TJC offers courses for community

Tyler Junior College’s School of Continuing Studies offers more than just a grade and classroom seat to their students.

TJC’s Continuing Education Program provides new experiences and challenges for individuals who want to continue learning throughout their lives. If a student wants to further his or her education or needs quick and easy training, then Continuing Studies may be the answer. The courses are designed to cultivate learning and enrich the lives of whoever wants to participate.

“We have classes from age 3 months to 100 years…because we are a community college and we service the community,” said Ms. Verta Bradly, Staff Coordinator for Continuing Studies at the West Campus.

Continuing Studies offers certification in technical fields and many different skills training programs, as well as classes just for fun. Classes include: Business and Career Development, Community Services, Computers and IT, Ballet and Dance, Fitness and Recreation, Health Professions, Online Learning and Senior College.

Community Services plays a big role in the Continuing Studies program. They encourage a fun environment for the person who just wants to have fun. Community services are a small section of Continuing Studies. It covers the personal enrichment courses such as art, dance, and traveling; mainly things that people have fun doing.

“In the spring, we have some new courses that we’re going to have, for example interior design. We have some flower design courses, more of our art and drawing and possibly some travel courses as well,” said Nancy Arellano Rangel, the program development manager of Community Services.

TJC’s West Campus also fulfills the needs of students who want to learn new skills for their profession.

“We provide the college student with a lot of programs that are not available through credit classes,” said Carla Curtis, the program developer manager for Continuing Education.

Continuing Studies also has classes that are open to the public. This is called open enrollment. Anyone can join the open enrollment classes.

The continuing studies team does a lot of research as far as finding out what the community wants or needs; they research the popular trends and try to stay as up-to-date as possible.

“If there is one person that wants a class, you can rest assured it’s a couple or more people that want the same thing and just don’t know where to go and look for it,” said Bradly. “We can develop that and trim it and suit it for the community.”

Continuing Studies can also be beneficial to scholars who already have jobs but are looking for credits to keep a license or need to learn new computer programs such as Windows 7. Teachers are able to take classes through the Continuing Studies program and update their understanding with the new system that has been created.

As for the students who would like to go directly into their career of choice, the School of Continuing Studies offers fast classes with hands-on experience that gives students job credit.

“In a short amount of time you can get training that will lead you directly to a job that pays more than minimum wage,” said Ms. Curtis.

Classes such as welding, truck driving, nurses’ aides, phlebotomy technicians, veterinary assistants and accounting are all available through the Continuing Studies program for fast and easy access to a career.

TJC’s School of Continuing Studies does its best to meet the needs of every student and every person in the community.

“Continuing Studies is not just for the non-traditional students. Continuing Studies is for the non-traditional and the traditional. We can make a class and develop a class for whatever the needs may be,” said Bradly.

The school of Continuing Studies is headquartered at the Tyler Junior College RTD located on TJC’s West Campus. For more information please contact Dr. Aubrey Sharpe the Dean of Continuing Studies at (903) 510-2991.