SAS is going to high school.
The Cary software company is expanding a pilot programming course taught at Apex High School to nine other high schools this academic year.
Seven of the newly added schools are in North Carolina, including Cary High School and the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, and one each is in Florida and Alabama. The course will be available to high schools across the country beginning in January.
“I do think it is something that can be successful nationwide,” said Julie Oster, director of Apex High’s information technology-oriented curriculum. “It’s a skill that is in high demand … because SAS is used in so many industries. Statistical analysis is now everywhere.”
John Garrison, a senior at Apex High who took the SAS course last year, said it opened his eyes to the power of data. “It really allows for a lot of statistical analysis,” he said. “It’s a great platform for learning.”
The teen said he found the “syntax” of SAS — the basics of the programming language — easy. But it was harder to determine the best ways to process and manipulate data, which is at the heart of the company’s business intelligence and analytics software.
SAS, which has more than 4,000 workers in Cary, views the course as a way of doing good — enriching student curricula — as well as helping itself by spreading the word about the company and training what is potentially a new generation of SAS programmers.
That’s important because demand for SAS programmers exceeds supply. Demand is especially high at pharmaceutical and financial services companies that use SAS software.
The high school program is an extension of the company’s efforts to teach SAS skills at the university level.
That includes helping to develop N.C. State University’s master’s degree program in analytics and a data mining certificate program at Oklahoma State University.
Nor is SAS’s push into high schools unique. More schools are offering information technology curricula, and IT companies are eager to work with them. Cisco Systems courses were taken by 2,939 students at 47 high schools in North Carolina from October 2006 to October 2007, the company said.
“The same courses I’m teaching at high school, you can actually take at a community college or university,” said Geof Duncan, who teaches two Cisco courses — network engineering technology I and II — at Knightdale High School.
The first course teaches students to set up a wired or wireless network in a home or small office. The advanced course teaches skills such as configuring routers. Combined, the two courses are the equivalent of one college course.
Leslie Keller, the Apex teacher who worked with SAS to adapt its adult certification program for the high school level, views the course as useful even for students who don’t pursue a career in IT.
“All programming language is problem-solving and critical thinking, regardless of what the programming language is,” she said. “In addition, SAS offers a broader perspective and appreciation of data and how it can be beneficial and how it can be used.”
SAS’s sophisticated business intelligence and analytics software isn’t easily explained in a few words, but Keller has a pat description: “SAS takes data and turns it into useful information. It analyzes the data, creates reports from the data in many, many different ways.”
For years SAS has been approached by high schools interested in teaching SAS programming. Until now the company didn’t have a course to offer them, said Caroline McCullen, director of SAS education initiatives
Read More:News & Observer
(ARA) – What do a recent global crackdown on Internet child pornography and the arrest of Dennis Rader, the infamous “BTK” serial killer have in common with the Sept. 11 attacks on America? All are high profile crimes investigated not only by conventional police investigators, but by those specially trained in computer forensics, a new area of crime fighting.
Computer forensics is a branch of forensic science pertaining to legal evidence found in computers and digital storage mediums. Experts in this field investigate data storage devices such as hard drives, USB drives, CD-ROMS, floppy disks, etc., identifying, preserving and analyzing documentary and other digital evidence.
While most of the attention given to people working in this field comes from the work they do with police to help solve high profile crimes, that is not the only role they play. Individual companies are hiring forensic computer experts to perform such roles as determining the root cause of a hacker attack, collecting evidence legally admissible in court, and protecting corporate assets and reputations from crimes such as white-collar fraud.
Andrew Hildebrand, CPA, CVA, JD and dean of business programs at DeVry University in Fort Washington, Penn., offers this example of just how important a computer forensics expert’s role is in a corporate investigation of financial crime. “First a CPA would be contacted by an attorney to work on proving financial fraud. The CPA would need to have financial records and data, some of which may be in electronic format,” he says.
