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Career Tools for Excellence I 

Provides Special Career Tools
Today's business and occupational courses at most educational institutions are designed to teach students "hard skills", specific proficiencies which are used in a corresponding industry environments. While these specific skill sets are essential in conducting everyday business, the "soft skills" are just as valuable but rarely taught. What are these soft skills that affect employability? Better communication, conflict resolution, team building, problem solving, organizational techniques, project and time management, taking leadership, project presentation/self-evaluation, technology literacy and other support skills that produce good workers. These are people skills that help develop important basics, like attitudes, values and behavior. Recognizing the value of these skills, a group of instructors at Columbia College formed a committee, and selected the "Tools Team" for its name. The organizers developed and implemented a two-unit course titled Career Tools for Excellence, intended to give students the opportunity to develop and use many of these "soft skills". Generally, twenty students are accepted into the course each time it is offered, where they are organized into teams to take on several problem-solving activities. Teams are expected to complete project-based tasks and in the process, build a presentation on electronic portfolios. Students who complete the course successfully receive a letter of commendation from Dr. Joan Smith, President of Columbia College. They also receive a special seal on any degree or certificate diploma they complete at Columbia College. The Career Tools For Excellence class is ideal for giving students an advantage with employers. While it is an investment of additional student time, participants will quickly see its benefits. The class is conducted on Friday afternoons from noon until 2 p.m., and includes a working lunch. Along with a roster of Tools Team course instructors, the "lunch and learn" segment will consist of guest speakers from the college and local businesses, who can provide personal insights on relevant topics. A number of faculty members are already signed up as guest speakers, but the course facilitators are always looking for local business people to present their areas of expertise to our students. Each talk should take from 30 to 45 minutes.