Posted by Centura College on Oct 12, 2018 in Adult Education, Bachelor Degree Completion Program, Centura Virginia Beach, Spotlight Feature
By Cheryl Landreth, CVAB
After working in the financial services industry for many years, Tracy Peloquin found herself suddenly out of a job and relocated to a state that didn’t offer the types of financial career options she had in her previous home state. Tracy had often worked in food service and as a temporary employee in the past and once again found herself back into those types of jobs.
“When I reached my 50th birthday, I took a look at where I was in my life, what I had started and what I had not accomplished,” Peloquin stated. “Each day on my way to yet another temporary job, I passed by Centura College. I saw students outside and often wished I was one of them.”
In 2016 Tracy found herself laid off again and decided enough was enough. She went to Opportunity Inc. to see what options would be available to a middle-aged woman who had been displaced from her previous career. To her surprise and joy, there was a grant available to help with the cost of college. Her next stop was Centura College.
For the next year and a half, Tracy worked full time and attended school full time. Reflecting on that time, Tracy stated, “I really wanted to do my best at both. Whenever you would see me, I would either have a book in my hand or I would be working on homework.” Many late nights later, Tracy graduated summa cum laude with a 3.85 grade point average and a Bachelor of Science in Business with a Concentration in Management degree. Tracy exclaimed, “I felt so accomplished!”
Tracy knows this is only the first important step in achieving her dream to someday run her own business of helping low-income seniors with housing. She is currently working at Canon and advancing in her career. Her next step is to enroll in a Master’s program pursuing additional business and human resource training.
Moving forward on her journey, Tracy states “Had I never made that stop to Centura College, where I felt a peace as soon as I walked through the door, I would not have a plan for my future. I know where I am heading with my life and I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend Centura College. The instructors were great and offered additional assistance whenever I needed it. They taught me so much more than just the book material. I was able to gain practical application experience which helped me to fully understand the purpose of what was being taught.”
Posted by Centura College on Nov 14, 2017 in Adult Education, Bachelor Degree Completion Program, Business Management, Campus Connections, Centura College
Hospitality is a broad category of the service industry. Hospitality facilities may offer leisure, entertainment, business, and accommodation to local, national- and international visitors including: hotels, resorts, bed and breakfasts (B&Bs), theme parks and cruise ships, just to name a few.
The Role of Hospitality Managers
In these establishments, it’s important that guests are taken care of, especially in terms of getting what they need and have paid for. This task is accomplished by hospitality managers who oversee operations in hotels, resorts and similar facilities. While ensuring guests are comfortable and happy, managers also have to ensure that operations are smooth and profitable for those who own the facilities.
Hospitality Careers
- Resorts & Hotels
- Entertainment Venues
- Airline Attendants
- Cruise Ships
- Theme Parks
- Convention Centers
- Corporate Travel
- Travel Guides
- Restaurants
- And so many others
Facilities that offer accommodation are typically open round the clock and on holidays. For this reason, hospitality managers will typically work in shifts and may be on call to resolve any situations that arise.
Qualifying for the Job
Facilities are typically ranked on a five star basis. Those at the higher end are luxury facilities with international level amenities and services.
Qualifications for working in the different establishments are determined by their ranking. Generally speaking, smaller establishments with lower rankings, like bed and breakfast inns, motels, and cafeterias, usually hire staff who can learn on the job. In larger establishments like resorts and hotels, the staff is required to have additional training for the job. For managers, this is usually a bachelor’s degree. More and more establishments are looking for those with the specific education in the areas taught at the Bachelor level.
The Job Outlook for Hospitality Managers
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of hospitality managers will grow by eight percent between 2014 and 2024. This rate is generally as fast as the rate of growth for other occupations. Those with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or hotel management will have a competitive advantage which will give them the best job opportunities.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics also established that the mean annual wage for hospitality managers is $59,410. It is expected that job opportunities and the average annual wage for hospitality will keep growing as the US and other economies grow.
Training for the Job
One of the most commonly sought academic credentials for hospitality management is a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality. Centura College offers flexibility with their Bachelor of Science Degree in Business with a concentration in Hospitality. This is a degree completion program made for those who have finished an associate degree in business or another professional degree but have not earned a bachelor’s degree. The concentration in management emphasizes areas like finance, software and project management. For those interested in hospitality, the focus is on hospitality management.
To find out more about this and other Completion Degree programs Centura college offers, click here.
Posted by Centura College on Oct 24, 2017 in Adult Education, Bachelor Degree Completion Program, Centura College
By Esperanza Popquiz
When it comes to continuing education, most people are discouraged to do so because of issues like juggling work, family and school or the financial stress of an extra expense. But, a bachelor’s degree may set you apart in a competitive workforce. Here are a couple of reasons why continuing your education to get your bachelor’s degree is important:
Expand Your Opportunities
Although there are many positions in the workforce that don’t require a bachelor’s degree, earning one can open your career to additional promising opportunities. The degree allows you to apply to positions that require a bachelor’s degree and you can have confidence knowing you meet the needs of the employer. Plus, your continued education will set you apart from other candidates who have not had additional education.
