Presentation Given to IT, Cybersecurity and Health Care Students
The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) helped scores of Calvert Career and Technology Academy students learn more about where their area of study could take them during a presentation at the academy in Prince Frederick on Sept. 21.
CSM’s Continuing Education Workforce Development team conducted career option presentations at the academy for students studying IT, cybersecurity and health care programs. Altogether, 66 students participated.
“As I shared information with the students about becoming a phlebotomy technician and medical billing and coding, they gave their full attention and participated in the activity. It was exciting and rewarding,” said CSM Course Manager for Continuing Education Health Care Courses Jill Lassiter. “The students represent not only our future caregivers but our current climate of positive, focused and mature youth.”
Lassiter conducted a role-playing session with the students that took them through the process of what it takes to be a professional medical biller and coder.
CSM Program Coordinator Paula Coluzzi worked with the IT and cybersecurity students, discussing preparation for certifications, jobs available within their field and shortage of workforce-ready candidates to fill the jobs within the cyber field.
One of the academy Health Professions teachers Jennifer Rachic, MSN RN, thanked the college for sharing with her students. “My students had a blast,” Rachic said. “I thought the presentation was relevant, interactive and extremely engaging. We loved the presenter. My students had nothing but positive things to say and many are looking into the phlebotomy course as a result of the presentation.”
Students attending the academy get a head start on college and careers in high-skill, high-wage and high-demand occupations. Instructors are industry professionals teaching with up-to-date equipment and technology.
“The passion Mrs. Rachic and Mrs. [Kathy] Augustine, have for their students is evidenced by their interactions with them,” Lassiter said. “It’s an awesome phenomenon that should be the rule not the exception with our youth.”
Two presentations later and after a day of valuable interaction, Lassiter noted the value of the relationship between CSM and the academy. “The Continuing Education and Workforce Development division at the College of Southern Maryland can be an integral part of these students’ futures because we have tools for their success. We can give the students options to further their education that they may not have thought of or even knew were available to them.”
For information on non-credit continuing education offerings at CSM, visit www.csmd.edu/programs-courses/non-credit/.