PMP Certification Preparation Course

Are you seeking your Project Management Professional (PMP) certification? Do you need to complete your 35 hour certification education requirement, and learn testing techniques?
UNFCE’s PMP certification preparation course helps you do just that!

Our PMP course meets the 35 hour certification education requirement specified by PMI. The prep course also prepares you for the test as you will learn testing techniques and be provided with sample test questions to help you thoroughly prepare to pass the exam.

So why wait? Sign up for UNFCE’s PMP Certification Preparation Course today!

Our next course begins Jan. 10, and continues to Feb. 4, with 5 sessions in total.

PMP certification is now becoming required by many employers and is desired by most. With the certification, you can become more marketable and can, generally, obtain a higher salary according to the PMI Project Management Salary Survey. Sign up for our course today!

OLLI’s “Creating a Garden Good for the Planet & You” three-session class was featured in the Resident Community Newspaper for the December 2016 issue, titled, “Local park serves as classroom for learning institute”! We are so happy to have our OLLI adventures recognized in our local community!

Here is a snip-it of the Resident Community newspaper article, written by Julie Kerns Garmendia, on how OLLI members and instructors learned from and interacted with the Native Park:

“The class was designed to boost knowledge about native plants, shrubs and trees and to highlight the importance of protecting, attracting and nourishing wildlife, bird and insect pollinators, which are responsible for pollinating one third of our food supply. The class met at the quarter-acre, triangular-shaped Native Park located at 3312 Park St. between Avondale Avenue and Belvedere Streets.”

To read more, check out the Resident Community Newspaper, December issue!

Join us for the UNF 2017 Invitational Leadership Development Program!

Make great leaders in your organization. Join us for the UNF 2017 Invitational Leadership Development Program!

Enrollment is now open for UNF's 2017 Leadership Development Program.

This invitational program enables participating companies to send as few as one and as many as five managers from their organizations to participate. Enrollment is capped at 30 participants for the entire group. 

Program content is based on a validated development model – nine formal one-day modules over nine months, and includes insights from psychological and management assessment tools, supportive informal learning activities and on-the-job applications between instructional modules. 

To learn more or to enroll today, please visit the UNF LDP site!

Testimonial Tuesday - Painting with Acrylics!

#TestimonialTuesday on our Painting with Acrylics #LEARN course!

Need a Holiday gift idea? Take a course with us! The next Painting with Acrylics course is Jan. 5, so register now!

Looking to expand your options? We have hundreds of personal enrichment courses!

What course will you take?

Be Prepared for your GMAT!

Are you prepared to take your GMAT? Register with us to lose the stress and prepare for the test! Our next prep course begins Jan. 17! Register here now!

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is required for admission to most graduate schools of business. The GMAT measures general verbal, mathematical, analytical writing skills and integrated reasoning skills that relate to success at the graduate level of study.

Our GMAT prep course prepares you for the GMAT exam through instruction, practice in test-taking techniques and diagnostic tests. The New Next Generation GMAT test will introduce a new Integrated Reasoning Section. Verbal, Quantitative and Total Scores will not change.

Testimonial on our GMAT prep course: "Elyse did an awesome job. She is extremely knowledgeable and charasmatic which made learning much more smooth. I enjoyed learrning from her. She took the goblelygook and broke it down into layman terms. I wouldn't ask for a better instructor!" - Jozlyn Gardner,  about the GMAT Test Prep

ACT/SAT® Preparation Courses at UNF - A Wise Investment!

Need help with the SAT? We have just the SAT® Preparation Course and tools you need!

With its debut in March 2016, the new SAT has begun to make its impact with the class of 2017. With a focus on skills that matter most for college readiness and success, according to the latest research, it is even more important that students are familiar with the redesigned Reading, Writing and Language Arts and Math sections. 

The new SAT includes a reading test, writing and language test, and a math test. The SAT has an optional essay component, required by some colleges.

Begin the course by taking an official full-length retired SAT test (remember to bring two #2 pencils!). At the end of the course, you will take another full-length retired SAT exam. Post-test data scores will be emailed to you after completion of the course.

