Programs
Four Common Blogging Blunders
If you’re into new media as a writer, graphic artist, or developer, Web 2.0 will course through your veins. You’ll probably want your own blog or, perhaps, will be called upon to design or moderate one for someone else. There are plenty of stand-alone platforms in the blogosphere, but it’s humans that populate them. Usability guru Jakob Nielsen has his own rant about design and operational mistakes common to the blog space.
Blogs should be considered…
PHP Certifications for Developers
PHP is one of the hottest scripting languages for use in dynamic web page development. Originally produced in 1995, PHP is deployed on servers that host 20 million websites. The latest version, PHP 5.2.6, was released in the spring of 2008. It is known as a pre-hypertext processor, an embedded scripting language borrowed from some of the languages you’ll learn through your college training program: Perl, Java, and C.
There are distinct benefits from learning the…
Five Online Resources for Fashion Designers
Fashion designers can be solitary, independent professionals. The Department of Labor reports that nearly a fourth of all working fashion designers are self-employed. For those who plan on working with established firms, most employers still plan on recruiting designers that hold two and four-year degrees with a keen subject knowledge of fabrics, textiles, and retail trends. That’s where your online education will come in handy.
But there’s no reason to be isolated, even if you are…
Top-Priority Federal Law Enforcement Jobs
In the post-911 millennium, the American notion of law enforcement has taken on fresh meaning, and the career marketplace has witnessed increased hiring associated under the umbrella of Homeland Security. To match the need for highly trained law enforcement personnel to fill these new roles, colleges and trade schools have broadened their curriculum.
Whether training students in intelligence gathering and security procedures, or offering coursework in IT security, computer forensics, and criminal investigation, online colleges serve…
Four Hot Specializations in Ultrasound
Ultrasound–or diagnostic medical sonography–is a rapidly growing career field in the medical professions. Because ultrasound technology is a non-invasive procedure, physicians and patients often prefer using sonography for gathering diagnostic data over radiation alternatives that may produce harmful side effects. The Department of Labor predicts solid 19 percent job growth for the field during the decade of 2006 through 2016.
There are associate and bachelor’s degree programs in medical sonography providing detailed career training in the…
Key Elements of Audits for Accounting Majors
Accounting majors take heed: recent federal reporting regulations affecting America’s businesses have fueled job opportunities for those with auditing skills. Enacted as a response to corporate boardroom scandals, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 now requires tough, new reporting requirements for all public companies.
The act created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, charged with oversight of accounting firms and requiring independent external audits of companies throughout the land. As a result, there are thousands more jobs…
Key Members of Veterinary Teams
If you love animals, like working with your hands, and have a solid basic math competency, becoming a veterinary technician is a great career choice. Veterinary technicians work in animal clinics or hospitals under the supervision of licensed veterinarians. You’ll help in preparing animals and equipment for surgeries, taking radiographs, collecting specimens for lab work, performing minor dental procedures, and maintaining pet patient histories.
Online vet tech training is comprehensive, and you’ll complete the clinical training…
Starting Your Photography Career
If you’re enrolled in an online photography degree or certificate program, it’s never too early to consider your career options. A comprehensive program will introduce you to the fundamentals of traditional and digital photography. You’ll learn about camera choices, printing, composition, exposure, film choices, lighting, posing techniques, and the use of filters.
Your choices are exhaustive: you can go into fashion photography, journalism, fine arts, advertising, portraiture, or a combination of fields. If you’re thinking of setting…
HVAC Training and the Environment
Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians are employed throughout the country to install, maintain, and repair climate control systems at commercial, industrial, and residential buildings.
Online HVAC training programs introduce students to the principles of thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics that govern heating and cooling systems. You’ll learn about boilers, heat pumps, furnaces, controls, refrigeration units, humidity-control systems, ventilation (mechanical and forced systems), and refrigerants.
Today, HVAC technicians face ever-increasing responsibilities to meet environmental regulations that…
Five “Must-Have” IT Certifications
When you become certified in a specific technology product or skill set, you demonstrate to potential employers that you have direct qualifications for jobs within their IT organization. Employers evaluate these milestones or tech benchmarks to whittle down the field of job applicants. You may also complete several IT certifications to seek advancements at your current job or to apply for a better-paying one. Some employers will expect you to continually add certifications to remain with the company.
Here are five, must-have certifications for competing in the IT professions:
CompTIA A+
This is the basic certification…
Essential Skill Sets for Paralegals
Thinking of becoming a paralegal assistant? It’s a great career choice, with Labor Department predictions of a sizzling 22 percent growth in jobs through 2016. Overburdened lawyers are hiring more paralegals than ever to help shoulder the workload. More than two-thirds of all legal assistants and paralegals work for law firms, with the balance landing jobs with government agencies and corporate law departments.
When signing up for classes, examine the syllabuses with care. You’ll want to build a solid core of generalized paralegal skills to broaden your appeal in the job market. Once you have on-the-job…