Careers
A bachelor’s degree focuses on specific concentrations and prepares you to work in that field, whereas an associate’s degree completes the general understanding of a subject. With the additional skills you acquire during your education in concentrations such as accounting, hospitality, marketing and others, you can move forward in your business career with the focused knowledge that is expected of you.
Financial Benefits
A bachelor’s degree can not only give you more options of where to work, but it can increase your value as an employee. You’re more likely to receive higher pay with a completion degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Those with bachelor’s degrees make approximately $264 more per week than those with an associate degree, and $363 more per week than those with only a high school diploma.” (1)
Job Security
While landing a job with high pay is ideal, making sure that you have job security is just as important. The unemployment rate is lower for college graduates who have completed their bachelor’s degree: 3.6% of unemployed persons held an associate’s degree while 2.7% had a bachelor’s degree. (1)
These are just a few of many benefits that come with come with pursuing your bachelor’s degree. If you are interested in furthering your education, check out Centura College’s Completion Degree programs for more information.
Sources
- “Unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment.” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 31 July 2017.
Posted by Centura College on Aug 2, 2017 in Bachelor Degree Completion Program, Centura College
By Robb Rajnys and Jul DeGeus
With great technological advances, comes great technological responsibilities; like protecting your personal information.
Thanks to the progress of technology, we are living in an age where you can accomplish almost anything with a swipe of a finger. Track your fitness, manage your bank account or even supervise your lights and lock systems at your home remotely; that is, as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection and a charged smart phone. But like all great things, technology comes with a downfall: cyberattacks.
Understanding Cyberattacks
There severity of a cyberattack is only limited to the imagination of the person who creates the virus. Familiarize yourself with common terms and proactive prevention to ensure the safety of your personal information:
Malware: In Latin, “mal” means “bad,” it’s no surprise that malware is the general term for malicious threats, like Trojans or worms, that try to steal and destroy data.
Malvertising: Keeping in mind that the Latin root of “malware”, malvertising is an ad that has been infected with malware. When you click on the ad, whatever was effect the cyberattacker loaded in the coding of the ad is downloaded on your computer.
Password Attacks: Probably the most obviously attack term, password attacks occur when a hacker tries to steal your password for information. Cyber thieves can use a program to access your passwords, or even resort to old fashioned ways: peering over your shoulder to see your smart phone screen as you type in the pin to your debit card.
Phishing: Another term many people are familiar with is “phishing.” This attack targets your email accounts. The attacker sets up a company and requests personal information or provides a link to click on. The website’s information you’re directed to aligns with the information you received in the email, sometimes creating a false sense of security and legitimacy. As soon as you input your information, the hackers can use it as they see fit.
Ransomware: In a nut shell, Ransomware is a virus that will lock you out of all your data- documents, photos, contacts, etc. – until you pay a fee. If you chose not to pay the fee, you’ll have to wipe your whole computer in order to use it, losing all of your data anyway.
Thwarting the Attacks
Never fear, prevention is out there! To counter the above hazards, ensure you install and adhere to the following:
Firewalls: This is a virtual gate, if you will, that can prevent or allow certain traffic from leaving or gaining access to your PC. To increase effectiveness, the firewall should stay turned on, especially if you are connected to the internet.
Antivirus Software with Ransomware Protection: Invest in a good antivirus software that includes a ransomware protection plan; good meaning that you should pay for it. Most free antivirus protection software only monitors issues and then alert you, not take care of the problem. Purchasing antivirus software provides monitoring and proactive protection.
Keep Your PC Up to Date: Most users do not maintain their updates. Updates are important because they’re purpose is to help keep your computer safe. Every time a new malware is developed or and old one is updated, programmers hastily work to develop and push out an update to their consumers to counteract its effects, keeping your information all the more protected.
Email: Everyone on the planet has an email now a days. 91% of cyberattacks stem from email. Be wary of emails you receive that:
- Request passwords
- Request your Social Security Number
- Offer anything “free”
- Alert you with an “urgent” warning or threat of an expiration of an account
- Request credit card information
Everywhere you go on the internet leaves “footprints;” where you shop, where you bank, what you may want to buy, etc. Malware picks up on your “footprints” and tries to trick you by creating emails and pop-up advertisements that are catered to your internet browsing, searching and buying habits. If something look suspect, treat it as such. However, if you land on a website you’re not so sure about or regret downloading a file, there are handy websites to scan files or sites in question.
File Storage: Backup your computer and all data regularly to ensure its safety. Use a secure file housing website, software, or simply copy important folders and files to a USB disk regularly. This minimizes the impact, headaches and helps to avoid having pay a ransomware to get your vital documents.
Posted by Theresa on Apr 22, 2014 in Bachelor Degree Completion Program
Earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business in 15 months
Earn your Bachelor’s Degree in as little as 15 months!
It hardly seems fair sometimes, but it is certainly true now more than ever. Today’s competitive workforce often means that those with the right level of education and experience receive preference over those with limited college and/or related work experience. This also means that those who do not have the right education and experience often get left behind or passed over for certain career opportunities, promotions and even raises.
So the question then becomes; “How do I get the education and training I need to accelerate my career and earnings potential and further, how do I get it FAST?”
…Read More Here
