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    &educationcareers

    A P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E S U N D A Y N E W S | A U G U S T 2 8 , 2 0 1 1

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    Lancaster, Pa.CAREERS & EDUCATION2 AUGUST 28, 2011

    (ARA) Despite less thanstellar job growth over the pastfew years, college graduatesremain in demand. In fact,employers plan to hire 19.5percent more 2011 college

    graduates than they did in 2010,which is up nearly 6 percentsince 2009-2010, according to arecent Job Outlook study by theNational Association of Collegesand Employers (NACE). Buttodays job market is not your parents job market. Hugedemographic and employmenttrends are changing the way

    America works, and would-beemployees will need to remainexible.

    Here are some tips to help youstay on top of the career market:

    * First, expect to change jobsnumerous times in your career. Intodays career world, job stabilitydoes not always equal job

    security. The U.S. Department ofLabor Statistics reports that theaverage person born in the latterhalf of the baby boom has held

    an average of 11 jobs, and thatthree-fths of those job changesoccurred between the ages of 18and 27.

    The U.S. economy isfundamentally changing, and

    employees can no longerexpect to work their way upthe company ladder, says PattiLoPresti, campus president at

    Everest College-Portland.

    * Second, know wherethe jobs are. Our nation isexperiencing huge demographicand economic changes, which

    are creating major shifts in thetypes of jobs available today,says Veronica Tarango, directorof education at Everest College-West Los Angeles. Studentsshould prepare themselves for achanging job market.

    In particular, even thoughthe U.S. economy is expectedto grow by 10 percent between2008-2018, these jobs will not

    be evenly distributed across allindustries, according to Bureauof Labor statistics. In fact, projections show a substantialdecline in manufacturing positions, while service-providing industries are expectedto add 14.5 million jobs to theeconomy in the coming years.

    With many baby-boomers setto retire in the coming decade,and a growing youth population,

    many service-related professionsfrom teaching to elder care aregoing to see signicant growth.

    One of the fastest growingsectors in the coming decade willbe the health care sector, notesLoPresti. Projections indicatethat about 26 percent of all jobsin the coming decade will be inthe health care industry, which isexpected to add approximately 4

    million jobs to the U.S. economy.This is one of the reasons thatwe specically target many of

    our degree programs to the elof health care training, addsLoPresti.

    * Third, consider going backto school for additional career

    training. Todays job markerequires that employees keeptheir skills current, and asresult, more and more adults aregoing back to school. Studentscome to us to keep their skillsup-to-date or get the credentialsthey need to advance in theircareers, says Tarango. Thend that it is increasinglnecessary in todays changin

    job market.The Bureau of Labor Statisticsoccupational projections showthat jobs requiring some form o post-secondary education wihave greater growth throug2018 than those without. Thegreatest job growth is expecteto be in careers that requirean associate degree, which isexpecting to see job growth o19 percent.

    Job projections are also higherfor careers that require post-secondary vocational credentials,at an estimated 13 percent, thathose requiring only on-the-jobtraining, which are expected tosee only 8 percent growth.

    Employers understand thaa one- or two-year program cagive new employees exactly themix of academic learning an

    hands-on experience they neeto excel in todays changing jobmarket, says LoPresti.

    Job market 101:Career trends

    students should know

    Thaddeus Stevens College aXTechnologywww.stevenscollege.edu 1-800-842-3832

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    Lancaster, Pa. CAREERS & EDUCATION AUGUST 28, 2011 3

    (ARA) Have you ever givenourself a SWOT? No. Its not

    a typo. With a SWOT analysis,ou examine your Strengths,

    eaknesses, Opportunities andThreats, along with internaland external factors that mightaffect your employment search.Many organizations utilize aSWOT analysis to examine theirbusiness. A SWOT analysis canalso help reduce the anxietysometimes associated withnding employment.

    Its a matter of condenceover competence, because most

    people know how to interview,but may not be condent inthemselves, says ChasityTrzop, director of career servicesat Brown Mackie College -Louisville.