Our expert instructors use your pre-test results to guide you through each section of the Revised SAT exam and provide personal attention in and out of the classroom. Whether you need assistance with the reading, writing and language or math section of the SAT, this course will help you maximize your score. 

Our last SAT course participants had an average score increase of 73 points from Pre to Post test results! Wow!

Learn useful study and test-taking and time management strategies to reduce your anxiety and improve your scores.

ACT Prep courses are also available!! 

Enroll in OLLI at UNFCE! Live Well. Learn Forever.

"Tell me and I will forget. Teach me and I will remember. Involve me and I learn." Benjamin Franklin 

Start Your New Year Right by Enrolling for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UNF Programs!

Sign up today! http://www.unf.edu/ce/olli/

OLLI at UNF is self-organized members working together to create and deliver educational, cultural and social opportunities for lifelong learners aged 50 and better.

2017 Professional Development Catalog has Arrived!

Our 2017 Professional Development Catalog has arrived!

We're excited about our winter line-up and think you will be, too! We have several new programs selected to match regionally relevant workforce needs.

The world does not stand still, neither should you!

Fast track your career and business with us at UNFCE!

Our Professional Development courses vary from logistics, leadership, project management, human resources, management, test prep, finance, healthcare, and many more!

Did you know we also offer a vast array of online certificate programs?

Check out our new courses, programs, and opportunities here!

Register Now for Wine Essentials: Quality & Tasting Course on Dec. 15!

Instructor Richard Park teaching Wine Essentials

Indulge in a night of wine tastings and learning wine qualities with:

Wine essentials – Understanding Quality: The Ultimate Skill in Wine Tasting on Dec. 15, 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center! 

You will be presented the facts pertaining to assessing wines of high quality.

There will also be a discussion of the how’s, why’s and where’s in purchasing wines of high quality and an overall strategy for collecting wine.

Six wines will be tasted and the cost of the wine is included. 🍷

We are excited for our Creative Mosaic Workshop tonight at 6:30!
Class attendees have made some beautiful mosaics in the past, as you can see! What will they create tonight?

Testimonial Tuesday! on: Digital Photography Course

Today is #TestimonialTuesday on our Digital Photography - Basic Lightroom and RAW File #LEARN course! What course will you take?

Search through our Course Catalog, to find what interests YOU!

"Digital Photography – Basic Lightroom and the RAW File" course on 12/3

Interested in learning more about Digital Photography and Adobe Lightroom/Photoshop?

Register today for our "Digital Photography – Basic Lightroom and the RAW File" course 📷 on 12/3 from 8:30a.m. to 2p.m.!

Explore the basics of Adobe Lightroom 6/CC in this one-day workshop, with instructor John Reed. Investigate the library module, including importing catalogs and organization. Discover the develop module for editing your digital images.

Learn the basic adjustments possible with this powerful, non-destructive editing software, applicable to both RAW and jpg files.

Since Lightroom is based on the Adobe RAW Converter, the course will also touch on it as supplied with Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop Elements.

LEARN Jacksonville Winter 2017 Course Catalog has arrived - Registration is OPEN!

Hot off the press! The LEARN Jacksonville Winter Catalog has arrived, and registration is OPEN!

View all of the courses we offer, look over the Winter 2017 Course Catalog, or REGISTER here: http://www.unf.edu/ce/learnjax/

Start your new year strong. No membership needed! With more than 75 courses, there's something for everyone!

From quilt-making, wine tasting, and photography to stock management, languages, and self-defense. All points in between and more!

More locations. More convenience. LEARN Jacksonville has partnered with First Coast YMCA to offer classes at six YMCA locations. This is in addition to the classes offered at UNF! You do not have to be a Y member to attend, but members receive a 20% discount. Y members click here to learn more.

CFP Information Session Dec. 13

Attend our CFP^® information session December 13 from 6:00 - 8:00p.m. to learn more about our Certified Financial Planner program! Meet the instructors and have your questions answered by experts in the field.

REGISTER NOW for our CFP Info Session HERE!

