CONTINUING EDUCATION 

Continuing education programs focus on lifelong learning needs for personal enrichment and career development. These programs respond to current community needs through seminars, workshops and classes focusing on interests and needs of individuals and groups. SCC, SFCC and the IEL offer a wide variety of continuing education noncredit state-supported programs and self-support programs. The latter provides adults and young people a creative outlet to pursue activities not related to a college credit program. Financial aid is not available for these classes.

CCS continuing education programs include a variety of personal interest, creative, recreational, skills assessment, counseling and enrichment courses for men and women of all ages. Career and technical courses, customized training for business and industry and small business courses also are offered. Classes range from one-day or evening workshops to three-to eleven-week classes offered during the day, evening or weekend.

CCS welcomes program suggestions from the community and is eager to work closely with business, industry and community agencies to develop or customize special courses and programs to meet specific needs. Employers are encouraged to contact the colleges about classes of interest to their employees. 

Registration procedures for continuing education courses are different from those for credit courses. Students may register by mail using the registration form in the quarterly class schedule, in person at the college continuing education registration area, and by phone, fax or online using MasterCard or Visa. Because of the large number of students frequently attending continuing education classes, admission is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Some courses or programs require a minimum age of 18 years, prerequisites and/or employment in an occupation related to the course. 

For a current list of continuing education courses, consult the CCS quarterly class schedule; or SCC Continuing Education (509) 533-8010 and 
www.scc.spokane.edu/ce; SFCC Continuing Education (509) 533-3140 and www.spokanefalls.edu/Programs/ContinuingEd; or IEL Enrollment Services (509)  279-6000 and www.iel.spokane.edu. 

Business And Community Training 

The Business and Community Training (BCT) Division of the Institute for Extended Learning is located at 3939 N Freya Street. Using the educational and technical resources of SCC, SFCC and the IEL, BCT specializes in designing, coordinating and delivering training programs in a multitude of areas, ranging from technical skills to leadership/management issues. Training is customized to meet the specific needs of businesses, with alternatives for locations, times and methodology that include onsite training to businesses throughout eastern Washington, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For specific information on customized training programs for business and industry, call (509) 533-4700.

BCT also offers personal enrichment classes and small business training for students 18 years and older, as well as programs for those of retirement age and parent education/cooperative preschools. For information on these programs, call the numbers listed in the following sections. 

Community Education 

The Community Education program offers a wide variety of noncredit personal enrichment and professional computer classes for students 18 years and older. These affordable classes range from one-night workshops to multiple-session classes and are offered at convenient times in the evening or on weekends at public schools and other locations throughout Spokane County. These classes provide an important connection between the community colleges and the community. For more information, call (509) 533-4748. 

Parent Education/Cooperative Preschool Program 

Parenting is treated as a vocation by the state of Washington. This noncredit program invites parents to explore the ways they influence children; discover how children “read their world”; discover how self-image develops; and explore quality-of-life issues such as family, communication skills, finances and relationships. Parent “co-ops” are located in three counties of the college district.

This program is designed to meet the schedules of parents with infants, toddlers, and 3- to 5-year old children.

In Spokane, several co-ops offer a special group for parents with infants under age 10 months, called Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS). It is a weekly, two-hour support/education class. 

For more information on locations and fees, call the Parent Education office at (509) 533-4895, (800) 845-3324 or e-mail jgunn@iel.spokane.edu. 

Seniors Program 

The Seniors Program offers a wide variety of enrichment courses each quarter for those of retirement age throughout the Spokane area. Senior Week, created from the Elderhostel model, also is offered during the summer. For more information, call (509) 533-4756.

Small Business Training

Small Business Training provides low-cost, noncredit training for small businesses in business basics such as cash flow management, recordkeeping, taxes, legal issues, marketing and setting up a website, as well as special interest topics such as nonprofit management and grant writing. For more information, call (509) 533-4700. 

Washington State Customized Training Program 

The Customized Training Program (CTP) is designed to provide training assistance to businesses locating new jobs or expanding jobs in Washington state. CTP training is a tool for enhancing the growth of Washington’s economy, increasing employment opportunities and adding to the state’s quality of life. All of the training is customized to meet the training needs of the company. For more information, call (509) 533-4700.
Washington State Job Skills Program 

An economic development program established and funded by the Washington State Legislature, the Job Skills Program (JSP) provides customized job skills training to meet Washington state employers’ specific skill needs for new and current employees. The JSP provides specialized training in the areas of computer skills, leadership, Lean Manufacturing/Office, and other training considered necessary to improve business quality and emerge with a stronger, more competitive workforce. 
For more information, call (590) 533-4700. 

Correctional Educational Programs 

Classes operate at the Airway Heights Correction Center and Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women. A grant from the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) enables the college to provide educational services for the Washington State Department of Corrections. The classes offered at Airway Heights Correction Center and Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women include: Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Educational Development (GED), English as a Second Language (ESL), Information Technology Certificate (ITC), Office Assistant and Front Office Professional Certificates, upholstery, interactive media, electronics training and parenting. 

For more information, call the education centers at: Airway Heights Correction Center, (509) 244-6897; and Pine Lodge Corrections Center for Women, (509)      299-2312. 

Displaced Homemaker Center/Change Point 

The Displaced Homemaker Center offers six-week classes to women and men in transition following divorce, separation, or the death, disability or incarceration of a spouse or domestic partner. These classes are designed to prepare students for employment and continuing education. The Change Point Program offers vocational counseling, basic computer training, and support addressing barriers and challenges to becoming self-sufficient. For more information, call (509) 279-6065.

Head Start/ECEAP/Early Head Start 

Spokane Head Start and Early Head Start are federally-funded programs serving children of low-income families, from birth to five years of age. The Early Childhood Education Assistance Program (ECEAP) is a state-funded preschool program that gives priority to children who are four years old by August 31. Services are free to eligible families and include early childhood education, nutrition, social services and disabilities support. Parent involvement is encouraged. Some sites provide fee-based, full-day childcare services integrated with Head Start/ECEAP/Early Head Start. At more than 20 sites throughout Spokane County, Head Start/ECEAP/Early Head Start staff and parents work together to provide positive experiences for children and their families. For more information, call (509) 533-4800 or visit
http://www.iel.spokane.edu/hs/default.php. 

Worker Retraining Programs 

Worker Retraining is a Washington State cooperative initiative between Community Colleges of Spokane and the Washington State Employment Security Department. This initiative is designed to help eligible unemployed workers receive funding for retraining at CCS. Eligible unemployed workers include: (1) dislocated workers, (2) laid-off workers receiving unemployment benefits, (3) workers who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, (4) formerly self-employed workers, and (5) displaced homemakers. Services include employment and training assistance, career counseling, school-to-work and job transition, goal setting, customized training for job skills upgrade and job placement.

For more information, call the Worker Retraining Office at SCC (509) 533-8056; SFCC (509) 533-3521; IEL (509) 279-6031; or WorkSource Spokane (509) 532-3172.