    StrengthsWhen you conduct a SWOT

    on yourself its importantthat you ask, What can youdo well?, says Trzop. Forexample, you may be great at

    multi-tasking and have greatcommunication skills. Soft skillsare usually where you will ndstrengths. Your strengths couldbe whatever comes naturally.

    Always go into an interviewith a positive attitude. What

    is keeping you from callingpotential employers? Someof the answers you may giveinclude nerves or not knowing

    hat to say.Some people just getnervous about the job search.Its important to identify theissues and work on those issues

    ith career coaches or if you area recent college graduate, visitour schools career services

    department for assistance,Trzop says. Consider reviewing

    comments that were madeabout your strengths by pastemployers.

    Weaknesses

    You should always know yourweaknesses, because interviewerswill attempt to extract themfrom you. Never highlight yourweak points on your resumeor during an interview. Whenan interviewer asked Trzopabout her weaknesses, Trzopused the weakness she oncehad that is now a strength. Shetold the interviewer she tookextra training to become very

    procient in the area.Dont let interviewers

    extract your weaknesses. Focuson what you do well, she says.Dont have a canned answer toa question regarding your weak points, because interviewersmay have a follow-up question.Never let them see you sweat. As previously mentioned, reviewcomments past employers madeabout your weaknesses.

    OpportunitiesHalf of your job leads should

    be face-to-face or from picking upthe phone, not just online, saysTrzop. People complain aboutnot getting jobs, but theyre notselling themselves nor creatingopportunities. You cannot createan opportunity if you dontknow what your strengths are.Go out and volunteer. Create an

    opportunity.Trzop suggests networking.Let family and friends knowyou are seeking employment.They may know someone whocan help. You cant run out ofthe building yelling, Ive got adegree and expect employers tobe waiting outside the door withjob offers, says Trzop.

    ThreatsTo identify threats that

    could prevent you from ndingemployment, ask yourself,

    What is it that will keep mefrom having an effective and productive career search?Thats the most critical timeto make contacts in your eld.What if you are waiting fora certication document thatconrms training you took? Arethere other barriers out there?There may be other barriersthat could affect a successful job search. Know what those

    are, Trzop says. Job seekerswho get upset about not ndingemployment are sometimestoo passive. Seek support froma career counselor, placementsearch teams, or if you are arecent college graduate, seeksupport and assistance from thecareer services department.

    While the SWOT analysiscreates anxiety during the process, it helps tremendously.

    Like preventative medicine,you can x those threats andhopefully come out withpromising results.

    ob seekers: Give yourself SWOT

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    L PCAREERS & EDUCATION4 AUGUST 28 2011

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    Lancaster, Pa.CAREERS & EDUCATION4 AUGUST 28, 2011

    Support of parents, teachers helpSophie Tran follow her dream

    By Gloria Sananes SteinSpecial Features Writer

    Sophie Trans parents, whoere laborers living in the port

    city of Danang, Vietnam, set

    high expectations for their fourchildren. However, they soon

    realized that their dream for a better life meant leaving theirhomeland. My parents took abig step, emigrating to the United

    States so that we could attainhigher education, says 22-year-

    old Sophie Tran. There was noway for people of our class toafford a college education.

    It wasnt easy to pick up rootsand leave an extended family behind to face a new cultureand learn a new language. Itwas a physical, emotional andexpensive experience.

    We learned someconversational English in schoolbut it was minimal like, hello,good bye thank you, thatsas far as it went.

    The family settled inHarrisburg and shortly thereafterfound jobs in Lancaster andmoved again. Sophie was12 when she was enrolled inthe sixth grade at a ManheimTownship elementary school.It was another world, I wasconfused, didnt understand

    English and kept saying, Whatdid you say?

    She studied English as aSecond Language from sixth

    to tenth grade. With supportiveteachers and patient Americanfriends she gradually felt secure,less frustrated, and more uent.

    As I grew older I realized

    that I could fulll my dream of becoming a pharmacist. I wasgetting good grades and enrolledin Harrisburg Area CommunityCollege to study biology andchemistry. Even as a young childI wanted to help others and thiswas a path to pursue.