The demand for CFP professionals is expected to grow by 32% in the next decade, according to CNN and Payscale. Employers in the financial industry are seeking talent to support this industry certification.

Our certificate program will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to help clients meet their financial objectives.

UNFCE is registered with the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. (CFP Board) to provide the certified financial planning program.

Successful completion of our program meets the education requirement, making you eligible to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination. 

Crash Course in Screenwriting

Join us for an action-packed day of our "Crash Course in Screenwriting" with Professional Screenwriter Sharon Y. Cobb!
Explore the three-act structure, basics of creating movie characters, film stories and plot construction. Learn about loglines, synopsis and beat sheets. Get ready to kick-start your screenwriting career in this buckle-your-seatbelt introductory workshop.

Sharon Cobb is a professional screenwriter who is a member of the Writers Guild of America who has sold pitches and scripts to studios and has had films produced.

The course is 12/3/16 from 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

"Everyone Needs to Know About Divorce" Workshop - by Second Saturday

Interested in learning more about divorce? Register now for our "Second Saturday - What Everyone Needs to Know About Divorce" class, Saturday (12/10) from 9a.m. - 12:30p.m.

Second Saturday is a divorce workshop for women designed to help you take the next step, no matter where you are in the process of untying the knot.

The workshop deals with the legal, financial, family and personal issues of divorce in a logical, yet compassionate way. This program is aimed to reduce the fear, uncertainty and doubt that one can experience during this life transition.

Second Saturday was created by the non-profit Women’s Institute for Financial Education (WIFE.org), the nation’s longest-running non-profit devoted to female financial literacy.

You will learn:

• The twelve financial pitfalls of divorce.
• Techniques to deal with the fear, uncertainty and doubt that are associated with divorce.
• Key legal issues with divorce.
• Common emotional and family issues with divorce.
• Real estate/Home ownership considerations.

UNF Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Certificate Program

Are you currently employed in the #FinancialServices industry, or looking to pursue a career in the financial service profession?

UNF Division of Continuing Education’s “Certified Financial Planner Certificate Program” will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to help clients meet their financial objectives.



As a CFP Board-Registered Program, our courses satisfy the board's education requirement, allowing an individual to sit for the CFP® Certification Examination.

To SIGN UP and for more information, visit: http://www.unf.edu/ce/cfp/

This 273-hour certificate program was established to meet professional’s needs to plan, assess and evaluate a client's financial future through the development of a comprehensive financial plan.

The program curriculum includes: general principles, insurance planning, income tax planning, investment planning, retirement planning, estate planning, and capstone.

Some of our past program attendees were employed by major financial services companies such as Merrill Lynch, Fidelity, Transamerica Financial Advisors, and many more.

Our courses deliver comprehensive financial planning instruction, provide the education requirements for the #CFP certification exam, and provide professional networking.

(Attend our Information Sessions: 12/13/16 from 6p.m.-8p.m., and 1/11/17 from 5:30p.m. – 7:30p.m.)

Prepare to tackle the editing process with our "Be Your Own Editor" course!

Tackle the editing process with us in our "Be Your Own Editor" course!

In today’s literary world, agents, publishers, and contest committees expect submissions to be as close to perfect as possible. That means it is the responsibility of budding authors to either thoroughly edit their own work or pay hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars to a freelance editor.

This course, taught by Professional Editor John Boles, will help train you to catch and correct the most common mistakes made by writers of fiction and nonfiction alike.

You will gain practical experience in identifying and overcoming your weaknesses as a writer.

The next course is from 11/30/16 - 12/14/16 (on Wednesdays) from 6:30p.m. - 8:30p.m. at UNF Herber University Center.

Register now! http://ht.ly/7dpl3069ugD

"Blogging for Business and Pleasure" UNFCE Course on 11/19!

Do you have a passion that you are eager to broadcast to the world? Do you have a business that would benefit from Internet marketing?

A blog is a free, easy do-it-yourself website where you may write about anything you please.

UNF Continuing Education's course, "Blogging for Business and Pleasure", is a one-day course on 11/19/16 from 9a.m. - 5p.m. hosted at YMCA. You will learn all the blogging basics: choosing subjects, locating the best website host, uploading videos, finding readers, and adding an Amazon store to sell items.