“Many times in these types of fraud cases, the suspect has attempted to cover-up the crime by deleting various documents, such as MS Word memos and MS Excel spreadsheets,” Hildebrand adds. “Once the accountants have some idea of what they are looking for, we can work with the computer forensics professional to recover the deleted material. During every step from seizure of the computer through to court testimony, the computer forensics professional will use their expertise to ensure that the data is recovered and the laws of evidence are respected.”
Realizing the growing need for trained professionals with this area of expertise, schools such as DeVry University, one of the country’s largest, publicly held, degree-granting higher education systems in the U.S., have developed special degree programs to train the experts of tomorrow. DeVry University offers an accelerated bachelor’s degree program in Computer Information Systems with a specialized track in computer forensics that can be completed in three years. As they are pursuing their degree, students learn how to follow the trail of computer clues that are left behind when someone commits a crime of technology. They also learn how to document evidence and how to coordinate with law enforcement to track the movements of the bad guys.
“Students will be prepared for jobs such as security auditor, security specialist, security administrator, security analyst, Web security manager, security director, digital forensic investigator, privacy officer and compliance officer,” says Rajin Koonjbearry, an instructor at DeVry University in Dallas. “These jobs are in high demand and will continue to grow because of new and changing regulatory requirements.”
Among the career avenues available for students graduating with a specialization in computer forensics:
* Law Enforcement. Police departments and sheriff’s offices nationwide are looking for computer forensics professionals to help them investigate computer-related crimes.
* Corporate. Those with a computer forensics background can help companies protect their computer systems from outside attacks.
* Private Organizations. Any private organization with its own network needs computer forensics professionals to maintain surveillance on their systems.
* Software Programmers. The advice that the computer forensics degree holder can provide a software company about the stability of their programs is always welcomed.
“We are responding to the changing IT industry in order to ensure DeVry University graduates are prepared to excel in emerging industry areas,” says Eddie Wachter, Ph.D., dean of academic affairs at DeVry University Central Florida. “Professionals who know how to protect companies and consumers from cyber crime will be in great demand in our increasingly networked world, and the new specialized options give our students the edge in this evolving industry.”
To learn more about DeVry University’s Computer Information Systems (CIS) degree program, log on to http://www.DeVry.edu .
Need for Prescription Drugs Propels Demand for Pharmacy Technicians
(ARA) - With our nation’s population, the demand for prescription medication is greater than ever before. This has created a huge need for pharmacy workers, according to the National Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“There are numerous factors propelling demand for medication,” says Richard Nunez, department chair and certified pharmacy technician at Everest College, in San Francisco. “First, Americans are living longer than ever and need more medical treatments. Advances in medical technology are also producing more prescription drugs. The combination of these two factors is putting a real strain on the pharmaceutical industry to meet demand.”
The number of prescriptions filled increased by 60 percent in the span of a decade, rising from 1.9 million in 1992 to 3.1 million in 2002, according to the Association of Counter Drug Stores.
Nunez links this growth of the pharmaceutical industry to demographic changes. “The growing need for prescription drugs is one of the long term side-effects of the aging baby-boom generation. The pharmaceutical industry is one of many industries in healthcare that is feeling the repercussions,” says Nunez.
“Pharmacy technicians are one way the profession is responding to this need for workers,” he adds. “They really play a crucial role in a pharmacy. In many ways, the work of pharmacy technicians complements that of pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians help patients, explain dosages, update patient information, and help with labeling and filling prescriptions.”
Pharmacy technicians are one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. right now. According to the National Pharmacy Technician Association, more than 39,000 pharmacy technician jobs open each year. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that pharmacy technician jobs are expected to grow more than 32 percent over the next decade.
Yet with increased demand, Nunez explains that the role of pharmacy technicians is changing. “Pharmacists just do not have the time to do everything themselves. Pharmacy technicians have to step in to fill multiple roles,” he says. Nunez explains that pharmacy technicians will begin to assume responsibilities for a range of tasks that were previously reserved for pharmacists or pharmacy aides.
