Industry Relations and Graduate Placement

Promoting Your Own Personal Brand

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:28:00 +0000

In today's job market, we all need to stand out and remind our prospective interviewer why we're the candidate they want to hire. Jeffrey Metzger, with Your Resume Consultant has built a case for why personal branding can help lead to landing the right job. Please click on the link below to read more of Jeffrey's article and learn why your personal brand can be your best message.

Personal Branding - What's All the Fuss About

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Get Ready for the October 11 Job-Career-Internship Fair at the Port Charlotte Campus

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 15:34:00 +0000

The next Job-Career-Internship Fair at the Port Charlotte Campus is on track to be our biggest and best yet. Right now, we have 40+ employers participating, including:

· A Whole Other Level Coaching

· AFLAC

· Alternative Homemaking with a Heart of SW Florida

· Aspen Square Management

· Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast

· Candidate for Clerk of the Court Charlotte County

· Charlotte Correctional Institution

· Contingency Telecom Auditing

· Donna’s Door & Window Company

· Edward Jones Investment

· Elly May’s Critter Sitters

· Englewood Incubation Center

· Fastenal Company

· Fifth Third Bank

· Good Shepherd Day School

· Goodwill of SWFL

· Hanson Services

· Home Depot – North Port, Englewood, Venice Stores

· Home Depot – Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda Stores

· Jabin Niles State Farm Agency

· Jewels by Park Lane Company

· La Quinta Inn & Suites

· Lowe’s Home Center

· Mary G. Stewart, CPA

· Mary Kay

· Massey Services

· Matrix Home Care

· Miche

· Modular Document Solutions

· MXI

· News-Press (A Gannett Company)

· Pampered Chef

· PNC Bank

· Send Out Cards – The Savvy Shopper

· Southwest Florida Works

· Sun Coast Trucking Academy

· Team Port Charlotte

· Tidewell

· Tidewell Hospice

· Unity Gain Recording Studio

· Waffle House

· Wells Fargo

Please check out the pictures from our April Job Fair below where our students and graduates were interacting with participating employers. Make sure you mark your calendar for the October 11, 2012 Job-Career-Internship Fair and make your connection for a job opportunity now!

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Workforce Seminars Well Attended at Each Campus

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Industry Relations & Graduate Placement (IRGP) recently hosted a series of marketing and sales presentations at their Ft. Myers, Port Charlotte and Tampa campuses for 46 local employers and members of PEP (Preferred Employer Program), a program unique to Southwest Florida College.

Norman Stern, a professor at Florida Gulf Coast University--Lutgert College of Business, and CEO of World Trade Resources, provided a good overview of marketing tips and considerations.

Betsy Allen, Executive Coach and President of Gaining Results, Inc., engaged the audience while discussing the importance of Sales 101.

Each campus provided breakfast and lunch to the attendees, creating an atmosphere that proved to be comfortable, educational and informative.

aprofessor at Florida Gulf Coast

Opening “Night” and the PC Players Rock the House

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:01:00 +0000

To help introduce the value and benefits of moving from an AS to BS Degree, the PC Players presented “The Interview”. Under the direction of Moderator Dora Kunz, Director of Education, Bonita Steele, Criminal Justice/General Education Program Manager played the Interviewer. Mrs. Steele opened the skit by interviewing three potential job candidates, played by Sue Miller, Graduate Placement Coordinator, Kellie Anderson, Assistant Director of Tuition Assistance Planning and Keri Hetzel, Director of Admissions. After a brief interview with the inappropriately dressed, but always perky Applicant 1, Mrs. Steele interviewed the somewhat qualified Applicant 2 with the associate’s degree and then the most qualified and appropriately dressed Applicant 3 who had a bachelor’s degree from SWFC. After a brief discussion with the “CEO” played by Ken Reynolds, Campus Director, the job was offered to Applicant 3, our SWFC Bachelor’s Degree graduate and “The Interview” came to close.

Moving onward with an assist from Cheryl Vanande, Graduate Placement Coordinator, as the PowerPoint Operator, Steve Tirey, Director of Industry Relations and Graduate Placement, presented an overview of the values and benefits gained over a lifetime from continuing your education. The PC Campus of SWFC is now offering bachelor degrees in Health Care Administration (HCA) and Public Service Administration (PSA). Citing a few studies, Mr. Tirey noted “education pays”. He added that with an advanced degree, graduates can be much more mobile in their job search and go where the good jobs are.