Your blogging possibilities are endless.

Sign up today for the next course, 11/19/16 here: http://ht.ly/iMn0305MfFf

"Follow" us on Twitter/Instagram: @UNFCE
"Like" us on Facebook: @UNFCE
"Join" our LinkedIn group: @UNFCE

"Impressive Wines for the Holidays" Wine Tasting TONIGHT!

Celebrate the #holidays in our "Impressive Wines for the Holidays" #WineTasting course TONIGHT (11/14) from 6:00p.m. to 8:30p.m.! 🍷

There are many causes for celebration in the last two months of a calendar year, and wine could very well play a role in any or all of these occasions.

For this class, we’ll taste seven high-quality wines – mostly from small European producers that represent a wide range of tastes and flavors.

For meaningful celebrations this year, don’t serve just anything, serve the best thing – high-quality, memorable wines. The cost of the wine is included in the fee.

Register NOW!

ATD NEFL Annual Event

The ATD NEFL Annual Event hosted by UNFCE today (11/10/16) was a success!
Thank you to everyone who came out to the event and to other sponsors who helped make the event possible! We hope you all enjoyed it!
 
At the event, attendees learned how to leverage communities of practice to cultivate collaboration that could contribute to the success of their talent development efforts. The Communities of Practice consisted of: Learning & Development, Learning Technologies, Science of Learning, and Management.

Throughout the highly interactive event, UNFCE along with other corporations such as NSU, Webster University, Right Management, ATD, One Call Care Management, and Lee Hecht Harrison, provided extensive networking opportunities by tabling, conversing, and interacting with attendees.


Prizes were awarded by raffle, and Bingo cards were disseminated for attendees to get signatures from each sponsor's table for an opportunity to make connections, and to win a prize as well.

ATD NEFL is a non-profit organization that is the region's leading resource for professionals in the workplace learning field.


For more information about UNFCE, visit: www.unf.edu/ce
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and LinkedIn: @UNFCE

Indulge in wine tasting, as well as learning strategies of purchasing high quality wines in our "Wine Essentials: The Ultimate Skill in Wine Tasting: Understanding Quality" class!

The next class is on 11/10 (Thursday) from 6p.m. - 8:30p.m.!

Sign up now before its too late: http://ht.ly/7KsC305Wl1Z

In the class, you will be presented the facts pertaining to assessing wines of high quality.

Also covered is a discussion of the how’s, why’s and where’s in purchasing wines of high quality and an overall strategy for collecting wine. Six wines will be tasted and the cost of the wine is included.

Today is the LAST DAY to sign up for our November  Health & Wellness Coach Training online program! Sign up NOW before it's too late!

Health and wellness coaches facilitate a partnership and change process that enables clients to change their mindsets to develop and sustain behaviors proven to improve health and well-being.

Learn to combine the power of science-based coaching competencies to help people make lasting improvements to their health and well-being.

Earning a certification endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) means that you have the knowledge and appropriate level of professional recognition to hold a legitimate place on the health care continuum.

Classes begin the week of November 14, 2016. Registration closes today, November 7, 2016.

• Mondays 10 a.m. ET & 2 p.m. ET
• Tuesdays 3 p.m. ET & 7 p.m. ET
• Thursdays 9:30 p.m. ET

To enroll, please call Customer Care Team at (904) 620-4200.

Honor and support our veterans and troops: Join us TOMORROW (11/8) for a Veterans Day Tribute and Veterans Plaza Dedication Ceremony at 10:30a.m. at UNF in Building 58, Student Union, Veterans Plaza.

The ceremony will honor all student, staff, faculty and alumni veterans and will dedicate the new Veterans Plaza. During the ceremony, student veterans and special guests will raise the military service flags to the respective branch’s service song, which will be performed by the University's Brass Quintet.

For more information, visit: http://ht.ly/HpiK305VMjq

Facebook, Twitter, & LinkedIn: @UNFCE

Do you have a passion that you are eager to broadcast to the world? Do you have a business that would benefit from Internet marketing?

