FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2007

CONTACT: Steve Dolan
(619) 594-5664
sdolan@mail.sdsu.edu

SAN DIEGO, Thursday, September 6, 2007 - Tourism is San Diego's third-largest industry, following the manufacturing and military industries. To meet the employment demands created by our local hospitality industry, San Diego State University's College of Extended Studies, a state-approved provider for the Federal Workforce Investment Act, has developed Professional Certificate programs in Hospitality, Casino Gaming, The Business of Wine, and Meeting and Event Planning that provide critical career training to those already working in these fields or for those who wish to enter the exciting hospitality arena.

Instructors in hospitality programs at SDSU's College of Extended Studies bring state-of-the-art expertise, knowledge, and skills to their classroom and online students. Most instructors are industry professionals who combine their expert knowledge with years of real-world experience to provide students with the best learning atmosphere possible. Classroom-based courses offered this fall include Understanding the Profit Picture, Restaurant Management and Operations, Exceptional Guest Service while online 24/7 instruction is available in HR's Role and the Services Strategy and Managing Performance and Development.

The Certificate curricula complement SDSU's four-year interdisciplinary degree, research institute, and continuing professional development in hospitality and tourism management, all of which utilize the expertise provided by SDSU's College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts.

The certificate program in The Business of Wine supports the growing number of employees working in the continuing wine industry boom in our state and nationally. Wine sales in the United States rose in 2006, the 13th straight year of increases.
California wine, which accounts for two out of every three bottles sold in the United States, had its sales increase 2 percent. This fall you can learn about wine business principles, total quality management in the wine industry, the history of wine, restaurant and retail wine market trends, pricing and operations, geographic locations, labeling, and wine making behind the scenes.

The Professional Certificate in Casino Gaming focuses on the development and enhancement of essential workforce knowledge, skills, and expertise in another thriving field in our region. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, California's casino gaming industry is a $7 billion annual business. The newspaper reported in November 2006 that San Diego County's casinos employed a total of 13,000 workers. Courses this fall include gaming operations, managing performance and development, introduction to Indian gaming, casino surveillance and security, human resources, and gaming regulations on sovereign soil.

This semester SDSU's Sycuan Institute on Tribal Gaming is offering the nation's first degree program in tribal gaming. The bachelor's degree focuses on research, policy studies, and education related to the area of tribal gaming management. The institute is geared to studying tribal gaming within the broader industry of hospitality and tourism management.

The College of Extended Studies in partnership with Meeting Professionals International (MPI) offers the Meeting and Event Planning certificate program designed to expand your knowledge and skills within this rapidly growing industry. If you want to explore a new career opportunity or become more astute in your abilities; if you're seeking help with planning a single meeting or event; or if you want to find out how to grow your career in the meeting industry; this program is for you.