Following Mr. Tirey’s presentation, Mrs. Steele provided an overview of the programs and career options and opportunities for graduates with a PSA while Kelly Duncan, Healthcare Program Manager, presented a similar overview concentrating on the HCA program. Rounding out the program, Denise Mathey, Director of the Online Campus, gave a brief presentation highlighting the convenience and benefits of using online learning to complete your education.

Interspersed throughout the event, Mrs. Kunz helped keep the program lively by conducting periodic raffles and awarding prizes to the students in attendance. At the conclusion of a great event, Arleen Stoebenau, Administrative Assistant, had pizza and refreshments delivered to the room. The nine students who attended mingled afterwards with faculty and staff and talked about how to begin exploring the next steps to advance their educational and career goals. As of today, three of those attending are already making plans to pursue their bachelor’s degrees in both the HCA and PSA programs at SWFC.

SWFC Hosts Marketing & Sales Seminars for Employers on Three Campuses

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:01:00 +0000

Southwest Florida College is bringing together two of the best and brightest minds in the area of fundamental marketing and sales for business to address employers in Hillsborough, Lee and Charlotte Counties.

The Business Seminar Series Double Header will focus on putting fundamental concepts for sound marketing and sales methods to work for area businesses. The two segment seminar learning event will offer a lively presentation from two area coach-instructors in a “morning through working lunch interactive format” for regional employers and business professionals. The concepts of fundamental marketing and sales, as well as practical applications will be discussed. Tips on how to develop a marketing strategy, a sales strategy, hiring and managing sales professionals will be included in the discussion. Open discussion and questions will be encouraged as part of the program. The program is for area business and organization leaders, employers and members of the workforce who have responsibilities marketing and selling their organization.

The Tampa Events are slated for Tuesday, August 14^th at 9:00 AM for Marketing 101 and 11:30 AM for Sales Success 101. The Southwest Florida College Campus is located at 3910 Riga Boulevard, Tampa.

The Port Charlotte Events are slated for Wednesday, August 15^th at 9:00 AM for Marketing 101 and 11:30 AM for Sales Success 101. The Port Charlotte Campus is located at 950 Tamiami Trail in Port Charlotte.

The Fort Myers Events are slated for Thursday, August 16^th at 9:00 AM for Marketing 101 and 11:30 AM for Sales Success 101. The Fort Myers Campus of the college is at 1685 Medical Lane in Fort Myers.

Cost to attend is $40 for each segment or $80 to attend both segments and includes refreshments. Reservations can be made by visiting the College Web Site at http://www.swfc.edu/graduateplacement/register.php. A specially priced offer is available on the web site for on-line reservations.

Seminar Presenter for Marketing 101 is Norman S. Stern currently serving as Adjunct Instructor, Florida Gulf Coast University, Lutgert College of Business. Stern teaches a variety of courses in the area of marketing and consumer behavior, logistics and distribution, professional selling, sales force management and business management with focuses on small business and retail.

He has served as Instructor for New Product Development at Parson’s School of Design, New York City. Stern’s business career spans five decades. He is currently President of World Trade Resources, representing industrial textile companies for export products and market consulting for a variety of clients. Previous business includes assignments with J.P Stevens, Acme Quilting, Fieldcrest-Cannon, Revlon, Avon, and Ogilvy & Mather Advertising.

Stern is a US Air Force Veteran, holds both MBA and Bachelor of Science degrees from Columbia University and is currently pursuing Post Graduate study in Marketing at the FGCU Lutgert College of Business.

Instructor for the Sales 101 Seminar is Betsy Allen, CEO, MBA, CSP, MOK at Gaining Results Inc.

As a certified Gazelles International Executive Coach and CEO of Gaining Results, Inc. (GRI), Betsy helps organizations scale and sustain: Results, Respect & Revenue. Through "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits™," she helps executives adopt the wealthiest business leader’s practices to enjoy top line growth of 20%+ four years in a row. A Harvard MBA graduate, she has secured, designed, budgeted, planned and executed strategic learning and development projects for key Fortune 500 clients.

Most recently, she presented to a National Conference with Covidien NV, a client which went from $100M to $200M in sales since engaging her company. For 15 years, she repeatedly influenced clients (from Senior VP of Sales to CEO’s) to invest over $1 million a year in learning and development annually. As an entrepreneur, Betsy has created, run and successfully sold businesses, taking one product from serving 4 to 42 clients.

