By Jeannie Peng Mansyur
There’s a division at San Jacinto College that represents the “community” in community college.
Community Education, operated through the noncredit Continuing and Professional Development division, is home to programs designed for those seeking adult basic education or lifelong learning skills. It offers courses in English as a Second Language (ESL), GED, computer skills, and for leisure.
The bank teller class is just of several training courses the that Community Education through the San Jacinto College Continuing and Professional Development division offers through its community partnerships.
Photo credit: Jeannie Peng Mansyur, San Jacinto College marketing, public relations and government affairs department.
“We seek to empower our community through knowledge,” said Dr. Janice Sullivan, dean of Community Education at San Jacinto College. “We work in collaboration with industry and organizations to engage and assist our community to develop the skills needed to be successful from basic education to leisure learning.”
Some examples of courses that fall under Community Education include fitness, crafts, cake decoration, motorcycle riding and personal finance. Adult basic education courses can range from accounting to basic computer skills. Many workforce training courses qualify for grant-funding assistance, which can result in job training at little or no cost to those who qualify. Community Education has also opened a Community Education Center as a go-to place for information regarding educational and continuing education pathways, ESL and financial aid. The Center also hosts workshops featuring guest speakers on such varied topics as health, wellness, personal safety and holiday entertaining. At the Community Education Center, the events are free thanks to the collaboration with institutions such as the MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas A&M University.
“We want to make sure that everyone knows that they are welcome at San Jacinto College,” said Sullivan. “We offer more than 40 leisure learning course options to help you learn new skills, expand your horizons and have fun. Our quality job training programs help individuals acquire the skills that today’s employers demand. Our noncredit courses keep workers up to date on the latest technologies in industries such as petrochemical, manufacturing, health care, aerospace and maritime.”
Community Education is home to more than 40 life long learning courses. These courses are designed to enrich people’s lives and vary in training from fitness to crafts and cake decoration to motorcycle classes.
Photo credit: Jeannie Peng Mansyur, San Jacinto College marketing, public relations and government affairs department.
Removing barriers to education is a major goal of Community Education. There are a variety of grants offered to help people obtain the training they need. These grants include the need-based Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG), Accelerate Texas, and Adult Education and Literacy grants. Also, removing the barrier of transportation is another way Community Education helps more people get the training they need.
“Community Education is pleased to support San Jacinto College in becoming a recognized leader in the quality and availability of alternative delivery offerings,” said Sullivan. “By offering classes in convenient locations throughout the community, we lead the way in removing barriers so that more people can have an opportunity at enriching their lives through education.” Some of the community partners who have offered their facilities to host San Jacinto College training courses include Pasadena ISD, Neighborhood Centers and United Way.
Find out more about community education by visiting sanjac.edu/continuing-professional-development/community-programs.
About the Continuing and Professional Development division
This division at San Jacinto College provides continuing education and training for both current and future employees in the professional and technical job sectors, as well as provides the public with noncredit open enrollment course options to enhance their lives. Professional and technical training is available through contract training, open enrollment, and grant funding.
For more information, call 281-476-1838 or visit the Continuing and Professional Development division website.