Mar 19, 2024  
Catalog/Handbook 2017-18 
    
Catalog/Handbook 2017-18 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Corporate College


About Corporate College

The Corporate College brings together an extensive curriculum of technological, business, and professional development courses that are divided into areas of specialization called institutes. Each institute incorporates the latest developments in technologies and applications that have a major commercial impact. The Corporate College institutes are committed to making every training opportunity available to the workforce community, and to providing the most economical, efficient, and effective means of meeting today’s demanding training needs. The Corporate College can conduct classes at a company site, at a Polk State College campus, or at a location that is convenient for the workforce needs. Classes are scheduled on days and at times that are flexible for student convenience. Online training opportunities from national providers are also available. The Corporate College web page on Polk State’s website provides contact and registration information.

Corporate College Institutes

Advanced Manufacturing Institute

The Advanced Manufacturing Institute provides manufacturers with access to state-of-the-art equipment, affordable workforce development, and training solutions for the development of specialized skills in manufacturing. The purpose is to continually incorporate the latest developments in technologies and applications, to train individuals to those standards, and to help Polk County and neighboring counties build their industries to achieve global competitiveness.

The Corporate College implements ambitious training programs designed to provide a well-trained, highly-skilled workforce to area companies. In designing these programs, the Corporate College collaborates with local manufacturers, leading training providers, and innovative equipment manufacturers to develop and deliver the programs desired. These partnerships use industry-tested professionals as instructors to assist the Corporate College in delivering new and emerging technologies to the local workforce.

Business and Technology Institute

          The Business and Technology Institute is comprised of three specialized areas of training, innovation, and career development             within the Corporate College.

The 3-D Innovation Lab

The Polk State 3-D Innovation Lab, located at the Corporate College, offers 3-D printing services to individuals and businesses. Non-credit training courses are available for community members of all ages and interests, and the lab offers services such as modeling, scanning, and 3-D printing using a variety of tools. Stocked with four commercial-grade printers, this state-of-the-art facility enables local residents, entrepreneurs, and businesses to explore 3-D programming, as well as to create and print 3-D designs. Items that previously had to be made by manufacturers can now be printed on machines. The 3-D Innovation Lab empowers Polk County residents and businesses with revolutionary technology that has the ability to produce production-ready products for prototyping, presentation, and design comparison.

IT/Computer Division

The IT/Computer Division offers a broad array of hands-on IT, project management, and professional skills-training courses. Throughout the last decade, the global market has encountered an explosion of new technology, much of which has become ubiquitous in the workplace. Today’s computer users must be continual learners.

The IT/Computer Division schedules classes throughout the year in the College’s state-of-the-art computer labs. All classes can be customized to fit specific training needs. Whether a business is interested in certification programs or new software application programs, IT/Computer Division professionals can assess these needs and develop a program that uniquely serves and benefits the company.

Professional Development Division

The Professional Development Division offers courses that allow professionals to increase their skill sets and obtain new proficiencies necessary in a competitive and global business environment. Students can choose from various programs and fields. Specifically, the Professional Development Division offers classes in the following key areas:

  • Management Trainee/Leadership
  • Human Resources
  • Project Management
  • Business Communications
  • Training for Trainers
  • Sales and Negotiations
  • Legal Studies

Among its many benefits, the Professional Development Division offers local courses, flexible class times, online and face-to-face formats, low-cost tuition, experienced instructors, and relevant training options.The Professional Development Division collaborates with top industry professionals who are recognized leaders within their industries. Instructors are highly experienced leaders, renowned keynote speakers, and notable authors. The Corporate College is committed to training employees with customized programs and courses that are based on the specific needs of individual organizations.

Child Care Training Institute

The Polk State College Child Care Training Institute provides introductory child care training required by the Florida Department of Children and Families for employment in the child care profession.

Polk State College provides Florida’s state-mandated training and certification exams for child care professionals in Polk, Hardee, and Highland Counties. These mandated courses provide the training necessary for individuals to either work in or own a child care center. The classes address both basic and specialized training, and focus on the high quality of care children deserve.

College Alliance for Advanced Manufacturing - CAAM

The mission of the College Alliance for Advanced Manufacturing (CAAM) is to champion innovative training programs that support a stronger economy and keep the manufacturing workforce current and viable in a demanding era of globalization and change. The Alliance provides curriculum, training, and certification resources to foster the development and sustainability of Florida manufacturing. To achieve these goals, the CAAM works with stakeholders from academia, industry, and government.

The CAAM organizes and provides a wide array of proven resources and access to high-quality, reliable training through some of Florida’s most recognized, experienced training organizations in the private sector. The Alliance provides on-site training and accessible testing sites that are capable of granting in-demand certifications for employees working in the field. 

Contractor Safety Training Institute

The Contractor Safety Training Institute offers the Contractor Health and Safety Training Program for all contractors working in the Central Florida Phosphate Industry. This program also includes the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) 24-hour New Miner Training Course and the Annual Refresher Course for those contractors who work on mine sites. These training opportunities meet all state and federal guidelines.

Insurance Institute

The Polk State College Insurance Institute provides pre-license courses taught by experienced leaders in the insurance industry, and offers a complete program of courses in an online format. Fully online courses are available for the 2-15 Health and Life including Annuities and Variable Contracts Pre-license Course, the 2-20 General Lines Pre-license Course, and the 40-Hour Conversion for Experienced Licensees Course. Additionally, the Polk State College Insurance Institute offers the 6-20/ACA: Accredited Claims Adjuster Designation Course and the 4-40 RCSR: Registered Customer Service Representative Course. Once earned, both the ACA and RCSR designations allow the student to be exempt from the corresponding Florida state exam when he or she applies online to the State for either the ACA or the RCSR license. The College reports an individual’s course credits electronically to the Florida Department of Financial Services and acts as an approved state provider.

Real Estate Institute

The Real Estate Institute provides participants with an overview of real estate principles, practices, and law, as well as issues relating to investment. Participants taking these courses are primarily seeking to explore possible careers in the real estate field.

The Corporate College has partnered with the online trainer REcampus to offer students online options in real estate training.

Supply Chain Management Institute

The logistics and supply chain field includes a variety of employees within business distribution and management including forklift operators, warehouse managers, operation analysts, purchasing specialists, and all of the individuals necessary to maintain effective and efficient flow of materials and products. Polk State’s Supply Chain and Logistics Institute specializes in training individuals to positively impact a company’s bottom line and allow for expansion opportunities.

The Supply Chain and Logistics Institute (SCLI) offers courses in Transportation/Logistics, Warehousing/Distribution, and Industrial Ammonia Refrigeration, and is a RETA (Refrigerating Engineers and Technicians Association) training center; these components of supply chain management comprise a significant percentage of Polk County’s economy. An individual who completes courses through the Supply Chain and Logistics Institute can ultimately gain certificate training, specialist certification, expert-in-field certification, articulation to college credit, or a Polk State Associate in Science (AS) degree in Supply Chain Management. These options benefit students, businesses, and the local economy.