Betsy Allen recently published her fourth book, Got Results, Respect, Revenue? Innovative Strategies from 60+ Succeeding Leaders. The book illustrates that those leaders who thrive on adversity are wired differently and are more developed thinkers who make decisions and solve problems with panache. Please visit Betsy's website at http://www.gainingresults.com/ to learn more about her organization.

Southwest Florida College is hosting the event as part of its efforts to listen to employer needs in campus markets. The college is teaming with various media and business partners in each campus market.

Port Charlotte Campus Hosts a Successful PEP (Preferred Employer Program Luncheon

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 19:18:00 +0000

The IRGP Team in Port Charlotte hosted a successful PEP Luncheon attended by 25 local employers on the Port Charlotte Campus July 25. We are happy to announce that after the meeting, 7 attendees decided to become PEP Founding Members.

“Thank You to Southwest Florida College for hosting July 2012's Networking @ Noon!

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 18:51:00 +0000

The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce(GBCC) Networking at Noon event held on the SWFC Tampa campus July 17^th, 2012 was a wonderful success! The Tampa SWFC campus was visited by over 50 employers, many of whom had never been to the college. Chamber members enjoyed catered food from co-sponsor Cheddars of Brandon. Our goal is to establish partnerships that will lead to avenues for our graduates. As a result, we received several open positions from employers just this morning. We anticipate more to come!

The GBCC shared on their Facebook yesterday, “Thank You to Southwest Florida College for hosting July 2012's Networking @ Noon! Networking @ Noons are open to all Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce members, and their guests to attend. Members and guests have the opportunity to network, discuss their business with others and generate new business leads.”

Please visit Brandon Chamber Event at SWFC for pictures of this event.

Southwest Florida College Tampa Hosts Networking at Noon with Brandon Chamber

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 20:17:00 +0000

Southwest Florida College and The Greater Brandon Chamber are working together with Cheddar’s Restaurant to provide the Tuesday, July 17^th Networking at Noon event on the Tampa Campus, 3910 Riga Blvd., Tampa, FL 33619. The event will be held from 12 noon to 1:30 PM.

According to Dr. Maryruth W. Hicks, Campus Director/Director of Education at the college, “We are thrilled at the prospect of having our business friends from the surrounding Brandon marketplace visiting our Tampa Campus. We are interested in growing the awareness of our institution and our vital role in providing area employers with well-educated, motivated and ready to work graduates to power business growth and success. I am personally reaching out through events like this to engage and embrace the regional employer community. I can’t think of a better way to accomplish the building of our business network than working The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce!”

College officials will be promoting a new program that fosters employer relationships as well as new degrees being provided at the growing Tampa campus.

John Sullivan, Manager for the Co-Hosting Sponsor stated today, “At Cheddar’s, our goal is to live up to our original, simple idea: be a great restaurant that serves quality food fresh from the kitchen in a friendly, comfortable atmosphere at a fair price. We’re especially proud of our hand-battered entrees and specialty appetizers that are still made in-house from scratch. With so many delicious options to choose from, we hope you find several favorites.”

For Registration visit The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Web Site: http://www.brandonchamber.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=Chamber_Events&category=Main

Southwest Florida College is hosting the event as part of its efforts to listen to employers needs in campus markets. The college has teamed with The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce to broaden the reach and impact for this event.

Congratulations to the June Winner of the IRGP Placement Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Congratulations to Cindy Wells, our June 2012 Winner of the IRGP Placement Contest. Cindy submitted the name of a SWFC Graduate who was working at one of our local organizations. By helping the IRGP Staff learn about the employment, Cindy qualified as a contestant and won the $25 gift card to Walmart. Thanks, Cindy, for all your help!

Six Tips for a Picture-Perfect Resume

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 20:45:00 +0000

Here's a link to a video that talks about how to improve your resume. We hope you find it informative, interesting and useful in your job search.

6 Tips for a Picture-Perfect Resume

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Congratulations to the IRGP Contest Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:55:00 +0000

Congratulations to Caroline Mattingly, the first winner of the IRGP Contest asking students and graduates to let IRGP staff know about the work status of some of our graduates. For every qualified graduate name submitted, contestants were entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card.

