Professional Development

These courses offer employers an affordable way to train their employees.  These courses are available during the fall as open enrollment to the public; but can also be customized to meet the needs of your particular business.  To inquire about customized training, please phone Connie Meyers at 301- 387-3084 or email connie.meyers@garrettcollege.edu

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Break Out of Your Box: Thinking for Today’s Challenges
      This fun and exciting two hour program teaches techniques for more creative, strategic and breakthrough thinking. Interactive experiences will engage your whole-brain (visual, auditory, sensory, motor and memory areas) to help you learn to “open up” to creative possibilities. We’ll also review some of the latest research on the brain, the creation of ‘neural pathways’, and use specific exercises to help to tap into and strengthen your creativity. If you like Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, you’ll enjoy this course.

Date:  Feb 24 (1 session)
Day:  Wednesday
Location:  McHenry Campus
Time:  6:00-8:00pm

Cost:

MD SR $20
GC $20
OOC $20
OOS $20

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Your Communication Style and Developing Your Team - An Equine Assisted Course
      This unique course uses the incredible sensitivity of horses to teach participants about communication, both verbal and non-verbal. Over millions of years horses’ survival has been based on their ability to read the “intent” of other animals. (Is that tiger here to attack, or to get water?) Without a complex verbal language, horses are nonetheless able to communicate with one another with subtle and sometimes, not so subtle, cues. This program takes the characteristics of horses and intentionally uses them to create mirrors for program participants. The course gives participants opportunities to practice their observation skills, reflect on their own non-verbal messaging, and experiment with changing their style of interaction. Results are often surprising! The program demonstrates the importance of knowing how to engage in different communication and leadership styles based on an understanding of individual differences. The program does not involve riding and requires no prior horse experience. It will be held at Broken Spoke Stable in Pleasant Valley.

Date:  Mar 27 (1 session)
Day:  Saturday
Location:  Broken Spoke Stable
Time:  12:30-5:00pm

Cost:

MD SR $55
GC $65
OOC $66
OOS $67

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Date:  Jun 12 (1 session)
Day:  Saturday
Location:  Broken Spoke Stable
Time:  12:30-5:00pm

Cost:

MD SR $55
GC $65
OOC $66
OOS $67

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Key to Performance: Organizational Culture
      In this short overview of organizational culture, participants will learn what organizational culture really is, why it is so powerful, and why you must understand it to be effective in today’s organizations. Whether you are a business owner, the leader of a nonprofit, or a manager, organizational culture may be your single biggest ally or enemy. In this interactive course, we will review contemporary thinking about culture, and discuss an approach to describing/assessing organizational culture. Participants will discuss a case study which focuses on helping one describe a specific organizational culture. At the conclusion of the evening, participants should be able to identify the next steps to be taken within their own organization.

Date:  May 5 (1 session)
Day:  Tuesday
Location:  McHenry Campus
Time:  6:00-9:15pm

Cost:

MD SR $30
GC $40
OOC $41
OOS $42

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Strategy, Planning and Scenario Development
      What’s your New Year’s Strategy? Strategy is about matching the core capacities and culture of an organization with the opportunities and challenges in its operating environment. Every organization has a strategy, whether it is intentional (proactive) or reactive. This informative and interactive 3 hour session gives participants a chance to reflect on their own strategies for the future, and reviews several tools for helping to develop and plan for these strategies. We’ll discuss the art of strategy, the fundamentals of strategic planning and planning terms, and cover the latest in planning - scenario planning. Learn how these techniques can help businesses and nonprofit organizations in turbulent times. By the end of this session, participants will understand the basics components and value of strategy development and planning will have been exposed to a variety of tools to help make strategic decisions, and understand how scenario planning complements strategic planning.

Date:  Feb 3 (1 session)
Day:  Wednesday
Location:  McHenry Campus
Time:  6:00-9:15pm

Cost:

MD SR $30
GC $30
OOC $30
OOS $30

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First Time Manager
      Many managers are promoted because they are excellent individual contributors. Making the transition from individual contributor to managing and leading people who have been your peers can be a challenging process. This course helps the new manager clarify his/her role as well as anticipate changes that accompany the first time manager. Students will discuss common pitfalls and how to avoid them, the importance critical thinking skills, and the process for decision making in a strategic manner. This interactive course also provides opportunities for students to learn how to delegate effectively and motivate employees!

Date:  Feb 9-Feb 23 (3 sessions)
Day:  Tuesday
Location:  Southern Outreach Center
Time:  8:30am-12:45pm

Cost:

MD SR $99
GC $139
OOC $143
OOS $147

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Date:  Mar 10-Mar 31 (4 sessions)
Day:  Wednesday
Location:  McHenry Campus
Time:  6:00-9:15pm

Cost:

MD SR $99
GC $139
OOC $143
OOS $147

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Introduction to Project Management
      The class will introduce students to methods for generating the scope of a project, how to implement changes in scope, and how to guard against ‘scope creep.’ Once the scope is defined, the student will be introduced to methods for allocating the available or required resources to accomplish the scope. On overview will be given of the various computer tools that are available to assist in developing the scope of the project and the subsequent tracking of the activities. The concepts of Ghantt charts, Critical Path Methods and Pareto’s law, or the 80/20 principle, will be introduced.

Date:  Feb 8 & Feb 18 (2 sessions)
Day:  Monday & Thursday
Location:  McHenry Campus
Time:  5:30-8:45pm

Cost:

MD SR $99
GC $139
OOC $143
OOS $147

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Get Assertive
      ed2go - Do you have training or knowledge that could be useful to others? Have you ever considered becoming a consultant? This course is designed to help those who wish to set up a consulting practice get started. Topics will include skills assessments, pricing policies, contracting, marketing, and more.

Date:  Ongoing
Location:  Online 24/7

Cost:

MD SR $84
GC $99
OOC $100.50
OOS $102

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FUNdraising FUNdamentals for Non Profit Organizations
      Raising money isn’t all about ‘the ask’ (although you do have to ask) and doesn’t have to feel uncomfortable. In this short session we review the range of approaches to raising funds today including:

• membership
• sponsors
• major gifts
• events
• income generating activities
• social enterprise
• grants (governmental and private foundations)
• and more

Date:  Apr 28 (1 session)
Day:  Wednesday
Location:  McHenry Campus
Time:  6:00-9:15pm

Cost:

MD SR $30
GC $30
OOC $30
OOS $30

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QuickBooks for Non-Profit Organizations
      QuickBooks for Non-Profit Organizations will present different techniques for optimizing an organization's finances. Topics to be covered include: dealing with contributions (both restricted and unrestricted), tracking program activity, setting up payroll and inventory, generating reports for funding entities and customizing budgets for special tax situations. This class will also cover how to distribute expenses across multiple programs and initiatives.

Date:  May 3 - May 5 (2 sessions)
Day:  Monday/Wednesday
Location:  McHenry Campus
Time:  6:00-8:30pm

Cost:

MD SR $30
GC $55
OOC $57.50
OOS $60

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