Continuous Learning for Individuals, Management & Business

Every term, thousands of students benefit from the valuable in-person and online coursework at Portland Community College. While some coursework results in long-term enrollment for multiple years, shorter programs quickly move students from their first course into their first job in a new industry.  

Angela and David Anderson spent years helping Oregon’s wine industry grow by providing Web and consulting services for restaurants and wineries. In 2019 they stepped onto the front line of the industry and opened Syndicate Wine Bar in downtown Beaverton. Syndicate is “a community wine bar, bringing in all facet of wine culture,” they wrote. "A place where all people could sip, sample, buy bottles and snack on appetizers."

Finding a new job or finding your first job is an exercise in patience, resilience, and persistence because no one likes to find out that they didn't get an interview or are just not the top choice for an employer. It can feel like you have sent a million applications even if you are still relatively early in your process of applying. There are ways you can keep things in perspective and make sure you have the staying power to get ready for a job hunt. If you're lucky, you won't need these strategies, but recognize that great workers sometimes have long job hunts, especially in specialized industries or times of economic shift. Here are some tips for how to stay sane while job hunting. We wanted to include some of the more gentle job search tips 2021 has to offer. 

This month we interviewed Jeff Stell with Business Oregon who, after 26 years working at the Oregon Department of Human Services, decided to try something new. He enrolled at Portland State University in the Master of Public Administration program and simultaneously took a new position at Business Oregon as the Business Projects Incentives Coordinator where his job was to implement incentive programs that would strengthen the development of businesses, communities, and economies in Oregon. With that shift Jeff says he “encountered three career changing opportunities" that helped him discover that a great amount of import/export activity happening across the state, and exporting wasn’t getting the attention it needed at the state and local levels.

Dr. Sean Harry is an instructor who has worked at the CLIMB center since 2011. Harry teaches early business start up classes through the Small Business Development Center. Dr. Harry has helped hundreds of small business owners, and now he is ready to help you! Read more about Dr. Harry below.

 SBDC Client, Vesna Ader, dreamed of starting her own business. After several years of planning and many months confounded by a global pandemic, she was able to finally open her dream business in September 2021. The Ruff House is an indoor dog park where dog owners can enjoy a drink with both their two-legged and four-legged best friends! They also offer doggy daycare, boarding, training, and grooming. This is her story.

2019 graduate of the PCC SBDC Restaurant Builders program, Robert Greenup, has been obsessed with Ramen since he was a child. When he made a trip to Japan to visit family, he experienced delicious Mutekia Tonkotsu Ramen and spent the next year feverishly trying to replicate it. After that he decided to begin making his own noodles. One thing led to another and his restaurant Baka Umai (Japanese for "stupid delicious") was born. This is Robert's story.

Working as a wildland firefighter, SBDC client Leo Ochoa learned firsthand about back pain and how it hampered the work he did. That experience led him to design and manufacture spine-centric personal body support. In 2019 DorsumTech launched a Kickstarter campaign and receive its first orders. Manufacturing during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge, but now all the parts are coming together and DosrumTech is finally able to ship off their first round of products. This is Leo's story.

Elisa Wickstrom began her work with the PCC Small Business Develop Center in March of 2021. She is an advisor in the Getting Your Recipe to Market (GYRM) Program. This is her story.

SBDC client Chris Pero (perodesign) is a premier art sourcing studio with many options for your art needs. They offer a wide variety of options that include custom picture framing, 3 dimensional wall artwork, concept design, layouts, art procurement, project management, art installation, finishing (such as printing on surfaces such as acrylic, canvas, metal), and more. This is Chris' story.