PMP® Certification Preparation Course

Our PMP® Certification Preparation Course starts March 18, register now!

PMP certification is becoming required by many employers and desired by most; you become much more marketable and can, generally, obtain a higher salary according to the PMI Project Management Salary Survey.

This five-day intensive course prepares participants to apply, study and take the PMP® exams. This course provides PMI®’s required training hours, a solid understanding of the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK®), mini bench mark tests, and highly effective exam taking tips.

This course takes you step-by-step to gaining a professional certification that will clearly differentiate you in today’s highly competitive market.

It is a globally recognized industry certification for project managers demonstrating that you have the experience, education and competency to lead and direct projects.

The Construction Quality Management for Contractors (CQM-C) course, starting March 14, describes QC/QA system successfully used by Corps of Engineers and NAVFAC.

CQM-C course was developed by US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Associated General Contractors (AGC).

University of North Florida (UNF) and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast (NAVFAC SE) have partnered to offer several sessions during the upcoming year.

Concepts are increasingly being adopted by state agencies, public authorities and other local public sector owners. It details planning concepts, which are prevention-oriented to reduce tear-out, improve quality and improve schedule.

The course uses DVD, class instruction, workbook exercises with discussion and case study exercises. Students will be provided with a student study guide and No. 2 pencils. To successfully complete the course, the student must be present for all sessions and achieve a passing grade of 70 on the final exam. Upon satisfactory completion, a five-year certificate will be issued to students.

UNF Logistics and Supply Chain Certificate

The UNF Logistics and Supply Chain Certificate, starting March 9, is a comprehensive program designed for today’s logistics and supply chain professionals.

Our instructor led program is taught by highly regarded industry leaders with more than 60

combined years of hands on experience.

Students will learn to identify best practices in costing and pricing, how to reduce costs, apply strategies that will increase productivity, network with other industry professionals, make lifelong connections that may be utilized down your career path and much, much more.

With this certificate program, companies and individuals can assure themselves of being prepared to compete in the international marketplace.

Modules Include:

• Supply Chain Management
• Transportation Management
• International Transportation and Logistics
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management and Strategy

Upon the successful completion of the program, participants will earn their UNF Logistics and Supply Chain Certificate.

Our Project Management Certificate course begins Jan. 26! Sign up NOW!

Project Management is one of the most rapidly growing professions in America. Certified project management skills are now required by many employers and preferred by most.

Our 35-hour certificate course prepares you to be an effective member of a company’s project management team. It covers the processes and best practices for the 10 knowledge domains of project management.

Whether you are trying to enter the workforce with competitive project management skills or you are seeking to strengthen your business acumen and professional gravitas, this course is for you!

Additionally, if you are planning to take PMI®’s CAPM® or PMP® Exams, this course provides the education hours you need to qualify for the exam.

Testimonial Tuesday - 1min. Guide to Stock Management!

#TestimonialTuesday on The Professor's One Minute Guide to Stock Management course!

Interested? The next #StockManagement course begins Jan. 11; 📈 sign up now here!

Looking for other business or personal enrichment courses? The possibilities are endless here at UNFCE! What course will you take?

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!

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!

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. 

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.

Five Professional Development Observations from 2015

As we leap over the threshold from 2015 to 2016, we enter into a new year of possibilities; these opportunities are revealed from our accomplishments of 2015. Here are our top five and what they reveal for 2016. 

1. UNF Continuing Education served over 6,000 individuals in 2015, seeing the greatest training growth in healthcare, logistics, Lean Six Sigma, quality improvement and project management. Jacksonville stays on track with the nation, representing growth in these industries as business growth in general surges ahead for 2016.


2. Professional development skills training saw an increase from last year. Professional development includes software, supervisory, time management, negotiating and other soft skills training which provide solid results. When businesses provide effective and affordable training solutions, they see the benefits and invest in their employees. For 2016, we are keeping training solutions affordable, expanding our online programs and building on our business partnerships for customized training solutions.


3. The trend for certifications continues to grow. Our students earned the following certifications: Transportation & Logistics, Health & Wellness Coach, Instructional Systems Design, Paralegal, Lean Six Sigma and Warehouse Associate. Companies are seeking out individuals with high-level specialty knowledge. Niche-knowledge experts are relied upon to give companies a competitive edge over competitors slow to evolve to the individual-driven culture we see today. 


4. Leadership development training increased in 2015. The economic downturn and the slow recovery were a harsh wake up calls for many businesses. Our Leadership Development Program provided the perfect mix of traditional and proven leadership practices with progressive, idea-generating innovation for providing real solutions to business’ biggest challenges.


