is also planning a business management program and a building trades-construction worker program to start in fall.
"We try to be as responsive as we can," Wassenaar said. "We're always looking at new types of ... programs that are needed."
More new programs are on the way for WITC. Wassenaar said several are at different stages of approval in the state system and will be available for upcoming years.