“The profession has really had to develop in response to this need,” says Nunez. “Pharmacy technicians are no longer seen as simply assistants to pharmacists, but as full-fledged pharmaceutical professionals.”
Pharmacists have to focus more on patient care, and pharmacy technicians refer questions regarding prescriptions, drug information or health matters to them. Pharmacy technicians are responsible for measuring, recording and labeling medications, and they are also taking on more administrative duties, including updating patient profiles, preparing insurance claims and taking inventory of pharmacy stock.
As responsibilities of pharmacy technicians grow, obtaining certification is also becoming more important. “Although pharmacy technicians have traditionally received on-the-job training, employers are increasingly looking for employees who have prior professional degree,” says Drew Jones, Pharmacy Program director and certified pharmacy technician at Everest College in City of Industry, Calif.
More importantly, Jones explains that better training could lead to more professional opportunities. “The shortage of pharmacists opens up opportunities for better qualified pharmacy technicians to take on more responsibilities,” says Jones.
“We recognize the importance of this career in helping keep Americans healthy. Pharmacy technicians have become a crucial part of the pharmacy team, and we really stress the career’s potential to our students. They come to us to be part of an accredited program, because they recognize the new opportunities the career offers for qualified employees,” says Jones.
To learn more about career opportunities as a pharmacy technician, visit www.everest.edu.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
RALEIGH, N.C. - Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Technical Community College, reports that the College has received more than $2.5 million in grant funding since May of last year. Grant funds often provide the means for educational and other non-profit organizations to strengthen and expand programs beyond the scope of their regular operating budgets.
“Grants are definitely icing on the cake for a community college,” Scott says. “They allow for creative, innovative learning experiences that have a profound effect on teachers, students, and the community.”
Wake Tech encourages collaboration in pursuing innovation and quality enhancement collegewide. The Sponsored Programs and Grants Office leverages resources from private, state, and federal funding sources to support Wake Tech’s wide variety of new and ongoing projects and initiatives.
Among the grants awarded was $105,104 from the North Carolina Community College System’s BioNetwork to Wake Tech’s Applied Industrial Biotechnology division. The grant will allow Wake Tech to develop a certificate program in Applied Biotechnology to better meet the needs of employers in the Triangle area, and to improve job placement opportunities for graduates in biotechnology fields. The grant will also enable K-12 teachers to gain knowledge of biotechnology through summer coursework.
The following grants have also been awarded to Wake Tech:
From the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS)
- Facilities and equipment grant of $900,000 that will allow Wake Tech to start on a new 100,000 square foot Health Science Building six months earlier than anticipated - without having to wait for the release of school bond funds in July 2008. The new timeline will save the college significant construction costs; the building will expand efforts to meet the growing demand for nurses and allied health professionals.
- Minority Male Mentoring program grant of $20,000 that will leverage institutional matching funds to improve enrollment, retention, and graduation rates among minority male students.
- Professional development grants of 1) $22,353 to teach distance learning faculty to create digital video for online courses; and 2) $600,000 over three years to create a “Virtual Learning Center” with statewide partners.
- Small Business International Success Program grant of $5,000 to assist small business owners in NC in developing export markets and exploring technology transfer opportunities
- A second BioNetwork grant of $250,000 to design, develop, implement, and disseminate Virtual Environments for training students and workers in NC’s biomanufacturing industry
- Nursing education grant of $2,000 to support disadvantaged nursing students (students with disabilities and/or those at risk financially or academically) with counseling and other assistance.
From the John Rex Endowment
- Community Care of Wake and Johnston Counties partnership grant of $163,320 over three years. Wake Tech will provide the workforce development component of the project, recruiting and supporting bilingual students in medical and nursing assistant programs, assisting them with job placement upon graduation, and providing ESL classes for students and families.
From the US Department of Labor
- “Youth Build” partnership grant with Capital Area Workforce Development of $430,503 over three years to provide GED preparation and training in Construction Basics skills for college credits.
