An investment in professional development can improve your ability as an instructor and lead to new career trajectories. Plus, many institutions are requiring that instructors take CEU classes. But wouldn't you like to do these classes remotely, and at your own speed? Choosing to invest in yourself through continuing education has a positive impact on your whole community as a result and PCC makes it easy. Here are some professional development opportunities for educational professionals - but we encourage you to explore all options.

Portland, Oregon has had its share of challenges, both front-and-center in workplaces as well as environmental concerns from stressful weather to global health crises. Even the most mild-mannered person can grow more irritable in the wake of major challenges and stressors. When stress reaches a breaking point, workplace conflict tends to increase. When this happens, managers and colleagues can feel like they don't have the strategies to help them de-escalate tensions in their workplace.

Burnout, or long-term exhaustion and stress in a work context, is possible even in extremely fulfilling careers. Often, the causes of burnout have their roots in feeling a lack of purpose, spending too much time or too much energy working, or feeling like barriers at work prevent you from being effective. 

For many people, the first falling leaves evoke thoughts of school days and fresh beginnings. In 2020, perhaps more than usual, the start of the school season motivates people to reach beyond social distancing to expand their professional development skills.

Become a vital partner in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in your community.

Governor Kate Brown and the Oregon Health Authority have both identified Contact Tracers as vital roles for county and city health departments to ensure the safe re-opening of business. Contact Tracers from all backgrounds are needed throughout Oregon to help track and monitor the spread of COVID-19. If you are interested in serving in this critical public health role, Portland Community College has a contact tracer course that will set you on the path.

Looking for professional development classes this fall? Our programming can help you improve your ability as an effective employee, which in turn may help you move into a new position or give you better insight and leadership skills so that you can guide the employees on your team more effectively. Some of the classes offered by PCC Professional Development and Training this fall: 

This year has made the world of real estate feel like it is on shifting sand, like so many other industries. As a real estate agent or real-estate-agent-in-training, you may feel that this is a particularly difficult year for you and worry about what the next few months may hold in the wake of COVID-19. The news is that people still need your services, but you may need to take special considerations and make preparations to create a successful real estate career in 2020 and beyond.

Despite the troubling economy, the real estate market in Portland remains strong due to a shortage of supply, recent transplants, and newly minted remote workers seeking to upgrade to a home with more room to spread out. Portland continues to experience a low vacancy rate around 2.3%, as well as the low interest rates that prompt investors to buy properties, which bodes well for the prosperity of the home rental sector. 

From first-time management roles up to C-suite executives, one of the challenges of leadership is experiencing more responsibility and as a result, more pressure. While your direct reports feel pressure from you to complete their work objectives, management up through the ranks have bigger goals to meet and less direct control over the outcome. It's important when implementing your leadership style to make sure you're maintaining balance even as things get stressful. These maintenance choices are part of what helps you ride the waves of pressure and come through stronger and more capable than before.

In your professional life, you've probably seen many people handling conflict poorly. There are so many ways to minimize or maximize conflict: escalating a situation with angry words, ignoring injustice and sweeping it under the rug, or even letting a situation unravel to the point where work cannot get done.