    At HACC, Sophie got a job in the schools WelcomeCenter. It was there that she meta best friend who understoodher needs. She was helpful andshared the story of her ownjourney and the many hurdles toachieve independence.

    Sophie graduated fromHACC and is now is steadilymoving toward her goal. She hasapplied to Boston University andLecom University in Erie, PA,with a dual major in pharmacyand forensic science. During her

    spare time she works at CVS asa pharmacy tech.

    Her training includedaccepting prescriptions, enteringthe data into the computersystem, lling the prescriptionsand then submitting them tothe pharmacist for completion.She enjoys the atmosphere,the experience and the cordialrelationships with customers.

    Pharmacists now offer alarger range of services thanthey did in the past. They helpcustomers with drug information

    and patient education. Thehelp diabetics understand theirmedications. Some pharmacistseven offer immunizations. Thesemodern health professionals

    have to keep up with many newdrugs that have hit the market,updating information anoffering advice.

    Im saving my earningsto help my parents nance mtuition, Im not a shop till yodrop person, she says. I hanout with a few friends, watcan occasional TV show or platennis, but my eye is always othe road map to a successfulcareer.

    Sophies older sister Jackierecently graduated from PenState with a degree in Businessand Finance. Her parents areworking hard to providecollege education for her twobrothers as well. Mom and dadid not decide what we shoulstudy, they left it up to us to plaa career and adapt to our new

    home.In 2008 the family went back to

    Danang to visit her grandparentson their birthdays. The trip forsix people was expensive anthe Trans doubt they can do iin the near future. I lookearound me, says Sophie. I wasglad to see friends and loveones, but I knew that I coulnever live there again. I am nowindependent; I can speak freely,I have American and Vietnamesefriends, I appreciate and enjothe freedom.

    Sophie Tran works at CVS, saving money for college.

    Sophie Tran is on her way to fullling her dream.

    L P CAREERS & EDUCATION AUGUST 28 2011 5

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    Lancaster, Pa. CAREERS & EDUCATION AUGUST 28, 2011 5

    By Wendy KomancheckSpecial Features Writer

    Four colleges in LancasterCounty offer college levelcourses to juniors and seniorsfrom local high schools. Theseprograms are opened to all typesof high school students includinghome school, private, and publicschool. Millersville University,www.millersville.edu, LancasterBible College, www.lbc.edu,

    Franklin and Marshall College,www.fandm.edu, and HACC,Lancaster Campus, www.hacc.edu, all offer courses to helphigh school juniors and seniorsget a head start on their collegecareers.

    Millersville University andHACC both charge regular tuitionfor high school students takingcourses at their institutions.Lancaster Bible College (LBC)

    charges a $90 student service feeand a $25 one-time applicationfee to students, and Franklinand Marshall (F&M) doesntcharge tuition, but students areresponsible for buying booksand extra fees.

    HACCVantageHeather Collins is the

    Secondary Partnership Coor-

    dinator for HACCVantage atthe HACC Lancaster Campus,1641 Old Philadelphia Pike.HACCVantage has beenopened to public, private, andhomeschooled students for thepast ve years.

    Students can take amaximum of two courses persemester, says Collins. Courseofferings are suggested andapproved by HACC with an

    emphasis on those courseshaving maximum transferabilityto post-secondary institutions.Credits can be transferred tomany four-year colleges anduniversities, allowing students tosave time and money by gettinga head start with their collegeexperience.

    If parents and guidancecounselors are interested in

    learning more about the program,they can call the Ofce ofSecondary Partnerships at 717-

    358-2991, email HACCVantageat [email protected], or

    visit their Web site at http://www. hacc . edu /L ancas te r /H i g h S c h o o l P r o g r a m s /Lancaster-College-Advantage.cfm.

    Franklin & MarshallFranklin & Marshall College,

    415 Harrisburg Ave., has offeredcourses for area high schoolseniors for nearly 20 years. The

    program is opened to one senior per school per semester andfour homeschooled students persemester.

    The program is not a typicaldual enrollment program thatother institutions might offer,says Dulcey Antonucci, Directorof Media Relations at F & M.Our program allows studentsthe opportunity to take courseson our campus, according to the

    limitations listed above, with notuition charge, and where space isavailable. The courses should betransferrable to other institutions.

