FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2007

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

SAN DIEGO, Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - In today's fast-paced world, professional certificate programs can be an effective educational option if you are training for a new career, or looking to advance in your current job.

Certificates are recognized by most employers as significant, practically-focused, professional accomplishments which can be completed in a relatively short period of time and can help you rapidly develop the knowledge and skills to earn that promotion or get that new job.

San Diego State University's College of Extended Studies (CES) offers more than 35 certificate programs face-to-face and/or online, 24/7.

San Diego Workforce Partnership and SDSU's College of Extended Studies offer online and face-to-face workforce development courses designed to help you find a job or train for a new career. Professional Certificate Programs that have been approved through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) include Casino Gaming, Construction Inspection, Contract Management, Hospitality, Human Resource Management, Lean Enterprise, Meeting and Event Planning, Personal Fitness Trainer, and Project Management. Professional skill courses for the workforce include A-Z Grant Writing, amTEFL, Dental Assistant, EKG Technician, How to Start and Manage a Small Business, How to Supervise, Medical Billing and Coding, Medical Specialist, Medical Transcription, Pharmacy Technician, Speed Spanish, and Technical Writing.

The Professional Certificate in Casino Gaming is one program that can be either taken on location at SDSU, or completed totally online. The online version is the first of its kind offered by an accredited university. In this program, you will obtain a strong basic background in Indian gaming history, regulations, gaming law, supervision, customer service, and leadership. As with all of the certificates offered by the College, courses are taught by industry experts who bring up-to-the-minute and practical real-world experience to the classroom.

The amTEFL (Americans teaching English as a foreign language) program - one of the WIA approved courses - is offered through the American Language Institute (ALI), a division of the College of Extended Studies. The amTEFL program is a 120-hour certification program specifically designed for native English speakers who hold a bachelor's degree and would like to learn to teach English as a second language to be able to teach and live abroad. Graduates of the program now teach or have taught English in 34 countries.

The Professional Certificate in Contract Management, offered in cooperation with the San Diego Chapter of the National Contract Management Association, provides information on specific facets of contracting including: legalities, regulations, policies and procedures, clauses, pricing, and socioeconomic factors. You will learn skills that you can put to use immediately, including how to manage the complexities of government and international contracts, negotiation techniques, and the latest tools used in today's contracting and procurement processes.

For those interested in learning how to improve business processes, the College offers the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification. This program teaches you how to enable your company or organization to achieve the fastest rate of improvement in customer satisfaction, quality, process speed, and invested capital in both manufacturing and transactional business processes. Lean Six Sigma combines the speed and agility of Lean with the statistical predictability of Six Sigma to create solutions for better business practices and dramatic bottom line improvements.

SDSU's College of Extended Studies also offers many other certificate programs as well as academic degree programs, customized professional development workshops, lifelong learning classes and seminars, English for non-native English speakers, and many other face-to-face and online learning opportunities. Career advancement courses are offered in many areas of management, leadership, and quality improvement while self-enrichment courses range from astronomy to web design. For more information on the cutting-edge opportunities offered in career training, or other programs, visit the College's web site at www.NeverStopLearning.net.