First semester

Second semester

Intro to Workforce
Workplace Safety
Customer Service I
Self Determination & Advocacy

Basic Computer Skills
Employment Readiness
Financial Literacy I

Third semester

Fourth semester

Advertising & Marketing I
Vocational Externship/Internship I/II

Advertising & Marketing II
Vocational Externship/Internship II/III/IV

 

During the first two semesters, students remain together as a cohort. Once completing our core curriculum and the internship process begins, students then have the option of taking other non-credit or credit classes.

Advertising and Marketing I
This course is to acquaint students with basic Advertising and Marketing skills used in a variety of settings for personal and business use. It provides instruction in design principles and the use of type, illustrations, and digital images to create marketing campaigns suitable for a variety of customer needs. Skills addressed will include techniques to create a personal portfolio and promotional items. Students will be exposed to desktop publishing, laser engraving, screen -printing, banner, sign and button making.

Advertising and Marketing II
This course adds to the Advertising and Marketing I skills used in a variety of settings for personal and business use. It provides reinforcement in design principles and the use of type, illustrations, and digital images to create marketing campaigns suitable for a variety of customer needs. Skills addressed will include techniques to create a personal portfolio and promotional items. Students will create desktop published pieces, laser engravings, 2 color or special effects screen -printing, banners, signs and button making.

Customer Service I
This course is designed to acquaint students with the components of successful customer service as those components might apply to a variety of entry level positions in local businesses. The components of a successful customer service program most often taught to employees include: telephone etiquette, trust and rapport building, active listening skills, problem solving, defusing anger, stress control, email etiquette, managing customer expectations, goal setting, and creating customer loyalty.

Financial Literacy I
This course is designed to prepare students for basic Math skills used in a variety of settings such as work and home. Skills addressed will include time management, measurement, basic operations such as adding and subtracting, rounding and estimating, and multiplication and division. Topics addressed will include using measurement skills to prep food, counting inventory, keeping track of and calculating total hours worked, using checking and savings accounts, and using an ATM card or check.

Intro to Workforce (College Basics)
This course is designed to help students utilize college resources to achieve success in academic coursework while exploring personal preferences in relation to career interest and life choices. Students will be exposed to many facets of college life with the goal of allowing them to select academic, career, and social experiences that interest them.

Self-Determination & Advocacy
Self-determination refers to an individual’s right or freedom to make choices. It involves making informed decisions and taking responsibility for those decisions. The purpose of this course is to enable students to develop and apply self-determination skills in school, home, community, and work settings. These skills will assist students with achieving their desired school and post-secondary school outcomes, participating actively and effectively in planning meetings, and self-advocating in multiple settings.

Self-advocacy refers to an individual’s ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate, or assert his or her own interests, desires, needs, and rights. It involves making informed decisions and taking responsibility for those decisions. Students will learn that although a person with a disability may call upon the support of others, the individual is entitled to be in control of their own resources and how they are directed. It is about having the right to make life decisions without undue influence or control by others.

Basic Computer Skills

This computer skills curriculum is designed for teaching basic computer skills, Microsoft programs, and Social Media awareness to the students. The curriculum uses visual aids, practical application and performance based assessments to help students navigate basic computer functions, become aware of potential risk when searching the web, and becoming familiar with using Microsoft programs to create documents, Power Points, and visuals. 

Vocational Externship I, II, III, & IV
The PSE Vocational Externship is training-related work or practical experience within BRCC which is: (1) formally part of the PSE program; (2) based upon a preplanned outline of experience/skills to be acquired; (3) an application of previously studied knowledge and skills; (4) formalized through a signed agreement between the institution and community business partner; (5) systematically supervised by a PSE staff member at the institution and the externship site; and (6) evaluated by both the on-site supervisor and the institution’s staff member based on established criteria.

Paid employment will be sought for all PSE students entering the second year of their PSE training, but is NOT guaranteed.

Vocational Internship I, II, III, & IV 
The PSE Vocational Internship is training-related work or practical experience which is: (1) formally part of the PSE program; (2) based upon a preplanned outline of experience/skills to be acquired; (3) an application of previously studied knowledge and skills; (4) systematically supervised by a PSE staff member at the institution and the internship site; and (5) evaluated by both the on-site supervisor and the PSE staff member based on established criteria.

Workplace Readiness
This course is designed to prepare students for interviewing with a potential employer. All students need interview and social skills in a variety of areas, as well as, preparedness for the many varied challenges of getting and keeping a job. As a result, they need time to learn and practice these skills. Students will learn essential job skills that can be applied while at work or at home.

Workplace Safety 
This course is designed to increase students’ awareness of workplace hazards, how hazards can be controlled, what to do in an emergency, what rights they have on the job, and how to speak up effectively when problems arise at work. While workplace specific training is most critical, workers also need the opportunity to learn and practice general health and safety skills that they will carry with them from job to job.

 *Optional/future classes at the discretion of the PSE staff

Customer Service II
This course is designed to further acquaint students with the components of successful customer service as those components might apply to a variety of entry-level positions in local businesses. In addition, this course picks up where the first part of the program leaves off featuring video modeling and peer mediation.

Financial Literacy II
Much like Financial Literacy I, this course is designed to prepare students for basic Math skills used in a variety of settings such as work and home. This class will serve as a continuation of the skills covered in the first course.

Office Specialist I & II
These classes will simulate working for a company that designs and creates a wide variety of business documents for its clients. The student will learn how to create any kind of document that a real-world business might need, from business cards and letterhead, to an employee database and an informational slide show. They will use critical thinking and decision-making skills to plan, create, revise, and produce a wide variety of real-world documents.