CRI Seeks Instructors for Non-credit Workshops and Courses
The Center for Research and Innovation is expanding online and classroom business and industry training offerings. Instructors may deliver classes days, evenings, weekends, or via the web. This is an excellent contract opportunity for individuals with technical or professional certification AND applicable work experience or a formal degree. Subject areas include, but are not limited to, manufacturing, healthcare, business, trades, management, office support or management, records management, and information technology. If you have a technical or professional certification or degree and are interested in this opportunity, send resume via email to mwellcome@bemidjistate.edu with “CRI Instructor Opportunity” in the subject line.
Third Annual Bemidji Safety Conference Scheduled April 3
Minnesota Safety Council, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry and the Northern Minnesota Safety Council have once again teamed up to host Bemidji Safety Day. Mark your calendars for April 3 at the Evangelical Covenant Church on Highway 2 West in Bemidji. The day will feature a variety of presentations; break-out sessions, and vendor displays. More details , full press release and registration form are online.
“Illegal Drugs and Alcohol Awareness in the Workplace”
Presenting will be Vicki Hanson, coordinator of MeritCare Workplace Drug Analysis Services, Fargo, ND. Hanson has 19 years of experience working with employers to manage their drug and alcohol testing programs and is a certified professional drug screen collector, certified breath alcohol technician and certified designated employer representative. The presentation will help employers and managers identify the problem of drug abuse and alcohol misuse in the workplace and provide advice on how to decrease associated risks. Guidance will also be provided on how to comply with federal and state laws and a sample policy for drug and alcohol testing will be provided. The fee for attending this quarterly session is $50. Register TODAY for this April 3 session, held 9am to 12noon at CRI. Registration forms are available online.
Microsoft Office 2007 – What’s New?
This session will include a comparison of navigation between the new Microsoft Office 2007 and older versions of the program. The information presented will be helpful to computer users who are new to using Office 2007, those who are considering whether to upgrade, or those who will be upgrading sometime soon. New features unique to Office 2007 will also be discussed, and handout materials will be available to those attending. Instruction will be provided by Gary Sorenson, Northwest Technical College. Participants are encouraged to bring along a bag lunch. The FREE session is scheduled from 12 noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9 at CRI. Click here for more information and full schedule.
Academy of Lifelong Learning (ALL) Wraps up Spring Series
“Dragonflies of Northern Minnesota” will be presented by Dr. Janet Rith-Najarian, a teacher-consultant with the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education, but also spent many years working with biological survey projects for the Mississippi Headwaters Board, Rivers Council of Minnesota and the DNR Non-Game Wildlife Program. The program will be Tuesday, April 8 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. at the Center for Research and Innovation, 3801 Bemidji Avenue North, Suite 4. The series finale is “Opera – For Real!” on Tuesday, April 15, 10 – 11:30 a.m.. Join Fulton Gallagher, BSU professor emeritus, to compare and contract German and Italian operas, along with American opera. The full schedule is included in the ALL newsletter online.
Jerusalem—3000 Years of Holiness
Academy of Lifelong Learning partners with Northern Exposure to Lifelong Learning to bring back Dr. Steven Derfler. An international educational consultant, public speaker, archaeologist, historian, researcher, teacher and writer, Dr. Derfler has been uncovering the histories of ancient civilizations for over 30 years. More information is available online or by contacting Patt Rall at 755-8942 or prall@charter.net.
The session will be April 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a modest fee of $20 per person which includes the program, lunch and refreshments. Your check, made out to NELL, may be sent to Alan Goldberg, 119 Shorecrest Road, Bemidji, Mn. 56601.
Project Management Program Offered Online
Learning how to manage projects will provide you with a set of tools that, if used correctly, will allow you to identify the tasks, assign the resources, and minimize the risk when tackling a new project. The online course in “Fundamentals of Project Management” provides a foundation to the Project Management processes and the management tools necessary to ensure success. Topics include project selection, life cycle, scope planning, estimating costs, identifying specific project tasks (so you don’t forget any!), execution and control, and risk management.
If you are embarking on a “project”, at work, your business, non-profit, or at home, this class will give you the tools necessary to ensure success. At the end result of the class each student will have a completed project management plan that can be implemented. This class will be delivered online beginning April 14. More information and registration form is online.
“Wild Rice in Minnesota: Overview of Status, Threats and Management”
Presenting will be Ray Norrgard, wetland wildlife program leader, Minnesota Department of Resource, Division of Fish and Wildlife, St. Paul. Wild rice has great ecological, economic and cultural importance in Minnesota, noted Norrgard. His presentation will review the current status and distribution of wild rice in Minnesota, threats to its future in the state and current management by the state DNR. The presentation should be of interest to both natural resource professionals and anyone who is interested in the preservation of Minnesota’s wild rice resources. This session will be held at the CRI on Monday, April 21 from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. More information and the full schedule is online
News from the NW Regional Small Business Development Center
“So You Want to Start Your Own Business?”
This three hour presentation covers the basic steps to starting a business in the State of Minnesota and focuses on feasibility, business plan basics, basic legal requirements, and understanding the financial aspects of financing a business. Taught by Jorge Prince, Director of NW Small Business Development Center. Bemidji Class: April 17
“Is Your Business Idea a Good Idea?”
So how do you know whether your business idea is destined for success or failure? This three hour workshop focuses on the fundamentals of creating a thorough feasibility study. Special attention is paid to market research techniques, defining your target customer, and obtaining/using demographic information. Taught by Dave Smith, Director of Marketing Assistance and Research Solutions at BSU. Bemidji Workshop: April 22
All classes are scheduled from 6pm-9pm with a fee of $40/person. Spouses and business partners can attend for an additional fee of $20.00 per person. Contact Shari at saugustine@bemidjistate.edu or call the SBDC at 218 755 4255 for more information.
Regional Employer Support Network presents Planning for Change - Boomers
Debbie Drinkard Grovum, a counselor with Northwest Technical College will be the presenter. Her presentation will provide planning templates for the organizations attending the session. Join us for this FREE informational session on Thursday, May 1 from 9 am to 11 am at the Center for Research and Innovation. The full RESN schedule is online.
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and regional support partners. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the program sponsors. Programs are open to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if request at least two weeks in advance. Contact (name, address, and phone number of person who will make the arrangements).