ACTC 'Hit Parade": What students say about the ACTC classes:

“Just when I think all the excitement is gone... I get excited every time I come to class, WOW! This is a great feeling”

“The teacher is great:  informative and patient”


“Keep the classes coming. I have come a long way, but yet I have so much to learn.”


“My instructor is so great she encourages me to keep coming back.”


“This class (Absolutely Basics) helped me a lot to learn about computer basics.”


“I loved this class (Google Docs) ......... will use from now on......... excellent instructor.........”

“This class was very helpful and I know more that I can do with my computer.”

"I am amazed with Google Docs - it's like a whole new powerful world! Unbelievable efficiency, this is going to change the aspect of everything I do, both personally and professionally. Thank you!"

“Easy and right to the point on all sections of the program (Quick Books)”

“It was refreshing to go over some (Accounting) terms I once knew and have an even better perspective on because of this class. Thank you.”

“Very pleasant, makes you feel relaxed”

“...just glad to have this opportunity and learn something new.”

See what all the buzz is about. Sign up online for ACTC classes TODAY!

Job Fair 2010: Friday September 17, 2010

The 9th annual Working for the Fox Valley Job Fair 2010 will be held on Friday, September 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Waubonsee College Academic and Professional Building, Event Room, Sugar Grove, 60554. It is free and open to the public. There will be a shuttle bus from the Waubonsee Aurora Campus, 5 E Galena, 60506.
Suggestions: Bring plenty of resumes, dress professionally and be prepared to interview.
For a list of participating employers, directions and a workshop schedule, visit www.waubonsee.edu/careerservices or http://www.illinoisworknet.com/  . You can also call 630-466-2368 with any questions. List of employers: http://www.waubonsee.edu/downloads/pdf/career_services/1011jobfair_part_employers.pdf

New Look...Same GREAT Place!

The blog has a new look but still has all the information you are looking for from the ACTC!

Google Docs Rocks! Monday, August 30 9-11 and 11-1

Cloud Computing is the newest thing in technology. The ACTC will be offering 2 classes to introduce you to Google Docs, which is a form of information sharing using the Cloud concept. If you've always saved your Word files or Excel spreadsheets to your hard drive, and then sent them as an email attachment, you need to get your head into the cloud. With Google Docs, you can upload those files directly to a free Google account, and then share them with your co-workers or friends in REAL TIME, and do it with just a URL address. If you want to see what this can do for you, come to the ACTC on Monday, August 30 from 9-11 or 11-1 and see what else you can do with Office documents.
PS: to try out Google Docs before the class, just use the ACTC Online Registration form. Or fill out a Post-Class Assessment form. Yes, those are Google Docs!
Register for either class online. This is not a hands-on class (we'll have those available later) but you will see the power of using this new technology.

September Class Schedule

The September class schedule has been corrected (some of the dates and classes were wrong) so please check again before doing an online registration that the classes you want are still available.

Adelante Con Educación (A.C.E.)

Waubonsee launched a community outreach program, Adelante Con Educación (A.C.E.), to reach out to its district’s growing Latino population on March 24, 2010. This program is a part of Waubonsee’s Brighter Futures Initiative, and it aims to improve Latino student success in higher education. The A.C.E. program encourages, nurtures, and provides resources with the intent of promoting educational achievement.

The primary goal of the A.C.E. outreach program is to provide underserved community members with information about educational opportunities. The program is coordinated by the Office of Governmental and Multicultural Affairs.
Mission
A.C.E. helps parents and their children navigate the education system to provide them with the tools they need to achieve academic success and personal growth.
The following principles provide the foundation of A.C.E.

