Center for Professional Development
The primary purpose of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies’ Center for Professional Development is to provide the region’s business and professional community with high quality programs and services designed to enhance individual performance and organizational effectiveness. The Center’s areas of expertise include management and professional development programs; organizational improvement services; technology training; and meeting and conference planning and management services.
Management and Professional Development Programs
The Center offers several training and certification programs on an open enrollment basis throughout the year. Current offerings include the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certification Prep Course, the SHRM Essentials of Human Resource Management course, and the Project Management Institute’s (PMP) Certification Prep course. These programs also can be conducted on site and tailored to unique organizational needs. The Center has conducted on-site programs for clients that include Booz Allen Hamilton, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County Government, Northrop Grumman – Mission Systems, QinetiQ North America, MediCorp Health System, BAE Systems, L3-Com, and Spotsylvania County Information Services Department.
Organizational Improvement Services
The Center, through its network of faculty members and experienced consultants, can provide an array of contracted training and consulting services, e.g., strategic planning, management development, management coaching, project management training, team building, and organizational assessment. Center clients include GEICO, Pratt Medical Center, Collegiate Funding Services, LLC (now JPMorgan Chase & Company), Capital One, Spotsylvania County Information Services Department, and the Office of the Spotsylvania County Administrator.
Technology Training
Professional staff members within the Center anticipate changes in the
technology industry and provide high quality noncredit technical training by
offering seminars, workshops, and courses to meet the needs of individuals,
business, and government. Current IT certification programs include the Cisco
Certified Network Associate (CCNA), the Microsoft Certified Information
Technology Professional (MCITP), the Microsoft Certified Application
Specialist (MCAS), the industry-recognized Computing Technology Industry
Association (CompTIA) A+, Network+, and Security+ certification programs,
and the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
The Center also designs and delivers custom technology training
solutions for both IT and business professionals. Clients include GEICO,
CVS Distribution Center, Northrop Grumman, MTCSC, Stafford County
Information Technology Department, Spotsylvania County Information
Services Department, and Collegiate Funding Services, LLC (now JPMorgan
Chase & Company). Customized courses include SQL 2003, SQL 2007, Crystal
Reports, Microsoft Project 2007, and Microsoft Office 2007.
Meeting and Conference Planning and Management
The Center staff has the capability to plan and manage business, educational, and professional meetings and conferences ranging from half-day planning sessions to weeklong events. The College’s campus features contemporary buildings with wireless capabilities and state-of-the-art classroom technologies. There are 23 classrooms, six computer labs and a network security lab, a 28-seat videoconferencing theater with IP-based VTC equipment, and two executive conference rooms. Additionally, the College’s University Hall, a flexible meeting space with presentation capabilities and adjoining atrium, is designed to accommodate groups ranging in size from 50 to 350.