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Editorial
New program offers chance to put screen time to work for you
Friday, April 17, 2015
You probably have a Facebook account, you probably use email and you might even use Twitter.
But have you ever wondered what happens behind the screen?
Our local community college is offering an opportunity to find out.
And, you can earn an informtion technology certificate while keeping your regular job.
If your computer has ever gone on the blink, you know how helpless you can feel. Now imagine that your business, your livelihood, depended on getting it running again.
You have some idea of just how welcome competent technical help would be.
Emmanuel Luke, an IT instructor at North Platte Community College, said there are 400-plus IT-related positions open in Nebraska right now.
"Every business in this world now operates with some form of information technology device that can store and retrieve information about that business," he said. They're willing to pay $20,000 to $59,000 a year, depending on location, for someone with an associate degree and IT certification.
He mentioned recently being in contact with local hospitals, banks, Internet service providers, industries and the college itself, in need of IT people.
Beginning this fall, Mid Plains will offer an IT certificate program comprising six courses, 18 credits, which will take nine months to a year to complete.
Students will learn how to set up computer hardware and software, resolve computer-related issues, support customers and keep current on changing technical information.
Officials hope, of course, that people who earn the IT certificate online will turn to MPCC to pursue an associate degree in personal computer support with a network technology emphasis.
Those classes, offered in McCook and North Platte as well as online at extended campus locations in Broken Bow, Imperial, Ogallala and Valentine.
More information is available here or by calling (800) 658-4308 for more information.
You're probably already spending time in front of a computer screen answering email and sharing photos with your Facebook friends.
Maybe it's time to put that screen time to work for you.