A blog is a free, easy do-it-yourself website where you may write about anything you please.

UNF Continuing Education's course, "Blogging for Business and Pleasure", is a one-day course on 11/19/16 from 9a.m. - 5p.m. hosted at YMCA. You will learn all the blogging basics: choosing subjects, locating the best website host, uploading videos, finding readers, and adding an Amazon store to sell items.

Your blogging possibilities are endless.

Sign up today for the next course, 11/19/16 here: http://ht.ly/iMn0305MfFf

"Follow" us on Twitter: @UNFCE
"Like" us on Facebook: @UNFCE

1min Guide to Stock Management Class

“It’s not enough to make money; you need to know how to keep it” - Professor Henry "Hank" Swiencinski.

In this course at UNF Continuing Education, you will learn how to utilize basic investing tools, as well as how to select and monitor stocks. Swiencinksi designed the class to simplify trading the markets and money management.

Sign up here: http://bit.ly/2dFKq7z

Discover how to identify stocks that go up and how to avoid those that go down without the aid of a broker. This is not your typical financial planning course--take control and manage your own investments.
Included in the $149 course, attendees will receive a copy of "The Professor's One-Minute Guide to Stock Management". The book expands on the concepts of the Professor's methodology and covers everything discussed in the six hours of class, including the charts, PowerPoint slides and a helpful glossary of terms.

**The course is 11/14/16 - 11/16/16 (M Tu W) from 6:30p.m. - 8:30p.m.**

For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/2ekbUT0

"Attend" this event on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2eFUuAN
"Follow" us on Twitter: @unfce

SAT/ACT prep courses now REVISED!

Do you need to increase your SAT or ACT scores? UNF's SAT and ACT prep courses are now REVISED!

Now at UNF Division of Continuing Education, we have partnered with Cambridge to advance our SAT and ACT prep courses. 

Pre- and post-test scores are now included! Begin the course by taking an official full-length retired SAT or ACT test. At the end of the course, you will take another full-length retired SAT or ACT exam. Post-test data scores will be emailed to you after completion of the course.

Our expert instructors use your pre-test results to guide you through each section of the SAT or ACT exam and provide personal attention in and out of the classroom.
We've extended each course by two hours to accommodate the benefit of the pre- and post-test. The Cambridge textbook has been included in the registration fee, eliminating the hassle of textbook shopping! 

Register for BOTH courses--and receive a discounted rate of $559.00 per course!

Sign up for SAT prep here: http://bit.ly/2e7ntuX and ACT prep here: http://bit.ly/2eI58pJ

Innovate or Perish

By Len Ferman

Change is the one constant that we can always count on.  And as part of the process, you can either be a change-agent or you can be on the receiving end of that change.  For businesses, this often means the difference between life and death. Don’t believe me?  Run down to your local Blockbuster and grab a movie?  Go for a run on the beach and take your state-of-the-art Kodak camera. Once you find a way to do either of those things…give me a call on your Blackberry.

The truth is the struggle for survival in the business world is real. The average corporate lifespan of an S&P 500 company is only 18 years, that’s down from 61 a half-century ago. It’s hard to fathom that companies of such magnitude can come and go so quickly. The message is clear – companies must innovate in order to position themselves to continue winning customers in the future. The rapid pace of technological progress now impacting all markets is shortening the window for existing business models to operate profitably. Simply put, how you make money today, and your existing customer value propositions, will not work forever. They may not even work two years from now. Only the companies that are working now to develop their next business model in their industry will survive. While companies that focus all of their energy and resources on current business models, will eventually find their customers will have gone elsewhere. It generally happens quicker than they ever thought possible.