5. We strive to better serve those who have served us – our veterans. Funding is available for qualifying veterans for many of our programs. To help veterans take full advantage of the education benefits they have earned, UNF Continuing Education has a Veteran Education benefit specialist. Lori Frederick has been approved by the Veterans Administration to help veterans complete the required paperwork to certify their course enrollments. We have seen how our certification programs have helped ease the transition from military to civilian life. Contact Lori to learn more.

We look forward to assisting you with your 2016 training and consulting needs. Let’s get started. 

Visit us online, www.unf.edu/ce, select Course by Subject from the Quick Links on the right or view the information-packed pages using the menu on the left. Call our fantastic Customer Care Team at (904) 620-4200 or e-mail us at unfce@unf.edu. 

The Attack of the Never Ending Project

By John Yancey

Projects at work seem to magically appear and at a volume that almost certainly means that one of these projects will fall into your lap sooner rather than later. Now these projects can take many forms along the continuum, but collectively they share one specific challenge that can derail any project and is well worth exploring in more detail.

One of the first decisions that must be made before this journey can even begin is scope.  

• Who are the stakeholders associated with this project and what roles do they need to play to make the project successful?  
• What materials will you need to complete the project and how much will all of this cost? 
• How long will the project take and what are the deliverables that we are required to produce. 

Answering these questions up front can go a long ways towards ensuring that you project gets off to a good start.

But then it happens.  Someone at some point utters the words that are potentially kryptonite to any successful project: “What if we just ...”  And it begins, scope creep. 

Once you have taken the time to create a detailed project plan, deviations from that plan need to be considered carefully as they can have a very significant impact. Seemingly small changes can dramatically change project costs, required team members, and the overall project timeline. Now, this does not mean that every change has a negative impact on your project. That simply is not the case. Still, you need to do you due diligence as you exam proposed changes to see how they impact your project and if they are worth taking on. Many times, the best course of action is the stay the course and complete you project as these mid-project changes can be reformatted to be their own new project somewhere down the line. 

In the end, project management is a complete mix of challenges of which scope creep is but a singular player.  The University of North Florida Division of Continuing Education has the tools necessary to help ensure that your next project is a success and more importantly, that you are a success in leading that project.  See all that we have to offer at www.unf.edu/ce. 

Subject-Specific Professional Development for K-12 Teachers

Are you a K-12 teacher with a new upcoming teaching assignment? Feeling a bit overwhelmed at how to be ready for the first day of school? UNF Continuing Education is here to help.

UNF is pleased to announce the offering of a unique series of 100 professional development courses designed to provide a significant amount of support to a teacher with a new assignment.




Why take these courses?
100% of teachers have a new assignment at some point, whether you are new to teaching or an experienced teacher. Why not take a course that matches your daily teaching responsibilities? This is a practical, economic and convenient, "just-in-time" solution to prepare for a new assignment. Also, many of the courses may qualify for CE units for recertification.

What is included?
Included is everything a teacher with a new assignment would typically need to prepare themselves for the whole school year: Teacher manual with instructional support material that includes syllabus, pacing guide, detailed daily lesson plans, class notes (editable PowerPoint presentations for lecture support), complete student activity book or lab manual, editable assessments and keys, subject-specific mentoring teacher access.

What subjects are available?

There are 100 courses offered within the following subject areas:

Advanced Placement (AP)
Language Arts (English)
Art (music listed separately)
Mathematics
Business and Computer Science
Music
Cambridge International Curriculum
Physical Education
Communications
Reading Endorsement
Exceptional Student Education
Science
Family and Consumer Science
Social Studies
International Baccalaureate (IB)
Technology
Languages
Vocational

Click here to view 100 course description and enrollment pages online.

Funding
UNF teacher prep course tuition and materials may be funded or reimbursed through Federal NCLB Title 2a (Improving Teacher Quality State Grants, 100% PD), Title 1 (up to 10% for PD), and/or state and local PD budgets.

We're centrally located at the UNF Adam W. Herbert University Center, 12000 Alumni Drive, Jacksonville, Fla. 32224. For more information about any of our programs, contact us at (904) 620-4200 or unfce@unf.edu.

Get to Know John Yancey, New Program Director for Professional Development Studies

John Yancey,  Program Director
Professional Development

The UNF Division of Continuing Education is delighted to welcome John Yancey to our team! John has a long and distinguished career in higher education leadership having most recently served as the Vice President for Enrollment Services here at the University of North Florida and previously as the UNF Director of Admissions for more than 10 years. John's role here at UNFCE is to direct our professional development programs, including the Legal Studies Institute.