    Offerings change semester tosemester as enrollment is on aspace available basis.

    For more information about

    the program, contact the schoolat 717-291-3911.

    Area students get a head start on theircollege careers while still in high school

    High school students get to mingle with upperclassmen inbetween classes at LBC.

    - continued on page 7

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    Lancaster PaCAREERS & EDUCATION6 AUGUST 28 2011

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    Lancaster, Pa.CAREERS & EDUCATION6 AUGUST 28, 2011

    (ARA) As summer windsdown, its not just kids who are

    heading back to school. In fact,rst-time undergraduates whoare studying full-time now makeup only 15 percent of all post-secondary students, accordingto recent data from NationalCouncil of Education Statistics.

    s more adults go back to schoolto sharpen their skills or retrainfor a new career, they too willhave to work hard to achievesuccess.

    Simply paying attention to alecture is not enough, says JakeKassuba, director of educationat Everest College-Burr Ridge.Retaining, processing andapplying new informationrequires a signicant amount oftime and effort.

    How students spend theirtime outside the classroom is justas important as how they spend

    their time in the classroom,says Kassuba. We are seeingmore adults return to school toimprove their career options.

    Many have jobs, families andother responsibilities at home,

    so they have to get the most outof their study time.

    While every student has adifferent learning style, here are10 study tips from Kassuba thatcan help students of all ages getthe most out of studying:

    1. Manage your study timewisely. It doesnt matter howlong you study; what mattersis how much you accomplishduring that time. If you only havea limited time to study each day,develop a schedule and outlineyour goals for each session.Keep a timer on hand to gaugeyour progress and ensure thatyou dont lose track of time.

    2. Experiment with differenttechniques for understanding andmemorizing new information.

    For example, try using ashcardsto remember major concepts orhighlighting class notes.

    3. Designate a specic timeand place in your home to study.This should be a comfortableplace where you can remain alert

    and not be disturbed. Althoughits tempting, the bed and couchare never good study spots.

    4. Give yourself abreak, or two. Insteadof studying for vehours straight, youll

    be more productiveif you take short, periodic breaks.Breaks also can beused to motivate youtoward your studyinggoals. For example,give yourself a snack break as a rewardfor nishing anassignment or gettinga certain number

    of review problemscorrect.

    5. Learn generalconcepts rst, and worry aboutlling in the details later.

    6. Practice rapid recall after completing a readingassignment, summarize the newinformation you learned, either

    aloud or in an outline. Make sureto focus on the main ideas ofeach reading.

    7. Share your newfoundwisdom. Talk to friends andfamily about what yourelearning. The ability to teachothers is an indicator you havereally absorbed the material.

    8. Review your notes every

    day, even if you dont havehomework. Reviewing yournotes daily will cut down on

    stress prior to exams, and willhelp move information fromyour short-term to long-termmemory.

    9. Dont wait until the lasminute. Give yourself plentof time to study for exams

    and quizzes or nish writinassignments. Make sure togather class notes and practiceproblems to review before eacassessment.

    10. Learn what works best foryou as a student. As you learcourse material and face newchallenges, note what works besfor you. There is no one-size-ts-all strategy, so the trick is tond the techniques that work foryou and stick with them.

    Get the most outof your study time

    Discover your study style, alone or with a group.

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    Lancaster Pa CAREERS & EDUCATION AUGUST 28 2011 7

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    Lancaster, Pa. CAREERS & EDUCATION AUGUST 28, 2011 7

    Lancaster Bible CollegesJumpstart Program

    Lancaster Bible Colleges

    (LBC) Jumpstart Program ispopular among homeschoolstudents even though theprogram is opened to private andpublic school students, too. LBCis located at 901 Eden Road.We have had students fromschools across Lancaster Countyand students from surroundingcounties as well, says KariSangrey, Admissions Counselorat LBC. The Jumpstartprogram is designed for highschool juniors and seniors toget an early start on a college

    education. Courses are onlyoffered on campus during thefall and spring semesters.

