Community Education Classes
Volunteerism
The administration, faculty, and staff of Rend Lake College firmly believe in the concept that student learning should extend beyond the classroom and that each student should develop an understanding of their civic responsibility and recognize the value and importance of community service.
One way in which students can demonstrate an awareness of the opportunities and responsibilities of citizenship is through participation in a volunteerism course. Through enrollment in Volunteerism 1100 students can earn .5 or 1 credit hour by volunteering in approved community service experiences. Opportunities may include, but are not limited to, tutoring, literacy training, neighborhood improvement, environmental programs, animal shelter care, assistance for the elderly or disabled, and supplementing the work of mental health car providers.
For more information or to enroll in the course, contact the Cooperative Education and Employment Services Department.
General Information
Community Education Programs
Illinois Concealed Carry Firearms Training
Choose Rend Lake College as your training center to earn a concealed carry license. To register for the class, contact the RLC Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714. Registration and payment must be completed by the day before the class, and will be accepted until the class is full.
Cooperative Education
The administration, faculty and staff at Rend Lake College are committed to preparing students for productive, satisfying careers with area businesses and industries. The role of the Cooperative Education and Employment Services program is to serve as the liaison between job-seeking students, graduates and alumni and the employment community.
Our goal is to accommodate the personnel needs of employers while helping Rend Lake College students, graduates and alumni achieve their career aspirations. Cooperative Education and Employment Services are offered at no charge and are available to any Rend Lake College student, graduate or alumni, as well as any other resident of the college district.
Services are split into two mutually supporting programs, Cooperative Education and Employment Services. Both programs deserve a closer look from the employer and student perspectives.
Cooperative Education
Sometimes referred to as co-op, on-job-training or internship, cooperative education is a method of instruction that places Rend Lake College students into jobs relating to their majors. It is an attractive program for students and employers.Employers and Co-op - There are several reasons why employers can profit from the use of cooperative education students . . .
Cost Reductions - Simply put, hiring co-op students improves the bottom line in three areas:
• Unemployment insurance is not required on co-op students.
• Recruitment and training costs are lower with co-op students.
• Co-op students are generally exempt from expensive benefit packages.
Productivity - Co-op students are highly motivated, trainable workers who frequently are assigned special projects, freeing permanent staff for other important duties.
Flexibility - Cooperative education students are available when you need them. No need to wait for the start of a semester to hire.
Students and Co-op - Participation in cooperative education is advantageous for a number of reasons to students.
Academics - This is real learning and is just as academically vital as time spent in labs and classrooms. Rend Lake College awards transferable credit for cooperative education work experience.
Experience - Students gain practical, real-world experience that makes courses more meaningful. Co-op work experiences also strengthen the résumé, providing critical experience employers desire.
Financial Assistance - Co-op jobs are paid positions. While this is certainly not the most important aspect of the program, it does help defray the cost of higher education.
Job Offers - It is not unusual for Co-op students to be offered summer or even full-time job opportunities at their places of employment.
STUDENT QUALIFICATIONS: In order to qualify for the Cooperative Education program, students must have completed at least 12 semester hours with a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or higher.
Corporate Education
Upcoming Workshops:
Community & Corporate Education is dedicated to meeting the training/retraining needs of business and industry and providing residents of the college district with the training needed to upgrade skills or obtain full-time employment. A unique variety of courses, workshops, and other training opportunities are available. The Center can also provide “customized” training to area employers using Rend Lake College instructors, staff, and consultants. Training can be delivered on-site, on the Rend Lake College campus, at the Rend Lake College Marketplace in Mt. Vernon, or the Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus
Students with an interest in your type of business are available through Rend Lake College for employment. This allows the student to gain valuable on-the-job training while enhancing your employee base. By hiring these students, you have made a great contribution to their education and their prospect of employment in the future. Help us train tomorrow’s workforce!
For more information or to register, phone (618) 437-5321, ext. 1367.
WorkKeys
What is WorkKeys?
WorkKeys is a system developed by ACT (American College Testing) to help students develop better workplace skills, help teachers prepare students for the workplace, and help employers select the most qualified candidates for the job.
Why is WorkKeys Important?
Employers today have created vast numbers of jobs requiring higher skill levels than in the past. They are having an increasingly difficult time finding qualified employees. WorkKeys helps businesses and educators understand each other’s needs.
How WorkKeys is Used
There is a growing trend across the country to bring together employers, educators, labor and state agencies to improve a community’s supply of skilled workers. WorkKeys job profiles have been completed for thousands of jobs and occupations. More than 8500 jobs, in nearly 1400 occupations, ranging from accountant to automotive technician and from welder to webmaster have been profiled.
How WorkKeys Works
WorkKeys is built around a set of skill scales that accurately measure both the skills of individuals and the competency levels required for successful job performance.
Businesses use WorkKeys job profiling to analyze the skills necessary for specific jobs in their organizations. These profiles offer a concrete way for businesses to describe to educators, students, and job applicants the skills they need for particular jobs. Then, job applicants can use their WorkKeys scores to determine how their skills measure up to those required. And, educators can see how well they are preparing graduates for the work world in different occupations.
WorkKeys offers eight assessments that can be used separately or in combination:
Applied Mathematics
Applied Technology
Listening
Locating Information
Observation
Reading for Information
Teamwork
Writing
Employment Services
Institute of Lifelong Learning
Classes
Trips & Tours
Community and Corporate Education
Upcoming Events
| Fall Midterm Oct 07 2016 |
| Warrior Fest Oct 08 2016 |
| Columbus Day Holiday Oct 10 2016 |
| Faculty & Staff In-Service Oct 10 2016 |
| RLC Preview Day Oct 10 2016 |
| Internet and Email Basics Oct 18 2016 |
| Grant & Scholarship Refund Checks Issued Oct 21 2016 |
| FAFSA Completion Day Oct 25 2016 |
| Last Day to Drop Classes Nov 10 2016 |
| Veterans Day Holiday Nov 11 2016 |