Caroline submitted the work information for four graduates on the list of people IRGP needs to track down, allowing her to increase her chances of winning.

Due to the great success of the first contest, IRGP will be running it again in June. Please contact Cheryl Vanande at cvanande@swfc.edu or 941-391-8888 to see which people we are still looking for. If you know where any of them are working, you may be eligible to win the next $25 gift card yourself.

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Network with Employment Recruiters at the next SWFC Job Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Tue, 22 May 2012 17:49:00 +0000

Mark your calendar for the next SWFC Job Fair where you can connect with employment recruiters on June 6 and 7, from 1 pm - 7 pm at the Fort Myers Campus, 1685 Medical Lane.

Join us for this exciting opportunity to meet different employment recruiters, share your resume and apply for a new career.

What can you do to make this the best experience possible?

Set an appointment with the Graduate Placement Office before the event to have them review your resume
Plan on bringing 10 - 20 copies of your resume to the job fair
Plan your job fair outfit and dress "Business Professional"
Bring a notebook and pen to take notes
Create your follow-up plan

Got questions? Email Betsy Richards at erichards@swfc.edu or visit your Graduate Placement Office.

Steve Tirey Leads Off a Successful Business Week in Tampa

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:51:00 +0000

As part of the latest Industry Relations & Graduate Placement (IRGP) Program, Steve Tirey delivered his presentation "Be Needed Now" to an audience of 37 on April 23. With the goal in mind of raising graduate awareness regarding assimilation into the workforce, Steve stressed the importance of having an elevator speech ready to use, among other topics designed to help our students and graduates find employment in their chosen fields.

Other programs to be presented during Business Week will include "Networking & How to Succeed in the Workplace" by Robert Graves, Sabal Park Chamber of Commerce with the SWFC Intern Panel and "How to Land Your Dream Job" by Miss Kemp, SWFC Instructor.

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Port Charlotte Job Fair Attracts Numerous Employers

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Thirty-three local employers participated in the SWFC Spring Job Fair on April 20 and included such organizations as 357 Realty, Advanced Imaging of Port Charlotte, All Hearts Home Companion, Beall’s, Charlotte Community Foundation, Inc., Charlotte County Boys & Girls Club, Charlotte Stone Crabs – Ripken Baseball, Comfort Keepers, Dillard’s, Enterprise Holdings, Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Goodwill of SWFL, Granny Nannies, Henkels & McCoy Youth Connections, Home Depot, Infinity Home Care, Integrity Employee Leasing, Legal Shield, Lowe’s, Mary Kay, MGA Financial Services, Inc., Miche, Patrice Weston State Farm Insurance Agency, Regions Bank, Send Out cards.com, Southwest Florida Works, The Life Business, The Pampered Chef, Tidewell, Waffle House, Way Fit Nutrition, and Xocai. Leading the coordination, Sue Miller, Graduate Placement Coordinator, and the entire Industry Relations & Graduate Placement Team, provided another successful opportunity for SWFC students, graduates and members of the local community to meet, mingle and network together.

Other business leaders from the community, including Kris Bilodeau of SunTrust Mortgage, Dr. Mike Boccia, Stefan Butz of 357 Realty, Ed Davis of Ed Davis Small Business Counselor, Cecile Desrocher of Legal Shield, Louise Hall of the North Port Art Center, Kim Hansen of Calusa National Bank, Michelle Mashaw of Goodwill of SWFC, Scott McNamee of ADTC-Gulf Coast, Tyler Patak of Parker/Mudgett/Smith Architects and Loren Smith of Rescue Me Massage volunteered their time to provide informative presentations, resume reviews and interview skill coaching sessions to job fair attendees.

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Steve Tirey Appears on Morning Blend

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:14:00 +0000

Steve Tirey was a recent guest on Morning Blend. Steve shared information about the upcoming Job Fair on April 20 from 10:00 - 1:00 PM at Southwest Florida College's Port Charlotte Campus and the PEP (Preferred Employer Program) Initiative.

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Hear All About It...Social Media, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" at the Fort Myers Campus

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:35:00 +0000

Join some of our guest speakers and find out more about how social media can help your organization.