    High school students can takea maximum of 12 credits at LBC,and students are limited to oneclass per semester. Since LBC isaccredited by the Middle States

    Association for Colleges andSchools, most courses shouldbe transferable to other colleges.Courses open for high schoolstudents include Bible, generaleducation, and freshman-levelcore courses from LBCs 26different majors. For moreinformation about the JumpstartProgram, go to www.lbc.edu;email [email protected]; or call866-522-4968.

    Millersville UniversityMillersville University (MU),

    located at One S. George St. inMillersville, started its HighSchool Concurrent EnrollmentDual Admission program(HSCEDA) in 2005. Currently,there are only 10 LancasterCounty school districts participating in the program.

    These districts are ColumbiaBorough, Conestoga Valley,Ephrata Area, Hempeld,Lampeter-Strasburg, ManheimTownship, Penn Manor, SchoolDistrict of Lancaster, Solanco,and Warwick.

    Our program is open toacademically qualied highschool juniors and seniors.We guarantee that each dualenrollment applicant will be able

    to be registered for one course per term, but occasionally astudent is able to take twocourses per term, says SusanKastner, Assistant Directorof Admission at MU. Eachsuccessfully completed coursetypically earns three or fourcredits, so if taking one courseper term, each of two terms as ahigh school senior, they would

    earn six to eight credits over thetwo terms. Of course, if they areconcurrently enrolled in theirjunior year, as well, they would

    earn more college credits priorto high school graduation.Like LBC, MU is accredited

    by the Middle States Associationfor Colleges and Schools, andall MU courses are listed onan ofcial transcript. Mostother colleges will accept creditearned at a regionally accreditedinstitution with grades of C or C-or higher, as long as they offeran equivalent course at their

    school, Kastner says.For more information about

    MUs HSCEDA program,students in homeschool, private

    and public schools should seethe program coordinator at theirdistricts high school guidanceofce. Homeschool students alsoneed to belong to an accreditediploma program, such as thePennsylvania HomeschoolersAssociation.

    For more information go toMUs Web site, http://www.millersville.edu/admissionsundergrad/index.php; call them

    at 1-800-MU-ADMIT or 717-872-3371; or email them [email protected].

    High school students study together at LBC.

    Jumpstartcontinued from page 5

    By Wendy Komancheck

    Special Features Writer

    HACC, LBC, MU, and F &M recognize the pros of highschool juniors and seniors gettinga head start on their collegecareers. Completing collegecredits can give college-boundhigh school students a head startand eases transition from highschool to college, says Heather

    Collins from HACC. Exposureto college-level courseworkand student services may helpundecided students develop post-secondary education plans.

    Dulcey Antonucci fromF&M sees the intrinsic valueof general education coursesbeyond getting required coursesout of the way. We stronglyencourage our students tothink of the general education

    portion of their curriculum tobe a critical component of theireducation rather than simply asboxes to be checked off the list ofrequirements. General educationis an important foundation, andas our catalog notes, helpsstudents explore the natural,social, and cultural worlds in

    hich they live.Students should consider

    allowing room throughout theirears in college to take generaleducation courses that becomeattractive to them because of the

    links they make to other courses

    theyve taken, continuesAntonucci.

    Susan Kastner from MUrecognizes that there are somedrawbacks to taking collegecourses during the high schoolyears. She lists ve consassociated with high schoolstudents taking college-levelcourses:

    1. The time crunch that high

    school students are under to getto and from their high schoolsto their college classes can betricky especially since they needto be on time at both places.

    2. College level courses arefaster paced and require moretime to complete papers and projects. Thus, students haveless time to get more work doneat the college level.

    3. College professors dontgive extra credit like secondaryteachers do to boost studentsgrades.

    4. Some assignments requireteam work, and high schoolstudents oftentimes havedifculty meeting with the restof their team to get projectsnished in a timely manner.

    5. For some schools, like

    Millersville, it costs money totake college courses.

    Pros and cons ofgetting a head start

    Lebanon Valley College 101 North College Ave. Annville, Pennsylvania 17003-1400 1-866-LVC-4ADM (1-866-582-4236)

    717-867-6181 Fax: 717-867-6026 E-mail: [email protected] www.lvc.edu

    Work hard inhigh school?

