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By Lucas Huerta
Five-and-a-half is the new four.
A typical “four-year” Bachelor’s degree now typically takes more than five-and-a-half years depending on a student’s course of study.
Certificates, however, are holding steady at one-two years and can get students into well-paying jobs much quicker than Bachelor’s programs.
Southwestern College offers about 60 career education options including training for paralegals, police officers, emergency medical technicians, firefighters, recording engineers, drafters, mariachi musicians and an array of others. Most can be completed in a year or two and may lead to well-paying careers.
Automotive repair certificates have helped hundreds of students get on the road to good careers, according to Brian Palmitter, an instructor in the automotive department.
“We have a very weird situation here,” he said. “Automotive is probably unique from other programs, but it serves a lot of people very well.”
Palmitter said automotive students learn how to fix engines, electronic systems, heating and air conditioning. An Automotive Service Excellence Certificate is the goal of most students, he said. This certificate means the student is certified to be a mechanic and ready to be hired at a shop. Some may choose to go in other directions.
“Not everybody that comes here for an automotive skill ends up in automotive,” he said. “Some guys end up working for the electric company.”
Mark Sisson, a professor in the Film, Television and Media Arts program, said an FTMA certificate can open many doors.
“We are preparing students to engage in many different areas including camera operations, cinematography, editing, television and multi-studio cameras,” he said.
Sisson said certificate courses introduce students to industry grade cameras, lighting and sound design in preparation for studio work and live broadcasts. Internships with broadcast outlets like NBC7 can also be part of a certificate program.
“Sometimes students start a certificate program and discover they really like the discipline and move into a Bachelor’s track,” he said. “That’s always a cool thing to see, too.”