Ft. Myers Campus Gets Ready to Host its Workforce Seminar on Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:24:00 +0000

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COLLEGE & WINK
BRING SOCIAL MEDIA TRIO TOGETHER FOR EMPLOYERS

Fort Myers, Fla., (April 02, 2012) – Southwest Florida College and WINK are bringing
together three of the best and brightest minds in the area of social media and
communications applications for business to speak to employers. Social Media: The Good the Bad and the
Ugly will focus on putting social media to work for area businesses. The
April 11th luncheon and learning event will offer a lively
discussion around the new phenomenon of social media and why it matters to
business professionals. The concept of social media in the workplace, as well
as practical applications and unintended outcomes will be discussed. Tips on how to develop and manage a social
media policy will be included in the discussion. Open discussion and questions will be
encouraged as part of the program. The
program is for area business and organization leaders, employers and members of
the workforce. Cost to attend is $20 and includes lunch. Reservations can be made by email to jwilliams@swfc.edu or by calling Jaquie
Williams at 239-939-4766. The event runs from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and will be
held at the Southwest Florida College campus, 1685 Medical Lane in Fort Myers.

Michael VanDervort will keynote
the seminar.
Michael is a practicing HR professional with over 25 years of experience in
building strong workplace cultures, labor relations, and fostering strong
communications within organizations. Michael has held leadership positions in
several Fortune 500 companies, and is currently a corporate geek at Florida’s
largest employer. Michael is a hands-on
practitioner in social media, inside and outside the workplace. Michael writes and speaks about social media
and human resources to business groups across the United States. Michael holds a BA in Political Science from
the University of Michigan and an MLIR in Human Resources from Michigan State
University.

Local panelists include: Connie Ramos-Williams is the President of Conric Holdings, LLC,
which has two divisions, CONRIC PR & Marketing and CONRIC Publishing.
Connie is a well-known community public relations and marketing authority with
a variety of private, public and not-for-profit clients. In the last decade Ramos-Williams has focused
on publishing, editing,
advertising, marketing, public relations, and event planning. She is founder of SWFL Parent & Child
magazine and swflparentchild.com. Before launching her own business marketing
& consulting firm, Ramos-Williams was the Niche Advertising Manager at The
News-Press overseeing the advertising initiatives for Grandeur, Your
Health, Must Do, Gaceta Tropical, SWFL Parent & Child magazine
and Gulfcoastmoms.com.

Samantha
Scott
is owner of Pushing the Envelope, Inc., an award-winning, mixed marketing
communications firm offering comprehensive public relations services, marketing
and social media services. From Southwest Florida, the firm services clients
throughout the region and the U.S. Scott is the Former Education Chair and
current Co-Chair of Emerging Media for the Florida Public Relations Association
SWFL Chapter, Past President of the American Advertising Federation - Southwest
Florida chapter and a training triathlete.

Southwest
Florida College is hosting the event as part of its efforts to listen to
employers needs in campus markets. The college has teamed with WINK and The
Chamber of Southwest Florida to broaden the reach and impact for this event.

Port Charlotte Career/Job Fair on April 20

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:55:00 +0000

Are you planning to hire more employees? Would you like to participate in Southwest Florida College’s next Job Fair, scheduled for Friday, April 20, from 9:00 – 1:00 PM at our Port Charlotte Campus, 950 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte.

All vendors will have a FREE 6’ table, 2 chairs and a table
sign. For more information or to reserve your spot, please contact Sue Miller or Cheryl Vanande at 941-391-8888 or smiller@swfc.edu or cvanande@swfc.edu.

Successful Seminar on Social Media Held at Tampa Campus

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:12:00 +0000

Local business people get ready to listen to Michael VanDervort present Social Media: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly"

Port Charlotte Job Fair Preparations Progressing

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:10:00 +0000

The Port Charlotte Campus of Southwest Florida College, 950 Tamiami Trail, will be hosting a Career Fair on April 20 from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The Career Fair will showcase 30+ employers who are accepting resumes and job applications. Job related presentations will be given and resume reviews and interview skill coaching sessions will also be available.

Attendees are encouraged to bring copies of their resumes and dress professionally. For more information, please contact Sue Miller at 941-391-8888 or smiller@swfc.edu.

