Pictured is Hornbrook Resident and COS Student, Shirley Zeman with Technology Cener Instructor and Computer Trainer, Milan Vodicka.

CONGRATULATIONS SHIRLEY ZEMAN!

Guest Columnist – Dawna Cozzalio, Director of Public Information and Administrative Assistant to the College of the Siskiyous Auxiliary Foundation.

Returning to college is a challenge for anyone, especially when you are married, raising three young children, and work. For Hornbrook resident, Shirley Zeman, it only meant, work harder. You see, Shirley came to College of the Siskiyous with a plan, goals, and a vision of what education and training could do for her and she is sticking to it!

Ms. Zeman recently completed the training needed to take the A+ Core Service Technican Examination and she passed it. The A+ Examination is a nationally recognized and administered examination certifying the competency of computer service technicians. The Computer Technology Industry Association (Comp TIA) developed it.

This is a computer hardware examination requiring months of study. It is widely accepted as proof of knowledge and training. With this certification Zeman can now seek work repairing, troubleshooting and problem solving computer hardware. She said she would now pursue the second portion of the A+ Core Certification to expand her expertise. Eventually, she plans to earn an Associate of Science Degree in Computer Networks and Business Management.

Zeman has been taking computer-based classes at the Yreka Campus Technology Center for a year and a half. She chose to take evening classes, as this is easier when you work and have a family. According to Zeman, when she decided to start taking classes, she had a visual picture of the employment she thought she wanted to seek -- computer graphic design -- but found job opportunities were limited if you planned to live in this rural area. "However, I had experience working in jobs where there were computer system networks and decided by earning the A+ Certification I could find work here and continue my education."

Now she can be employed in both business and industry and continue her studies to improve her ability to design and set up computer networks and network systems enabling groups of employees to access a multitude of computer software functions and programs. She hopes to eventually expand her career into designing, developing and maintaining wide area networks.

Zeman said it would be helpful to anyone enrolling in the computer classes to have some very basic computer knowledge. "The computer classes can be challenging, especially if you do not know and understand computer terminology. Computer jargon can be very misleading as it often does not define what the user visualizes."

Zeman continued, the Yreka Campus Technology Center provides a supportive learning community. It is a great place to receive hands-on experience in the latest advancements in both computers and computer technology. The environment is stimulating, user-friendly, and confidence building, with the latest in computer equipment, which speeds up the learning process. The resources offer students’ simulation training using CD-ROM’s, as critical learning components. The CD’s actually simulate a real working scenario thus putting the student through factual situations, which they must then solve. Another bonus is that the lab offers both MAC and PC training.

According to Milan Vodicka, Technology Center Instructor and Computer Trainer, anyone interested in studying computer networks, should come to the Technology Center and look at what it has to offer. Core computer proficiency classes include Computer Networks CSCI 27 A & B and PC Hardware Certification (CSCI 33). Vodicka can be reached at the Yreka Campus, 841-5243 or by e-mail vodicka@siskiyous.edu.

"Shirley Zeman should be proud of her accomplishments, said Director of the Yreka Campus Mike Graves.  The A+ Certification Program offered by COS trains an individual to repair, troubleshoot and upgrade PC’s. This program is designed to produce learning through a hands-on approach to teaching. Shirley, and others like her, gain a solid education of how every PC component works as well as how to quickly identify and repair any system problem."

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