From the Bank of America Foundation
- Scholarship grants totaling $2,500, awarded to the Wake Tech Foundation to allow GED and Adult High School graduates to pursue diploma, certificate, and degree programs to increase career options and earning potential.
From the NC Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission
- A grant of $75,000 over three years to make all Wake Tech campuses tobacco-free and to improve the health and safety of students, staff, and visitors through a program of education, prevention, cessation support, and policy reform.
Read More About This:CarolinaNewsWire
ARA) – You’re ready for a new career, or to take your current one to the next level. You’ve heard that online learning can be a convenient way for busy working adults to earn a degree. But an overload of TV commercials, Internet ads and junk mail has your head spinning, and you’re not sure how to choose the online program that’s right for you.
Online learning – completing coursework and degree requirements through Web-based lessons and seminars — has gone mainstream. Nearly 3.5 million students were enrolled in an online program during the fall 2006 term according to the 2007 Sloan Survey of Online Learning. Diploma mills, unfortunately, are also prevalent, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars each year by scamming consumers looking to advance their careers.
So how do you tap the convenience and flexibility of online learning while avoiding the pitfalls of diploma mills or a legitimate degree that still doesn’t impress employers? Most important, how do you choose the online program that’s right for you?
Adrian Marrullier of University Alliance Online, an organization that partners with leading brick-and-mortar schools such as Villanova University, Tulane University, and Florida Tech, offers the following tips:
1. Choose an accredited institution. The most widely recognized form of university accreditation in the United States comes from regional accreditation boards. Regionally accredited institutions recognize credits and degrees earned from other regionally accredited programs.
“If the online school you are considering is not accredited, beware,” Marrullier says. “Regional accreditation is best, and ensures that a school is offering a uniform and academically sound educational program.”
Other advantages to accredited schools include:
* Credits earned at unaccredited institutions usually are not transferable to accredited ones.
* Attending an accredited online school can also qualify you for financial aid from a number of sources, including employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement programs.
2. Consider an online program offered by a brick-and-mortar establishment. “Recognized, respected, traditional institutions are quickly expanding their online offerings,” Marrullier says. “It is now possible to obtain undergraduate and graduate degrees in virtually any field from a long list of top-name universities.”
Each year, more schools hop on the information superhighway. For example, the Florida Institute of Technology recently expanded its successful online program to 15 undergraduate and graduate degrees available 100 percent online. Courses include online chat rooms, professor-led streaming video, message boards, e-mail and MP3 downloadable lectures.
Cathy Nanovic, who earned her certification in project management from Villanova through the university’s online program, can vouch for the value of a big name school on your diploma or certificate. “The Villanova certificate program I listed on my resume generated so much attention that I had to make a spreadsheet to keep track of all the offers,” she says. “I accepted a role on an exciting and highly visible project with Penske Corp. I even had other companies offer more money if I would change my mind.”
3. Once you’ve narrowed your search to one or two schools, examine the specific program you’re interested in. Consider:
* Does the program offer the flexibility you need? James Wong, who earned a Master’s degree entirely online, travels extensively for his job. “I needed a course of instruction that was flexible enough to accommodate my absences from the U.S.,” he says. “Florida Tech’s online course was ideal since I could do the work while away or on the airplane, and they even flew my books to me when I was abroad for extended times.”
* Will you receive the support you need to achieve success? Make sure your chosen program offers knowledgeable and dedicated enrollment representatives who will assist you with everything from financial aid to class scheduling. “My enrollment rep handled a number of issues for me as I was going through my program,” says Donna Bryan, a high school English teacher who is two courses away from completing an online Master’s degree with The University of Scranton. “As a result, I’ve had a great experience taking classes online.”
* Is the online program and the degree you will earn from it the same as what you would experience and earn if you physically attended classes at the institution? Will the word “online” appear anywhere on your diploma? To provide the maximum career benefit, your online degree should be no different than ones awarded to attending students.