John brings that same passion for excellence and student success to his new Program Manager role: "I am excited to join such a dynamic team and I look forward to doing everything in my power to help move this division forward into what I believe is a very bright future!" said John when asked about his new position.



John and his wife, Michelle, have been part of the UNF family since 1997. They have two children, Sarah (19) and Roman (17). We are so fortunate to now include them in the UNF Continuing Education family! We know that John will bring a unique perspective and years of knowledge and skills to growing our continuing education professional development programs. He is also great fun to just have around the office! We love his infectious sense of humor, his warm welcome every morning, and his desire to just jump right in and be a part of the team.

If you would like to welcome John, or ask a question about any of our professional development programs, he can be reached by email at jyancey@unf.edu and by phone at (904) 620-5176.

The Dos and Don'ts of Moving Forward in Your Career

by Nancy Dering Mock

As a management consultant and former HR Executive, I am often asked why some people seem to “get ahead” and others seem to “get stuck” in their careers.  This blog post will share some of my observations about what does and doesn't work.

First, my list of what doesn't work:

1) Hope 

There are those people who believe that if they show up and do a good job, someone will notice and they will be propelled up the corporate ladder.  In my experience, this alone doesn't work.  We all know many people who have been loyal, kept their nose clean and worked hard whose reward has been to languish in the same job.

2) Fate 

There are other people who subscribe to the “right person in the right place at the right time” theory. They believe that advancement is all a matter of timing and waiting for “their turn.” We all know people who have retired still waiting for their turn.

3) Dependence on Others 

These individuals believe that their boss or the HR Department will take interest and invest in their future. They defer and rely on others to enroll them in training or set their developmental goals.  In my experience, this places the responsibility with people who may not be that skilled or interested in helping others advance. 

Now, let’s explore a few things that do work. 

(These ideas are borrowed from two current Continuing Education workshops, “Charting Your Future,” and “14 Best Strategies for Being A Standout.”)

1) Get a Mentor.

Find someone outside your chain of command and challenge them to challenge you.   Set regular times to meet and set development goals. Pick his or her brain for ideas, contacts, professional groups and other ways to learn and grow. 

2) Keep a Journal.

Keep track of your accomplishments, at work and outside of work. Keep a running list of observations, networks and contacts for future reference. Use your journal to note issues and questions you’d like to explore with your mentor. This journal will be priceless in constructing your resume and preparing for job interviews.

3) Be the “Can-do” person.

Develop a reputation as the person who can get things done. Say “yes to the hard stuff,” those assignments others back away from. Do your homework; always arrive totally prepared and ready to be a contributor not merely an observer.  Find solutions to problems. Look for ways to improve current processes and propose changes.

4) Never, never, never stop learning.

It is often the people who challenge themselves to learn and grow who are tapped to move into more responsible work. Think about and ask for assignments and experiences that would give you new skills or networks. Think “breadth, not depth,” in broadening your experience and perspective. Set developmental goals for yourself and pursue them through workshops, on-line learning, college courses and professional organizations. Note your developmental goals and accomplishments in your journal.

5) If you want it, ask for it.

People are not mind-readers. If you have development and job goals, share them with people who have influence in your career. How does your boss know how you are doing? How do you know the requirements for that next promotion? How do you know what training and development opportunities are available to you? Does your boss know your career goals?  These questions can only be answered by your opening the conversation and sharing your goals and interests. After clarifying for yourself what you want, make sure that others are clear on what you want, too.

So, starting today, stop relying on hope, fate and reliance on others to advance your career. Start by adapting a few of these ideas that do work, take that next step and take control of your career and your future.

About Nancy:

Nancy Dering Mock is a management consultant, specializing in Strategic Planning, Leadership Development and Change Management.Her career has included founding two consulting firms, serving as HR Executive for an 80,000 employee organization and significant community leadership.She shares her experience with UNFCE workshop participants through interactive sessions which explore real-world challenges and offer real-world solutions. Learn more about Nancy at www.nancydering.com

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Join Nancy at her upcoming one-day workshop "Demystifying HR: Human Resources Management for Non-HR Managers" to be held on April 9 from 9:00 until 4:30 p.m at UNF. Click here for information and registration.

Mystified by the jargon, acronyms and requirements of Human Resources Management? This full day session is designed for professional/technical managers with little or no background in managing human resources. It explores the roles and responsibilities of managers in managing other people.

