Monday, April 16, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Education and Training is the Pathway to Employment
There is a connection between learning, growth and sustainable employment, according to Jerry Masin, president of SetFocus, an informational technology training school headquartered in Parsippany. Unfortunately, too many people do not see that connection. Unemployment among college graduates is 7.5 percent, higher in nontechnical fields such as liberal arts (9.4 percent). Yet unemployment in information technology consistently runs less than half the national average. Meanwhile, 22 percent of U.S. businesses claim they cannot find qualified candidates while 40 percent rate new hires as "deficient." Yet the most popular college majors include social sciences, visual arts, English and communications.
Clearly, too many people do not see the connection between learning, growth and sustainable employment. Fortunately for the students of SetFocus and the employers hiring them, Masin and his faculty do. SetFocus trains and places in the workplace Microsoft experts – from IT professionals whose skills have lagged or those recently laid off to individuals seeking retraining to start a new career. The school works closely with employers to regularly hone its curriculum to ensure students are properly trained in required skills and hiring partners’ needs are properly filled. In other words, SetFocus makes a connection between education, growth and sustainable employment. As a result, the school enjoys significant placement success for its students.
Masin came to SetFocus in 2011. While the school has long been respected in the technical training arena Masin committed to taking the organization to its next level.
With more than 30 years experience in building global organizations, he determined to make SetFocus a key player in workforce development and reinvestment throughout New Jersey. "Edison said, ‘Vision without execution is hallucination,’" Masin said. "Everybody deserves a good education and good job. Without execution, that vision falls into hallucination." For SetFocus, execution includes working closely with the state’s workforce investment boards as well as the U.S. Department of Military Affairs. Already certified as an eligible training provider by New Jersey, the school will become GI Bill-certified shortly. "Education and training is only relevant if it leads to a job," Masin said. "The idea of hitting the job running has never been more relevant than now. Companies don’t have two or three years to get employees trained. They need to be productive now. "We are offering to the workforce investment boards around the state the ability to fast-track training opportunities. When you fast-track training and education you fast track jobs."
Masin is able to turn SetFocus into a workforce development leader because the school is so ideally suited to train and quickly place employees. The school offers students a full-time program of 40 hours per week for 13 weeks or a part-time option of 15 hours per week for 30 weeks and operates a career services and placement department. In addition to being designed with direct input from hiring partners, the curriculum is taught by an unparalleled faculty, according to Masin. "The secret sauce for a training organization is its trainers," he said. "We have been very fortunate to attract rock star trainers, acknowledged subject matter experts. We look for trainers who are recognized as top-shelf experts within the Microsoft community."
SetFocus also offers The GRID®, virtual training that allows instructors and students to interact in a classroom environment from any location. Through audio and video, each student has a "front row" seat in full view of the instructor and fellow students, with face-to-face communication. All of which enables SetFocus to make the connection between education, growth and sustainable employment. "When I talk with an unemployed worker or someone considering a career change, I ask, ‘Where do you want to go?’" Masin said. "But first I say, ‘Let’s talk about where the jobs are.’ I’m not relevant if I can’t help them find a job."
To learn more about SetFocus call 973.889.0211 or visit www.setfocus.com.
From an article appearing in the March 2012 issue of The Business Edge, a publication of The Morris County Chamber of Commerce. With compliments to editor, Chris Reardon.
Clearly, too many people do not see the connection between learning, growth and sustainable employment. Fortunately for the students of SetFocus and the employers hiring them, Masin and his faculty do. SetFocus trains and places in the workplace Microsoft experts – from IT professionals whose skills have lagged or those recently laid off to individuals seeking retraining to start a new career. The school works closely with employers to regularly hone its curriculum to ensure students are properly trained in required skills and hiring partners’ needs are properly filled. In other words, SetFocus makes a connection between education, growth and sustainable employment. As a result, the school enjoys significant placement success for its students.
Masin came to SetFocus in 2011. While the school has long been respected in the technical training arena Masin committed to taking the organization to its next level.
With more than 30 years experience in building global organizations, he determined to make SetFocus a key player in workforce development and reinvestment throughout New Jersey. "Edison said, ‘Vision without execution is hallucination,’" Masin said. "Everybody deserves a good education and good job. Without execution, that vision falls into hallucination." For SetFocus, execution includes working closely with the state’s workforce investment boards as well as the U.S. Department of Military Affairs. Already certified as an eligible training provider by New Jersey, the school will become GI Bill-certified shortly. "Education and training is only relevant if it leads to a job," Masin said. "The idea of hitting the job running has never been more relevant than now. Companies don’t have two or three years to get employees trained. They need to be productive now. "We are offering to the workforce investment boards around the state the ability to fast-track training opportunities. When you fast-track training and education you fast track jobs."