To learn more about online degrees from leading accredited universities, visit www.UniversityAlliance.com. Online learners can earn associate, bachelors or graduate degrees from institutions such as Florida Tech, The University of Scranton and Jacksonville University and certification programs from Villanova University, University of Notre Dame, Tulane University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Raleigh, NC – Communities In Schools of North Carolina (CISNC) has announced the addition of two business leaders to its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors for Communities In Schools North Carolina provides direction in planning and policy decisions, oversees financial development, and monitors implementation of goals and objectives of the non-profit to help ensure best practices and results. Board members also serve as advocates and spokespersons for Communities In Schools North Carolina to the community at large.
The two new members of the CISNC Board of Directors are:
Tina N. Wilson, Manager, Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs, IBM, a multinational computer technology and consulting corporation. Ms. Wilson is focused on working with government, educators and schools to utilize IBM’s innovative technology and resources to support the most effective education efforts in North Carolina. Her background includes serving as the Press Secretary for the Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, Director of Media Relations for the 1999 Special Olympics World Summer Games and ten years in television news as a reporter and producer including six years at WTVD here in the Triangle.
Louis Patalano IV, Director, Special Investigations, & Associate Counsel, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information. Prior to coming to BCBSNC, Patalano worked for the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office as an assistant attorney general in the Medicaid Investigations Unit. Patalano is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, as well as the bars for the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States District Courts in the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of North Carolina. Patalano is currently the President of the North Carolina Society of Healthcare Attorneys. His other memberships include the Tenth Judicial District Bar Association and the American Health Lawyers Association.
“Both Tina and Louis bring a wealth of experience, insight, and knowledge to Communities In Schools of North Carolina,” said Linda Harrill, president and chief executive officer of CISNC. “Our organization continues to be strengthened by having these business leaders join our board of directors. Their commitment of time and resources to CISNC illustrates the fact that businesses across our state realize that helping our students succeed in the classroom and stay in school is vital to the economic future in North Carolina.”
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
Raleigh, N.C. — The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education is receiving a $25,000 grant from the AT&T Foundation to improve use of technology in educating North Carolina youth. The grant, part of the AT&T Excelerator program, will fund technology enhancement, reinforcement and expansion the Poe Center’s programs and evaluation methods.The project will improve the Poe Center’s website to give students, teachers and parents better access to health education curriculum and resources. It will also provide for an online evaluation system. By expanding its website, the Poe Center will expand its reach to all of North Carolina and beyond.
“Technology is a vital component to the success of non-profit organizations, which often have energy and vision but need some financial assistance to accomplish their objectives,” said Howard Lee, chairman of the State School Board and a Poe center board member. “This grant will enable the Center to significantly expand its technological capabilities and extend its health education efforts into all 100 North Carolina counties. Children across this state will enjoy healthier lives and have better prospects for the future as a result of the technology this grant will put in place. This clearly demonstrates the increased need to properly fund and equip nonprofit organizations.”
Since 2002, the AT&T Excelerator program has provided more than 2,500 technology grants — totaling more than $47.8 million — to organizations across the country. By helping nonprofits integrate technology into their operations and community outreach, AT&T Excelerator grants also place technology tools in the hands of the underserved populations that the nonprofits work with in order to provide resources such as education programs, Internet access, computer training and job-skills development.
“For the past six years, the AT&T Excelerator program has demonstrated the importance of how technology can benefit communities and organizations,” said John McKinney, AT&T regional director of External Affairs. “We are pleased the Poe Center will use technology funded by this program to empower and educate the community, helping to change the lives of young people on a day-to-day basis.”
