Thursday, January 31, 2013

Three Online Degrees Math-Phobic Students May Consider


Many students just hate mathematics. They always try to avoid the numbers and suffer from a common mathematics anxiety. These students are not brainless otherwise and there are thousands of instances where math-hating students became eminent personalities and left their indelible imprints in various fields. However, a common notion is that there are not many career paths that require not mathematics. This is a wrong belief as there are hundreds of career options that do not require study of mathematics. Criminal justice, public relations, graphic designing are just some of the examples. Here below are three online degree programs recommended for you if you consider yourself a math-phobic.

Online Paralegal Studies

If you hate mathematics like anything but are an avid reader and researcher, paralegal studies online is just for you. The US Department of Labor defines paralegals as assistants to attorneys and their duties include conducting research, writing reports and excavating facts that are crucial for forming up a case. Attorneys look for knowledgeable, self-disciplined and research-minded professionals and an online or on-campus degree earned from an accredited US university may open the door to many lucrative job offers for you. However, you need to enhance your writing and researching skills.

Online Public Relations Degree/Diploma

Many online colleges in the US include public relations in the Journalism/Media Studies courses they offer. A public relation officer's job generally includes communicating with news correspondents, writing PRs and speeches etc. all that is required for making a career in the public relations field is good verbal and written communication skills and the applicants for these jobs need not possess math-solving skills. If you get enrolled in an online PR/Journalism degree or diploma course, you can develop your interpersonal communication skills and need not to study mathematics. US Department of Labor recommends earning a Bachelor degree for those who are interested to enter this field.

Graphic designing courses online

These courses are specially designed for students who have an inclination towards beaux arts. Being a designer, as you might assume, you need not to calculate and solve critical mathematical problems. Rather, your employer or clients would expect outstanding pieces of art that would serve their specific business purposes from you. These days, many colleges are offering graphic designing courses online and if you do not have enough time to pursue your course from a brick-and-mortar school, you can consider these options. As a professional in this field, you need to create layouts, graphics, logos and illustrations and can secure a job in an advertising agency or in a TV media company.

There are actually so many skills and expertise areas aside from mathematical analytical and reasoning skills that are in demand across various sectors. So even if you were not good at mathematics and generally break out in a cold sweat at the thought of solving complex mathematical problems, your career is not doomed. You still have a lot of options in your hand and if you wisely choose your career path, you can also shine in your later life.


Wednesday, December 19, 2012

How Will Potential Employers View A Degree From An Online University?


You might be wondering how will potential employers view a degree from an online university? This is especially true if you are thinking of studying online, and do not want to simply waste your money, but would like to know it will be worth the effort. After all, the purpose is to improve your skills, and make yourself more marketable.

For the effort to be worthwhile, the online college you decide on must be properly accredited with responsible bodies whose authority extends to your area. A quick online search will soon show the position. You should be wary of the many schools churning out worthless diplomas, as this is a complete waste of your hard-earned money and effort. Any worthwhile college will be willing to show their accreditations, and you should confirm with the bodies mentioned.

The course you take must also be recognized by a responsible body. It is possible that a college is recognized, but not all the degrees are accepted. It is a great idea to make doubly sure, just in case: otherwise there is no point to taking the course. Also, degrees in a field from certain colleges could be more highly regarded. You should satisfy yourself that the qualification from the college are sure to make it easier to get employment or promotions, as having to change schools may mean that only some credits would be carried over.

Perhaps you could consult with the personnel department or someone with the necessary knowledge at your company as to how acceptable the degree is. They may be able to suggest the best Internet university which would satisfy all your criteria. Once more, it could be useful to do a web search, as there may be many useful discussions on this very topic.

After checking on the degree, you should check on the attitudes of different employers. While the qualifications are legally valid, some companies may prefer more familiar colleges. Most companies are quite willing to accept them, as long as they satisfy the requirements.

In fact, a Web degree would be acceptable to most companies. Diploma mills are not unique to the Internet, although this medium does attract them because of the low costs. As long as the college and qualification are both recognized by responsible bodies, there should be no substantial difference from any other degree.

Most companies will be willing to give you extra credit for your determination and self-motivation. It takes a lot of great personal qualities from an individual to succeed at distance learning. There are so many distractions and no set routine to keep you motivated. Because you have shown such qualities, having studied online may be regarded as an advantage.

So how will potential employers view a degree from an online university? Well, it depends on a number of different factors. The majority of employers do not discriminate, and you should just the few which do. The Internet has become increasingly popular as a study medium, and this is likely to increase. Just make sure that the standards of the university are high, and the rest is really up to you.


