Last Day in PROTEC classroom

What we learned this week is that success is all about being engaged! And this group showed up, dressed up and jumped in to the pilot program with good will and humor. Today we will meet with our various sponsors and employers and celebrate the two-week intensive. Over the next few weeks this group of 20 will be working on job sites in Santa Fe County. My feeling is employers are going to love this bunch as much as I do!

Tutoring Center Coordinator job active

Title: Tutoring Center Coordinator
Posting Number: 2015-0034Staf-P
Department: Tutoring Center
Internal Posting
Posting will close at mid-night, August 5, 2015
To review the full job description and apply, use the following link:http://jobs.sfcc.edu/postings/1673

Some PROTEC-ers met with Cheryl Fields yesterday and are encouraged to apply for this position at Santa Fe Community College.

My Windows Toolkit

Today someone asked me about password mangers and tools I use, and I promised a writeup so here goes...

Tools: there are a bunch of tools and utilities for Windows.  I'm sure there are many excellent ones I don't use, but here are the critical few that I use all the time.  Each has a free version (not a trial) with upgrades/subscriptions you can purchase for more features.

1. AVG AntiVirus - easily the best free version I've used, worth a subscription.
2. Advanced System Care - a very complete set of tools to manage & tune Windows
3. CCleaner - just sweeps up after you, but boy does it clean
4. Disktective - small program that tells you what is using up all your disk space.
5. PDF-XChange Editor - remove Adobe Reader and replace it with this. Just do it.

 My passwords discussion ran a little long ... click "Read more" for all the gory details.

MTA Windows Fundamentals Exam Prep

Here are some references and links to help prepare for the Windows Fundamentals Exam.  First, you'll need a copy of the exam scope and the study guide, which can be found on my OneDrive (in the MTA folder).  Download these to your laptop or tablet for reference.

Please read this Exam Profile from Pearson/Certiport to understand what you'll need to know.

If you already know a fair amount about working with the Windows OS (by that I mean that terms like "OS", "Control Panel" , "Device Manager" , and "Windows Explorer" are familiar to you), you can start working through the practice tests in MeasureUp and fill in the gaps you have by looking up unfamiliar terms or concepts.

There are a TON of resources online to help you prepare.  Just search "MTA 98-349" ...

Here are some flashcards and practice tests from CRAM: Windows Fundamentals

Here are some decent video tutorials  - note they are not in order.

Please use the comments section to share what you find helpful!

Connecting Workers with Employers

Starting August 3rd PROTEC-ers will begin making connections to intern on job sites in Santa Fe County. Employers that are offering entry-level training and training opportunities range from local government to the film industry. Many students in PROTEC are looking for stable good-paying positions and are eager to showcase their skills in the community.

From clerical administrative work, event planning, social media marketing to economic development students in PROTEC are getting a chance to expand their resume and get the next job opportunity.

We will begin posting our success stories over the next few weeks! Stay tuned!

Meet Gerard Martinez

Gerard J. Martínez y Valencia worked over 25 years in university, state and local government sectors as a project management, special events, administrative, media, community and public relations specialist and is a private sustainability consultant. Gerard has served on several local, regional and national boards and committees. Currently, Gerard is the Career Technical Adviser for the Accelerate Program at Santa Fe Community College, a U. S. Department of Energy initiative emphasizing in academic and career readiness training. Gerard is an adjunct instructor for the School of Trades, Technology, Sustainability and Professional Studies at SFCC. Gerard is an opsimath, enjoys spending time and traveling with his wife and family, music leadership for his church’s LifeTeen Choir, officiating volleyball, serving on the Northern New Mexico Citizen’s Advisory Board for the Los Alamos National Laboratory and working on his family’s urban farm.

Meet Kim MiLee

Kim MiLee has worked in career skills, recruitment, marketing and branding for over ten years.  During this time, Kim has worked in the northern New Mexico region helping re-careering adults, students, and youth to prepare for a competitive job market.  She is dedicated to providing pathways for career development, training and job-seeking best practices that align with an individualized career plan.  From her experience in both career advising and recruitment, Kim is uniquely poised to help individuals create a vision that aligns with the right employer fit.