About The Alice Aycock Poe Center
The Alice Aycock Poe Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive programs and resources in healthy lifestyle education for all youth in North Carolina. Since opening in Raleigh in 1991, the Poe Center has educated over 675,000 participants from 73 counties using state-of-the-art teaching, exhibits, learning theaters and outreach programs By engaging in fun, highly interactive lessons, school-age youth receive age-appropriate information on a variety of health topics, including nutrition, dental health, general health, family life and drug education. For more information, or to schedule a visit to the Poe Center, visit www.poehealth.org or call (919) 231-4006
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH, N.C. - Wake Tech’s new Public Safety Training Center opened to serve the growing needs of area law enforcement and other public service agencies. The Center, at 321 Chapanoke Road in Raleigh, will train law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and emergency medical service providers. It is the first centralized facility for training of this kind in Wake County.
“Safety is paramount,” said President Scott, “a concern for every individual, every family, and the whole community. Our Public Safety Training Center will train and prepare the safety professionals we depend on and will need even more as our region keeps growing.”
Wake Tech currently provides in-service training to more than 4,500 law enforcement and fire safety personnel each year. Enrollment in law enforcement classes alone has more than doubled in just the past five years - from 7,100 to 14,400. (These figures include personnel who return to Wake Tech for repeat training in a variety of areas.) Until now that training, for local police departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the State Highway Patrol, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the N.C. Department of Corrections, has taken place at 16 locations around Wake County.
The training of fire and rescue personnel is also on the rise. Enrollment in these classes has grown 33 percent over the past five years - from 8,600 to 11,500. Due to the nature of the training, much of it will continue to be offered on site at fire department facilities across the county.
Right now, the Public Safety Training Center occupies just 18,520 square feet of the Chapanoke Road facility’s total 100,666 square feet. Wake Tech purchased the building and completed Phase I renovations - offices, classrooms, and a weight training facility - with approximately $5 million in funds from the 2004 county bond referendum.
Design on Phase II renovations will begin next year, with completion planned for 2010. Wake Tech plans to make the Center a model regional training facility with the addition of a mock courtroom and jail, a booking center, and additional classrooms for forensics and other instruction. Emergency Medical Training will be added as well. Nearly $14 million in bond funds, approved in October of this year, will support these renovations.
“Our officers and instructors have waited a long time for a facility like this,” said Anthony Caison, Wake Tech’s Dean of Public Safety Training. “It will offer the latest technologies and high quality training they need - all under one roof.”
The Public Safety Training Center will begin with courses offerings such as Crime Scene Investigation, DWI Detection, and Field Training Officer instruction.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
RALEIGH, N.C. - Pending final approval from the State Construction Office, Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Technical Community College, announced that Wake Tech’s new Public Safety Training Center is set for its planned January 2008 opening. The Center, at 321 Chapanoke Road in Raleigh, will train law enforcement officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and emergency medical service providers. It will be the first centralized center for training of this kind in Wake County.
“Safety is paramount,” said President Scott, “a concern for every individual, every family, and the whole community. Our Public Safety Training Center will train and prepare the safety professionals we depend on and will continue to need as our county grows.”
Wake Tech currently provides in-service training at 16 locations for area law enforcement agencies, including local police departments, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the N.C. Department of Corrections. Enrollment in these classes has more than doubled in just the past five years - from 7,100 to 14,400. Wake Tech also provides on-site training for firefighters at fire departments throughout Wake County.
The Public Safety Training Center will initially occupy just 18,520 square feet of the facility’s total 100,666 square feet of space. Wake Tech purchased the building and completed Phase I renovations - offices, classrooms, and a weight training facility - with approximately $5 million in funds from the 2004 county bond referendum.
Design on Phase II renovations will begin next year, with completion planned for 2010. Wake Tech plans to make the Center a model regional training facility with the addition of a mock courtroom and jail, a booking center, and additional classrooms for forensics and other instruction. Emergency Medical Training will be added as well. Nearly $14 million in bond funds, approved in October of this year, will support these renovations.
“Our officers and instructors have waited a long time for a facility like this,” said Anthony Caison, Wake Tech’s Dean of Public Safety Training. “It will offer the latest technologies and high quality training they need - all under one roof.”
The Public Safety Training Center will begin with courses offerings such as Crime Scene Investigation, DWI Detection, and Field Training Officer instruction.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
