Many of COS’ academic divisions — including agriculture, business, consumer/family studies, and industry and technology — offer career certificates (also called vocational certificates) to students who have satisfactorily completed a high level of technical training and meet or exceed the skills and knowledge required for employment in business or industry.
Career certificates are not equal to an associate’s degree and may be completed in one year. Most certificate programs require at least 30 units and can be applied toward an associate degree.
COS also offers low-unit certificates that target specific skill sets — called skill certificates. These certificates also prepare students for employment, but have fewer unit requirements than career/vocational certificates.
As described in COS General Catalog, skill certificates are highly specialized and are available in a wide variety of career and technical fields, including agriculture, business, automotive technology, nursing and plumbing.
The 12-unit communication skill certificate — offered by COS’ Fine Arts division — is one of COS’ newest (one-year) programs that, according to President Bill Scroggins, is proving to be quite successful. After the program was successfully offered at Bakersfield Community College, President Scroggins decided to offer the same program at COS.
To earn a communication skill certificate, students are required to take four of six approved courses: public speaking, interpersonal communication, argumentation and debate, persuasion, group communication, and intercultural communication.
According to President Scroggins, over 200 students are currently pursuing this certificate with 15 completing the program last semester and to date, 11 have applied for the certificate this semester.
Skill certificates are frequently used to upgrade or update an individual’s skills for promotion or increased salary. However, the skill certificates may also provide entry-level opportunities.
According to information found in COS General Catalog, the communication skill certificate program is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce with competent communication skills or to continue studies toward a bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication. Communication majors may find jobs in advertising, public relations and broadcasting technology or work as a lobbyist, speech writer, media specialist, reporter or technical writer.
Why has the communication skills certificate been the most successful? Communications instructor, Cynthia Johnson, gave this explanation.
“Employers think that communication is an important skill to have. That’s probably why most business majors minor in communications.”
Johnson, who has two master’s degrees, one in communication and the other in psychology, believes that students should not only acquire a certificate but a degree as well. “Students should [earn both a certificate and a degree] to show future employers their dedication to education.”
For further information on COS’ low unit certificate programs, contact the Career Technical (Vocational) Education Office (559-730-3710) in the General Grant Building, Room 415.
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