    Lebanon Valley College rewards hard work by

    offering automatic academic scholarships of up

    to half tuition to everyone who graduates in the

    top 30 percent of his or her high school class.

    To find out how much your LVC scholarship will

    be, go to www.lvc.edu/calculate.

    Lancaster, Pa.CAREERS & EDUCATION8 AUGUST 28, 2011

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    ,,

    (ARA) College costs arentlimited to just tuition. You needto consider room and board,books, meals, transportation andmore. After youve applied for

    scholarships, grants and federalloans, its not uncommon to needadditional funding for a completecollege education.

    This is where a private studentloan can help. If youre exploring

    hat private loan is right forou, here are some important

    questions to ask so you can makethe right decision for today andour nancial future.

    What is the interest rate?You must decide if you want

    a xed-rate loan or a variable-rate loan. A xed-rate loan willtypically have a higher interestrate, but the rate will not uctuateover the life of the loan, so youreprotected from large interest rateswings.

    For example, U.S. Bank offerstwo types of student loans. The

    xed-rate student loan option

    offers an interest rate of 7.99 percent (7.80 to 8.46 percentAPR) for approved applicants.This provides security becausethe interest rate will never

    change. The variable loan rateoption has no fees and can rangeanywhere from a 3.45 percentto a 10.95 percent interest rate(3.39 to 10.22 percent APR).,This rate and APR may increaseafter consummation and canchange over the life of the loan.All applications are subjectto normal credit approval. Itsimportant to weigh your optionsto determine what is right foryou.

    Is co-signing benecial?Because eligibility, interest

    rates and reserve fees for privateloans are based on your credit, aco-signer may help you get theloan you need at the rates youwant. This is particularly truefor younger students who maynot have an established credit

    history. A co-signer may be a

    parent, guardian or close relativewho has an established credithistory and stable income. Itsimportant for any co-signer tounderstand that if the studentborrower cannot pay the loan forany reason, the co-signer is thenresponsible for any remainingloan obligations.

    What can you afford toborrow?

    It can be difcult to predict

    the future, but one way to help

    determine what amount youshould borrow is to estimate yourfuture earnings. Its wise to beconservative in your estimates.For help determining averageearnings for specic careers,visit the U.S. Department ofLabor, Bureau of Labor Statisticswebsite. A good general rule tofollow is your monthly student loanpayment should not be more than8 percent of your monthly salary.Remember that if you borrow

    too much and have late or missed

    payments, this will be reected oyour credit history (and any co-signers credit history).

    What are repayment terms?

    Every loan has different termsand its important to understanall the details before you sigthe paperwork. Some things toconsider include how long yohave to pay back the entire loan,is there a grace period betweegraduation and when paymentsstart, and is there a discount forany auto-payment plans? If yodont understand the terms, makesure to ask lots of questions.

    Any time you take outcollege loan, only take out asmuch money as you need foreducation-related expenses. Star by learning your options wheyou apply at www.usbank.comstudent-loans; an applicatiotakes ve minutes or less. Onceyou nd the right loan for you,youll be able to get the degreeyou want and set yourself up for

    nancial success in the future.

    Navigating the student loan maze

    Students today need a quality college experience thats affordable. And flexible. HACC offers moreto make college a reality like five campuses andother learning locations, online classes, scheduleoptions and of course, low tuition.

    See student stories at www.hacc.edu/admit

    HACC is Lancasters Community College.

    Lancaster 1641 Old Philadelphia Pike 293.5000 | Harrisburg 780.2400Gettysburg 337.3855 | Lebanon 270.4222 | York 718.0328 | Virtual Campus 221.1300 ext. 1510

    EVENING AND WEEKEND CLASSES START SEPT. 6, LATE START CLASSES BEGIN SEPT. 26.

    HACC does not discriminate in employment, student admissions, and student services on the basis of race, color, religion, age, political afliation or belief, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability, place of birth,

    General Education Development Certication (GED), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other legally protected classication.