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Six Sigma in Services


Introduction to Six Sigma in Services

Aside from being used in manufacturing and product development environment with an aim of boosting customer satisfaction, Six Sigma is now also implemented in the service industry. This means that service organizations including insurance companies, banks, schools and hospitals are seriously applying Six Sigma into their operations. Six Sigma in services is guaranteed to not only improve customer satisfaction but also produce sizable savings and significant improvements in the major operations of a business. Performing service functions plays an integral role in the success of various business organizations. It should be noted that a service business is different from those that manufacture products because the former's main focus is to directly offer services to customers, meet their specific requirements and ask for feedback directly. Service offers are also said to be experienced by clients or customers faster when compared to products. Upon the delivery of the service, the customer gets the chance to experience it and starts to express either satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

It should also be noted that service businesses come with interaction and transaction components. While the transaction components are mainly concerned about dependence of processes to get high-volume function outcomes including those that are offered by fast food restaurants, health centers, insurance companies, banks and ticketing office, interaction component is more focused on providing personal care and paying close attention to high-value and low volume services. Industries with interaction components usually include sit-in restaurants, personal services and specialized health care. All the complexities of running service business can be handled with the help of Six Sigma. 
Importance of Six Sigma in Services

The implementation of Six Sigma in services can definitely provide numerous advantages that are beyond what a service business owner expects. If you have undergone a Six Sigma training so you will have an easier time applying the methodology into the service sector, then there is a great chance that you are already taught how important it is to take into full consideration the customer, design, operational and strategic perspectives within the service industry. It is important for you to note that you need to make a few changes in the applications of various approaches linked to Six Sigma including DMAIC within a service environment. You need to be serious in adapting the control stage of the DMAIC approach because it can help you in administering and effectively handling the major roles played by people in the service sector. You get the chance to implement this stage by effectively controlling processes driven by people by trying to embed certain practices with recognition, feedback and training.

To successfully implement Six Sigma in a service business, you also need to address various aspects related to running a business. You need to know exactly how to analyze and understand business performance based on the corporate culture, leadership style, decision-making, values, politics, organizational structure, customer satisfaction, performance, systems and processes. You will also be required to analyze different elements of an organization as this can help you in identifying opportunities that can help you in making significant improvements.

How to Make Sensible Measurements when Implementing Six Sigma in the Service Industry?

Implementing Six Sigma in services requires a strong understanding of the different ways for you to handle the process of sensibly measuring processes and produce results that are extremely meaningful and useful in your operations. One of the most effective solutions is to utilize the right measurement level. You need to perform measurement tasks using the right level so you can generate meaningful results. It should be noted that in most cases, the 80/20 rule is being applied to the processes of a service business. This means that twenty percent of the steps that you have undertaken can impact eighty percent of the time consumed in executing processes. It also means that twenty percent of customers contribute to eighty percent dissatisfaction after the utilization of qualitative measures.

Another effective way to make sensible measurements in the service industry is to account for variability. Note that most processes in a service business come with significant variations especially in the manner through which they are executed. These variations are dependent upon how complicated it is to handle a specific task. Other useful ways to sensibly measure processes that form part of a service business organization are putting more strategic emphasis on quantitative instead of the qualitative measures, emphasizing management communication processes and offering excellent support for positive changes.

Significance of Taking Up and Completing a Six Sigma Certification Course

Taking up a Six Sigma Certification course is your ticket towards fully understanding how Six Sigma in services is being carried out. You need to complete this certification course before attempting to apply the methodology in your operations so you can correctly perform it and produce the most desirable results. The good thing about this is that reliable certification companies like Brainmeasures can now offer you a higher level of learning and better skill set through its Six Sigma certification courses. Being certified is also extremely useful in acquiring numerous Six Sigma jobs.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

CNA Training Options


As the most common source of CNA training, community centers provide great resources for hopeful CNA candidates. These centers may be private nursing homes with community service programs, Red Cross-affiliated institutions, or hospitals with training programs available. People choose these types of programs because they cater to the public, both in price and class structure. They offer programs at reasonable prices or with perks for future employment. For example, once certification is complete, some nursing homes will reimburse the cost of training and test fees. Other programs are designed to improve conditions in the community instead of for profit, resulting in much lower costs for the same services. The advantages are the convenient locations and reduced costs, but drawbacks include crowded classes and the possibility of a disorganized system, as they are required to accommodate as many people as possible.

Private Universities

This is a suitable option for those who are already enrolled in college-level classes. This route is most often taken by students studying the field of medicine or nursing. The certification to be a CNA is useful for Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses in-training, as it requires similar knowledge and skillsets. Having CNA certification can be useful as a resume building qualification or even as an intermediary position before working as a RN or LPN. This is not the best option for those who are not already enrolled in college classes.