• Is a community-based effort to improve Latino/a success in higher education
• Aligns and leverages existing Waubonsee Community College programs
• Collaborates with community members and organizations to create a network of informed individuals
• Strengthens Waubonsee Community College’s existing efforts
• Serves as Waubonsee Community College’s outreach to the Latino/a community

Contact Information:

•   Coordinator Director: Lourdes Blacksmith 
•   Automated Spanish Telephone Line 630-466-6810
•   Email address inscripcion@waubonsee.edu

Meetings:

Monthly 6-7:30 p.m.:    ACTC, 501 College Avenue, Aurora, Il 60505 
Next meeting: Monday, Aug 24, 6-7:30 PM, ACTC Suite 100

 Members meet in the evening on a monthly basis to hear educational and informational presentations and to:

• Get to know each other in depth and begin to build trust amongst members to become each other's valuable resources
• Share their learning concerns and receive feedback from other members
• Are encouraged to infuse energy and enthusiasm with other members
• Have time to reflect on personal ongoing achievements

A.C.E. membership is composed of:

• Parents and children who are interested in education
• People who want to gain knowledge and new experiences in an environment of mutual support and friendship
• People who are willing to provide support to others with mutual interests
• People who want to discover new directions to impact their personal and educational growth

New WCC PLANO Campus Information

The new Waubonsee Community College Plano Campus, 100 Waubonsee Drive, Plano IL (off Rte 34) and serving the northeast section of our district will  be starting classes in January, 2011. Here are the highlights:

• Full AA/AS credit degrees available from this site
• Will include credit classes as well as Adult Education (GED and ESL) Community Education and Workforce Development programming
• All classes media equipped with state of the art equipment
• General classrooms, 2 science labs, 2 computer labs, a CNA lab and a conference room
• Full connectivity  to Sugar Grove campus
• Wireless access throughout the building
• Nine acre campus with an outdoor patio overlooking Lake Plano
• Kiosk in library connected to Sugar Grove Campus librarians for assistance with reference
• Opening Schedule:
• November 1: Open to community for all registration services
• November 12, 2010: Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening, 2-4 PM
• November 13, 2010: Community Open House: All invited
• January 3, 2011: Registrations open after winter break
• January 18, 2011: First day of classes for spring semester
FYI: The new Aurora Campus Building (downtown Aurora, west of the current campus) currently under construction will open in the fall of 2011. Until then, classes will continue at the 5 E Galena Blvd. location. 

Judith's Corner: Cloud Computing: The Newest 'Kid' on the Block

A lot of students realize that understanding technology and the tech tools, such as Office 2007, the Internet or Email, are essential for getting prepared for a new job. I often get asked about what else is beyond Office. Well, the answer is in the clouds, or more specifically, a new direction in computing called 'Cloud Computing'. That was the topic of the last T3 Group, and is definitely something you should know.

Cloud computing takes Office programs and 'kicks them up a notch' by making them shareable from the Web, in real time. So if you are creating an Excel document from your office in Aurora, but want your co-worker in St. Charles to be able to see and EDIT that document at the same time you are writing it, clouds can make that happen. We use Google Docs here in the ACTC to share information between students and instructors with my office at Waubonsee. Do you know that when you register online, I can immediately see your registration, and more importantly, can access it from Sugar Grove or the Aurora Campus, or the ACTC, or even from my iPhone as soon as you hit Submit? 
 If the class instructors are at the ACTC, I can add your name to the class roster from my office and they will see it immediately. They can even ask me a text question if we are online at the same time. Almost any document can be uploaded to Google Docs and shared.  And if you know Office already, Google Docs will be an easy transition for you.

So the ACTC will be moving forward with some classes geared towards cloud computing so that you can be up to date with the newest trends in technology. There's a two part Google Docs class on Monday, August 30 from 9-11 and 11-1 which will also highlight other Cloud tools such as the MS Office SkyDrive. I'll be teaching that class, and some of the ACTC instructors may pop in too. That class is filling up, so if you are interested, jump on the cloud and register online soon.  There are two classes, 9-11 and 11-1.
See you there!

Judith

September Classes

Some of the September class schedule is now online.  There may be some additional classes offered. If you don't see a convenient time for taking the class you want, check back later to see if the class you want has been added. However, you can now use the online registration form for registering for September classes.

News to Note

There's a new small business hiring tax credit. Small businesses with 50 or fewer employees are eligible for a $2,500 tax credit for each new full-time employee hired between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011.  Eligible businesses can apply online at JobsTaxCredit.illinois.gov 

While you may not be the employer, you should be aware that employers do have tax credit available to them if you are hired full-time.

Online Registration Form Timesaver

When filling out the online registration form, it is only necessary to put in your complete data information once. On subsequent class registrations, you only need to fill in your name and phone number, and then the classes you want. That should save you some time!