Through discussion, the participants identify their most pressing Human Resource management challenges; formulate a plan for addressing them and for partnering with HR professionals in the process.

Taking the Next Step to Ensure Your Company’s Survival and Future Growth

By Len Ferman

The pace of change in the world is accelerating more rapidly than in any prior age.  Adoption rates for new technologies continue to speed up.  To reach 50% household penetration took 71 years for the telephone, 28 years for the radio, 18 years for color TVs and just 10 years for the internet.  The 21st century business environment demands that companies embrace change or risk becoming irrelevant.  Exceptional companies such as Kodak, Blockbuster and Atari were once the dominant players in their industries.  Now they are relics of the past; defunct companies whose overwhelming leadership position provided no protection as they failed to act on changing industry conditions.  And they are not anomalies.  The corporate lifespan of S&P 500 companies has dropped from 61 years in 1958 to just 18 in 20112.  If companies in the S&P 500 are struggling to endure, then small and medium sized companies need also beware that their present business methods have limited windows of sustainability.  As a result, all companies need to take the next step now to identify how changes in their customers’ needs and their competitive landscape will impact their business.  And then use that information to develop plans for how to survive and thrive in the future.

It’s easy to take the next step.  The old proverb “well begun is half done” (attributed to Aristotle), applies here.  Most businesses fall into the trap of spending all their time focusing on business as usual and no time on planning for the future.  This is a natural tendency since it’s business as usual operations that bring in the cash.  Whereas planning for the future generates no revenue today and new initiatives have uncertain returns.  However, to ensure the long term health of the company there must be a balance.  Think of future planning as exercise for your business.  And once you start a regular program, you are well on your way to increasing your company’s lifespan. This is why I advocate a program of continuous customer innovation.

Continuous customer innovation involves creating the discipline in the company to perform three fundamental practices in a repetitive permanent cycle:

1) Explore changing customer needs, problems and market conditions
2) Generate solutions to those needs, problems and conditions
3) Evaluate and select the best ideas to implement.

Companies that adopt this continuous customer innovation process can help ensure they stay relevant to their existing customers and be attractive to new customers over the long term.
Adopting a continuous customer innovation process requires a commitment from the leadership of the company.  Leadership commitment includes both the adequate funding of the process as well as the acceptance of the process results.  This does not mean that every idea recommended should be implemented, but rather that leadership must at least consider, debate and evaluate the top ideas from each cycle.

Free Information Session
All companies should adopt a continuous customer innovation process.  But what are the specific steps to take?  How can you innovate to make your company more like Google, Apple and 3M and less like Kodak, Blockbuster and Atari?  The UNF Division of Continuing Education can help.  This spring a new course will be offered on the topic of business innovation.  The course will provide both classroom learning as well as hands on skill development in how to innovate for your company’s future.  For more information sign up for a free information session on March 25th.  

About the author:
Len Ferman is an adjunct professor of marketing at the University of North Florida teaching business innovation.  He is also Managing Director of Ferman Innovation, an innovation consulting firm.  Len holds a Masters in Economics and a MBA from Duke University.  He also has 25 years of experience managing innovation at Fortune 100 companies.  Until 2013, he was the head of ideation at Bank of America.  Len is also a frequent speaker at major business conferences on the topic of innovation and is a professional member of the National Speakers Association. For more information contact Len Ferman at Len.Ferman@unf.edu.

1 – Census bureau, Consumer Electronics Association, National Cable and Telecommunications Association
2 - http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/13/idUS206536+13-Feb-2012+BW20120213

New Year, New Faces!

Nancy Moydell
Business Development Specialist

The UNF Division of Continuing Education is so pleased to welcome Nancy Moydell to our team. As a Business Development Specialist, Nancy will concentrate on developing relationships with potential students and industry related companies in several key areas: Transportation and Logistics, Lean Six Sigma, Leadership Development, Certified Financial Planner, and the Paralegal Program. UNFCE Director Tim Giles states, "We are excited to have Nancy join the CE team. She brings years of experience in business development and has a real passion for helping individuals and organization achieve their goals."

Three Ways to Extend Your Summer

by +Sonja Rocha 

Just because summer is ending soon and kids are back to school, you don't have to fall back into the dull drum pattern of Work - Home - Sleep - Work - Home - Sleep. Hasn't it been nice to enjoy a slower pace at work and home? The end of summer often has us preparing for the hectic pace of fall with the holiday season close at the heels. We invite you, however, to pause that preparation and consider stretching those summer vibes a bit longer. Here are three ways to take the spirit of summer into fall.