Employers include: 357 Realty, All Hearts Home Companion, BB&T Bank, Beall’s, Burnett 1-800 Painting, Business Measurement, Inc., Charlotte Bridal Boutique & Formal Wear, Inc., Charlotte County Boys & Girls Club, Charlotte Stone Crabs – Ripken Baseball, Comfort Keepers, Dillard’s, Enterprise Holdings, Exit Realty Welcome Home, Goodwill of SWFL, Granny Nannies, Henkels & McCoy Youth Connections, Home Depot, Infinity Home Care, Legal Shield, Mary Kay, MGA Financial Services, Inc., Miche, Pampered Chef, Parklane Jewelry, Patrice Weston State Farm Insurance Agency, Regions Bank, Send Out Cards.com, Southwest Florida Works, State Farm Insurance, Tidewell, Waffle House, WeTidyupUSA and Xocai.

Presentations spotlighting job searching issues are also scheduled and include Stress in Job-Seeking and Interviews by Dr. Mike Boccia, Enhanced Selections & Performance, from 10:00 – 10:30, Stability in Changing Times by Stefan Butz, 357 Realty, from 10:45 to 11:15 and Self-Employment as a Career Path by Ed Davis, Ed Davis Small Business Counselor, from 11:30 to 12:00.

Personalized resume reviews and interview skill coaching sessions will be available between 10:00 and 1:00 by members of the local community including Kris Bilodeau of SunTrust Mortgage, Cecile Desrocher of Legal Shield, Kim Hansen of Calusa National Bank, Michelle Mashaw of Goodwill of SWFL, Scott McNamee of ADTC-Gulf Coast, Tyler Patak of Parker/Mudgett/Smith Architects and Loren Smith of Rescue Me Massage.

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with lifetime placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus. For more information, call toll free 888‐279-2342 or visit www.swfc.edu.

Partnership with Southwest Florida Works

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:35:00 +0000

Using Southwest Florida Works in conjunction with Student Services

1. Attend orientation at Southwest Florida Works Center
4150 Ford Street Extension
Fort Myers, FL 33916
239.931.8200

NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY Monday through Friday @ 1:30pm in lobby
45 minute presentation on services available

What’s available at Southwest Florida Works:

· Financial Aid: Learn how to apply for money to assist you in attending a post- secondary institution like SWFC

· Certifications/Exams/Uniforms/Tools: Southwest Florida Works will financially assist students to pay for certifications/exams and occupational needs like uniforms or tools.

· Internship: Geared for students who are near graduation. 520 hours of training. Fully paid. Will grow skills needed to get hired

· Customized Training: Short term training (1 – 2 weeks). Employer has a skill that needs to be met and Southwest Florida Works will pay for training. If candidate SUCCESSFULLY completes training, then employer will hire.

· On The Job Training: Training up to six month and Southwest Florida Works pays up to 50% of salary.

· Bonded Program: If a student has a felonious record and finds employment that requires all employees get bonded, Southwest Florida Works will assist in getting student bondable. Also, Southwest Florida Works is partnering with employers who are taking a chance and hiring high risk employees.

· SNAP/EBT/Food Stamps: If a student receives food assistance and is actively job searching, they are eligible for $20 a month reimbursement for gas. Student will need to submit gas receipt to Southwest Florida Works office.

· Welfare Transition:
1. Cash Assistance
2. Relocation Assistance: If student finds employment outside the Lee County, they are eligible for relocation assistance (moving expense)
3. Up Front Diversion: If a student declines cash assistance but would like to get daily living needs (rent, electric, etc.) paid up to date, they could qualify for this program

Note: All programs require qualification process.

Social Media Kicks Off Seminars for Employers

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:06:00 +0000

SOCIAL MEDIA EMPLOYER SEMINARS PLANNED AT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA COLLEGE

Fort Myers, Fla., (March 14, 2012) – Southwest Florida College is bringing together some of the best and brightest minds in the area of social media and communications applications for business to speak to employers. Putting Social Media to Work for Your Business will offer a lively discussion around the new phenomenon of social media and why it matters to you as a business professional. The concept of social media in the workplace, as well as practical applications and unintended outcomes will be discussed. Tips on how to develop and manage a social media policy will be included in the discussion. Open discussion and questions will be encouraged as part of the program. The program is for area business and organization leaders, employers and members of the workforce.