Masin is able to turn SetFocus into a workforce development leader because the school is so ideally suited to train and quickly place employees. The school offers students a full-time program of 40 hours per week for 13 weeks or a part-time option of 15 hours per week for 30 weeks and operates a career services and placement department. In addition to being designed with direct input from hiring partners, the curriculum is taught by an unparalleled faculty, according to Masin. "The secret sauce for a training organization is its trainers," he said. "We have been very fortunate to attract rock star trainers, acknowledged subject matter experts. We look for trainers who are recognized as top-shelf experts within the Microsoft community."
SetFocus also offers The GRID®, virtual training that allows instructors and students to interact in a classroom environment from any location. Through audio and video, each student has a "front row" seat in full view of the instructor and fellow students, with face-to-face communication. All of which enables SetFocus to make the connection between education, growth and sustainable employment. "When I talk with an unemployed worker or someone considering a career change, I ask, ‘Where do you want to go?’" Masin said. "But first I say, ‘Let’s talk about where the jobs are.’ I’m not relevant if I can’t help them find a job."
To learn more about SetFocus call 973.889.0211 or visit www.setfocus.com.
From an article appearing in the March 2012 issue of The Business Edge, a publication of The Morris County Chamber of Commerce. With compliments to editor, Chris Reardon.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Thanksgiving for Hallowed Ground
I have had the opportunity to spend time recently around “hallowed ground” and I’m grateful for that. The term hallowed ground can surely mean many things, to many people. My intention here is to not offer any new definitions, but rather a view on what it means to me.
My recent visits to hallowed ground include time my son Zack and I spent at Gettysburg, the great turning point of the American Civil War. No words I can offer can add to the volumes spoken and written about those momentous three days of July 1st through the 3rd, 1863, except perhaps for these. I agree with the great Civil War historian Shelby Foote that the Civil War defined us as a nation and I believe the Battle of Gettysburg defined the Civil War. Let’s hold on to thoughts of defining moments and hallowed ground.
Other visits to hallowed ground have included being a judge at the Russ Berrie Institute (RBI) for Professional Sales 2011 Sales Triathlon. RBI is part of the William Paterson University Cotsakos College of Business and advances the cause of professional selling skills through a Bachelor of Science degree in Professional Sales.
Another continuing visit to hallowed ground is working with the Career Services professionals at Rutgers University, New Brunswick Campus, as they aid the cause of professional development for the students they mentor and counsel. Hallowed ground is also occupied, from my view, by the work being done by the Career Counselors at Berkeley College through their internship programs for students of the school. The folks of the New Jersey Technology Council, through their Technology and Entrepreneurship Talent Network, are also traveling through hallowed ground as they assist in career and job development efforts for the unemployed or those in employment transition.
I work with many dedicated professionals at SetFocus, a school for advancing education and training, while at same time bridging the gap between talent and opportunity, in the information technology career space. If you hold to the belief that a school is a building with the future inside of it, the physical and virtual campuses of SetFocus are tending to the future very well indeed.
And now back to defining moments and hallowed ground. I believe that hallowed ground is defined by the cause, belief and vision of those who travel it. Edison had it right when he said that “vision without execution is hallucination”. The Battle of Gettysburg was won because of a number of factors; I’d like to believe due to the character, competence and bias for execution shown by the victors.
My colleagues and friends at SetFocus, Rutgers University, the Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales, Berkeley College and the New Jersey Technology Council are traveling on the hallowed ground of learning and growth. When they sound the call of “fix bayonets”, it is for education and the vision and execution behind the creation and sustainability of jobs.
And for the ample evidence and substance they bring to the "better angels of our nature", I offer my thanksgiving.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Better Angels of Our Nature
On March 4, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln concluded his first Inaugural Address with an exhortation and promise to our soon to be embattled nation. He spoke with full knowledge of the looming conflict that became the American Civil War; he also spoke with a deep conviction and belief that our “better angels” would prevail.
I agree with the historian Shelby Foote who said you cannot understand us a nation without understanding our Civil War, a war that was “central to all our lives.” I also believe that the lessons of this conflict stay central to this day.
As we recognize the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, I trust you will join me on this blog and Twitter for a discussion on lessons and learnings in the workplace from a time long ago but, in reality, not far away.
I agree with the historian Shelby Foote who said you cannot understand us a nation without understanding our Civil War, a war that was “central to all our lives.” I also believe that the lessons of this conflict stay central to this day.
As we recognize the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, I trust you will join me on this blog and Twitter for a discussion on lessons and learnings in the workplace from a time long ago but, in reality, not far away.
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