Technical and Community Colleges

There are a number of private institutions that offer classes and training for hopeful CNAs. Because state regulations have standardized CNA training programs, there are a number of state-approved training programs available in every state. Sometimes these are offered at community colleges or technical colleges. The advantages of these types of programs is that they are widely available, offer hands-on guidance in a class of limited size, and are specialized to provide the most appropriate training. The drawbacks include high costs and enrollment barriers. But depending on your location, it is possible that the high price of tuition will be covered by your employer. Because they are often for profit, these programs will charge more for their lessons, but provide experts in the field of nursing and competitive passing rates.

Personal/Online Programs

Some states do not require a CNA applicant to complete any training program before taking the certification test. Therefore, it may be useful to seek out the necessary training on your own. There are a number of CNA training programs and available materials to facilitate independently-minded CNA candidates. There are risks involved, however. Online programs can be incomplete and some states prohibit them as qualification for the test. If this is the option you are most interested in, make sure to do thorough research on your state's certification requirements and the program of your choice.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

The Rise of Online Learning


Advantages

Amongst the advantages for e-learning are definitely the comfort aspect. Training courses can usually be accessed all day, every single day of the week online. The fact that coursework can be viewed on-demand offers organizations the additional benefit of tailoring learning regimens to the precise needs of employees. Permitting them to learn at their very own speed and progress only when ready to move on towards the subsequent set of course subjects. In addition to that, constantly updated progress reports support student managers to remain on track with their students' general progress, allowing them to manage accordingly. Because everyone learns differently, the ability to implement many different study resources and useful strategies for mastering provides flexibility in the education processs. Students can utilize video education material, live demos, real-time simulations, practice situations and pre-test exams as well. Since the course resources are located online, the database of content will be updated frequently.

Online vs classroom learning

Online classes are up to 80% lower priced than regular public classroom settings as a result of the lack of overhead associated with online training. Considering students are able to concentrate on their coursework more with online training, they're in a position to learn more rapidly, more efficiently, and stay away from unnecessary outside distractions. At the same time, relevant discussions are often developed among students and also other industry experts by way of a shared expertise community - an additional of the added advantages to e-learning. Other savings are realized by reducing travel and associated costs to zero.

E-learning and your own IT career

IT e-learning can consist of anything in regards to information technology. Fully grasp server networking and upkeep across a number of platforms - from Linux to Microsoft and more. Study computer software development and make it your own with java, c++ or many more. Understand how you can manage a database with MS SQL or Oracle simply and efficiently. Understand the desktop and workplace basics such as common Microsoft Office applications, like Word and Excel. Take practice exams to test yourself, then move on towards a profession in IT.

The chance for advancements in IT are endless, nevertheless it all starts having a quality education. Where it ends is up to how far you want to take your career in IT, and how you use online it training for your advantage. Training is readily available for your organization, and courses are also offered to private students who want to further their IT knowledge in their spare time. An innovative learning concept - e-learning in the IT field where all you need is a personal computer with Online access along with a wish to succeed in the IT sector.


Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Why Should I Create a Memorial Site?


Many people believe in afterlife. Most frequently, afterlife is described as a beautiful land of color, light and music. Nowadays, because the continuous surge of information and technology into our lives create a new opportunity to embrace the idea of existence beyond life - digital afterlife. Digital afterlife is only one aspect of life after death. Facebook pages of deceased individuals are a proof of this assertion. Thus, giving Internet users an opportunity to enhance the well-being of their deceased friend or relative in his or her digital afterlife would encourage them to participate in the act of remembrance and honor their beliefs.

The dynamics and intensity of social life online implies that many people distinguish between their offline and online selves. Many people know each other only through the Internet by means of either social networks or blogs. In case their online-only acquaintances die, people would need an opportunity to express their grief and acknowledge how important the deceased individual was for them regardless of their online or offline communication. A warm virtual gift or an online candle that is lit together with sharing photographs or videos would give them an opportunity to express their grief for someone they did not personally know.

While there may be an enormous demand for an opportunity to honor the deceased individual online, the existing means to do so are limited to memorial Facebook pages (a page that is turned into a memorial is locked for everyone, and only friends can see updates or posts) or blog posts. Nevertheless, many people may be willing to share their compassion or express their feelings through more traditional means, such as lighting candles. These people may need to go a long distance to the grave of their beloved one, or it may even be the case that they do not have an opportunity to do so. iCandle would grant them an opportunity to express their spirituality, their grief and their feelings about the loss of their dear relative or friend without having to travel. Furthermore, the gift they give or a candle they light would be visible to other friends and the family of the individual who passed away.

The flow of information is constant, and we always know what our friend would like to see or read. However, when this friend passes away and we happen to run into that particular video he or she would enjoy so much, we would need a place to send it. Although he or she would not have an opportunity to watch that video, once we post it online together with a candle that we light for him or her, we would be soothed and consoled by knowing that a friend of ours still lives in our memory.