Michael VanDervort will keynote the seminar that will be delivered on three campus locations on consecutive dates in March. He will be joined on each campus by a pair of panelists who also provide social media leadership for their companies. Michael is a practicing HR professional with over 25 years of experience in building strong workplace cultures, labor relations, and fostering strong communications within organizations. Michael has held leadership positions in several Fortune 500 companies, and is currently a corporate geek at Florida’s largest employer. Michael is a hands-on practitioner in social media, inside and outside the workplace. Michael writes and speaks about social media and human resources to business groups across the United States. Michael holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Michigan and an MLIR in Human Resources from Michigan State University.

Southwest Florida College is hosting the event as part of its efforts to listen to employers needs in campus markets. The college has teamed with chambers of commerce for the event. The partners are in Tampa, Sabal Park Chamber, in Port Charlotte, Port Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, in Fort Myers, The Chamber of Southwest Florida. Lunch is included for participants. Reservations are required to attend and the participation investment is $20. per person. Event locations and seminar dates include:

March 27, 11:30 - 1:30 PM, Tampa Campus, 3910 Riga Blvd. in Tampa

March 28, 11:30 -1:30 PM, Port Charlotte Campus, 950 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte

April 11, 11:30 - 1:30 PM, Fort Myers Campus, 1685 Medical Lane, Fort Myers

Port Charlotte Campus Hosting Job Fair on April 20

noreply@blogger.com (Susan S. Miller) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:59:00 +0000

The next Job Fair at Southwest Florida College's Port Charlotte Campus, 950 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte will be on Friday, April 20 from 9:00 - 1:00 PM. We are currently inviting organizations that are planning to hire employees to reserve their FREE TABLE now. Please contact Sue Miller at smiller@swfc.edu or 941-391-8888 to confirm your participation.

Tampa Job and Internship Fair: March 7 at Southwest Florida College

noreply@blogger.com (Southern Technical College) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Southwest Florida College is calling all area employers from the greater Tampa marketplace to participate in a spring Job and Internship Fair on Wednesday, March 7th from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM at the Southwest Florida College campus, 3910 Riga Blvd. in Tampa.

“Regional employers interested in motivated, well trained and ready to work students from Southwest Florida College can benefit from networking and interviewing students and graduates from Southwest Florida College,” said Stephen Tirey, Director of Industry Relations and Graduate Placement (IRGP) for Southwest Florida College.

Southwest Florida College graduates and students will meet regional employers between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM. US Military Veterans and members of the general public are invited to attend and network with employers from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

There is no cost for employers to participate but space is limited at the on-campus location. Network and interview with students and graduates from the following disciplines:

ALLIED HEALTH:
Healthcare Administration
Health Information Technology
Medical Assisting
Medical Billing & Coding
Surgical Technician

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS:
Network Engineering & Administration
Computer Programming & Database Management
Early Childhood Education
Business Management
Digital Design
Web Design & Development
Computer Animation/Multi-Media
Computer-Aided Drafting & Design
Criminal Justice

Jan McKenna, Tampa Industry Relations and Graduate Placement (IRGP) Director, is the contact person for this event. The IRGP department is the go-to resource for graduating students and building employer relationships in the Tampa Bay area. Contact her at the campus (813) 630-4401 or by email at jmckenna@swfc.edu.

Southwest Florida College is an accredited, private institution of higher learning that is listening to employers and providing its students with placement assistance in today’s most demanding career fields. The college is located in Fort Myers, Tampa, Port Charlotte and Bonita Springs. The Institute of Interior Design is also located within the Bonita Springs campus.

Since the College was founded in 1974, approximately 6,000 students have graduated with degrees, diplomas and certificates in career fields such as allied health, legal studies, education, business, design and information technology – all of which offer high growth potential. For more information on the event and directions please call (813) 630-4401, email jmckenna@swfc.edu or visit www.swfc.edu.

Fort Myers Police invites Southwest Florida College students to apply!

noreply@blogger.com (Southern Technical College) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:44:00 +0000

The City of Fort Myers Police Department is actively recruiting candidates to fill its sworn and civilian vacancies.

In a letter sent to us from the Support Services Bureau of the Fort Myers Police Department, Captain M. Duke Perry states "Southwest Florida College undoubtedly shares our goals of the importance of education and diversity in the workplace" and invited Southwest Florida College students, who may be interested and qualified in a career in law enforcement; whether in a sworn or civilian capacity, to apply.

Vacancies can be found on the City of Fort Myers website at www.cityftmyers.com.

Captain M. Duke Perry "looks forward to working with the students of Southwest Florida College in the future"

For the full letter, please click to expand the image below.