A great example of rapidly changing business models happened in the DVD rental market. Just a few short years ago, most consumers rented videos by driving to a local Blockbuster retail store.  Blockbuster was one of the great startup success stories in American history, growing from scratch in the mid-1980s and topping out at more than 9,000 retail stores in the last decade. Netflix, however, usurped Blockbuster by introducing a superior business model based on renting DVDs by mail. Blockbuster initially saw Netflix as a tiny startup with no potential to make a significant dent in their market share. As a result, Blockbuster chose not to invest in the mail rental business. Netflix continued to grow and refine the mail rental business in ways that Blockbuster never anticipated. When Blockbuster finally realized they needed to compete in the mail rental business, it was too late. Netflix had perfected that business model and was already working on the next generation business model – streaming video. Today, Blockbuster is gone by way of bankruptcy. Meanwhile, Netflix has a market cap of more than $40 billion – or five times higher – than Blockbuster at their peak. Netflix is an unusual success story, not only did they dethrone an industry giant, they are one of the few large companies that have been nimble enough to migrate from one successful business model (DVDs by mail) to a completely different business model (streaming video). In doing so, they retained the dominant #1 market share. As a result, Netflix stands up as one of the greatest innovation success stories.

Companies that want to thrive - not just survive - must learn how to have the nimbleness of Netflix. They must learn to become great innovators. That means they must have the foresight to invest some of their resources today, to identifying and testing future business models. They must constantly monitor the market they serve, to understand changing customer needs and new industry best practices. Then generate ideas that satisfy those needs and go a step beyond those best practices. They need to shape those ideas into prototypes that can be tested with their customers. By doing so, they are constantly designing their future and forecasting the direction of the market. When they notice the market condition changing, they’re ready to seize the opportunity by launching their prototypes. Companies like Netflix are excellent examples of this today.

On November 1, Len will teach a one-day, class at UNF Continuing Education, Innovating for Your Company’s Future. This interactive class will feature a combination of classroom learning and hands on skill development.  The class is designed to provide mid and senior level managers and business leaders with the tool set and skills necessary to enable their companies to innovate and grow.

---

About Len Ferman

As a teacher, speaker and consultant, Len Ferman helps organizations in the area of business innovation.

Ferman has 28 years of experience in innovation with some of the world’s largest companies.  Prior to founding Ferman Innovation, he led the front end of innovation and was head of ideation at Bank of America. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, including:

•  2012 World Future Trends Summit
•  2013 Market Research Event
•  2014 Customer Experience Leaders’ Summit -  keynote speaker
•  2015 Corporate Researcher’s Conference
•  2016 CSX Fusion Conference

Len holds two master's degrees from Duke University (M.B.A. in marketing and a master’s in economics). Len has also been an adjunct professor of marketing at the University of North Florida, where he developed a course on business innovation.

Leadership for Women - Confidence vs. Courage

By Anita Abjornson

In a recent keynote address given at the NYU's School of Business commencement, General Electric's CEO, Jeffrey Immelt, made a call to action for the graduates to have courage and venture into the unknown. He shared, "You are entering into a volatile global economy, the most uncertain I have ever seen. This is a world that needs better leaders, with new skill sets. The playbook from the past won't cut it today. My advice for you as you enter this world is to be flexible, be bold and don't fear criticism."

 

As women move into leadership positions in this volatile global economy, there is greater visibility, responsibility and a need for flexibility, boldness and a thick skin. We must prepare ourselves for greatness. That preparation starts with self-awareness and an understanding of how our unique behaviors, personal branding and even our work-life balance can tip the scales.

In the book "Standing at the Crossroads - Next Steps for High Achieving Women," the authors discuss the extensive research completed during The Women's Leadership Program at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL). They spotlight five key themes (needs) that are essential to guiding women's development:

1. The need to act authentically
2. The need to make connections
3. The need to control one's destiny
4. The need to achieve wholeness
5. The need to gain self-clarity

As part of UNF's Leadership for Women program, we will use these five themes as a basis for exploring how we can enhance our self-awareness with DiSC, which will improve the flexibility as recommended by Mr. Immelt. We will learn to leverage our personal and professional brand to present our best, bold self and how to create balance in our lives by considering the themes discussed above. By using what makes us unique as women and developing our skills for current and future leadership roles, we will be taking necessary steps to set ourselves up for continued growth and success. 


If you're ready to take your leadership skills to the next level, attend University of North Florida's Leadership for Women program on June 22, from 8 a.m. to noon. Click here to learn more.