All posts by Jeff Cavanagh

About Jeff Cavanagh

Jeff Cavanagh spent his freshman year at St. Petersburg Junior College back in the early 70s before enlisting in the United States Navy. Soon after, he attended Jacksonville University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. After college, he was commissioned and became a qualified Surface Warfare Officer spending the next 22 years honing his skills as a ship-handler and expert recruiter before retiring in 1994. Jeff expresses a deep sense of pride in St. Petersburg College due to connections that go back many years. His father, Tom Cavanagh, was a career Air Force fighter pilot and combat veteran who taught Geography and Western Civilization at St. Petersburg Junior College in the 60’s and 70’s.

Dr. Tonjua Williams, Senior Vice President, Student Services, St. Petersburg College receives the Patriot Award from the Department of Defense

Events, Featured, General News

ST Pete Dr Williams Pic

Clearwater, Florida – James Dicks, Chairman of the Florida Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), an office of the Department of Defense, announced that Dr. Tonjua Williams, Sr. VP Student Services, St. Petersburg College, Clearwater, Florida received the Department of Defense Patriot Award for her exceptional support of the members of the Guard and Reserve that are employed by the organization. The award was requested by United States Air Force Reserve Captain Dr. Eric Carver. In his nomination Captain Carver said that “Dr. Williams is highly supportive of employees who serve in reserve and guard status. Dr. Williams is not only an example, but a “rare asset” in a large organization that works diligently toward excellence. Rather than see an individual’s reserve or guard commitment as a hindrance, she leverages the skills learned during military service to optimize excellence within the organization.” The award was presented to Dr. Williams (Pictured center) on behalf of the DOD by LTC Roger Trout (USAR-Ret) (Pictured Right) and Mrs Colleen Trout, members of the Florida ESGR committee. Pictured left is the nominator Captain Eric Carver, US Air Force Reserve.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is an office of the Department of Defense established in 1972. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service by recognizing outstanding support, increasing awareness of the law, and resolving conflict through mediation. ESGR volunteers provide free education, consultation, and if necessary mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees. As the 35 thousand members of the National Guard and Reserve in Florida and Nationally 1.3 million members continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens, ESGR will continue to be the informational agency for the employers of citizen warriors. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at Floridaesgr.com, or by calling Michael Negron of the Florida ESGR Committee, at (407)353-3301.

 

The Telling Project Workshop

Events, General News

The Telling Project Workshop

       – A New Approach to Serving SPC’s Student Veterans

Date – Time: April 22, 2016 – 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Location: The Conference Center, SPC Seminole Campus

Professional Development: Three hours of credit will be earned

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.     Lunch: To be provided.

SPC’s Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions and Veterans Services, in conjunction with the National Telling Project Institute and the Florida Humanities Council, will present a unique workshop to enhance the college experience for SPC’s student veterans.

Goal: Deepen understanding by SPC faculty and staff of the military experience, easing student veterans’ transition back into civilian society and enhancing their prospects for academic success leading to productive employment in the career of their choice.

Who should attend: Faculty, Instruction and Academic Programs, Career and Student Services staff are urged to participate and all SPC employees are welcome.

With 1,400 veteran students using GI benefits enrolled during the Fall 2015 semester and almost 2,300 veteran students assisted, registered and certified during the full 2014-15 academic year, this workshop is designed to strengthen relationships between veterans and the college employees who serve them.

Background: The Telling Project is a national initiative that seeks to connect veterans and the public through the power of theater. It works with a team of six to seven veterans to present dramatic performances from their personal experiences in military service and their re-entry into civilian life. By crafting, rehearsing and performing their own narratives in their own words, this troupe of veterans creates an artistic and therapeutic work that enables them to express on stage what is often challenging to address in everyday life.

Since a very low percentage of the faculty and staff has actual military experience, and even fewer have served in recent wars, it is likely that not many truly understand what war is like – or how it impacts the lives of those who serve, especially when re-entering civilian life. This training offers SPC employees an opportunity to broaden such understanding among key personnel who serve our veteran students.

To watch a video of Telling: Tampa Bay, visit this link on the Florida Humanities Council website.

About the workshop: Participants will first view a documentary of the creation of the Telling: Tampa Bay production that was staged in Tampa Bay during spring of 2015.  It includes video of the stage production, initial interviews of the participating actor-veterans and conversations among the veterans as the production was developed.  Several of these veterans will attend the training to offer a talk-back forum following the showing of the documentary.  Director of the Tampa Bay production will also share her insights from this intimate process of developing a stage production.

After a short break participants will delve into pertinent questions in facilitated breakout conversations. These discussions are aimed at broadening public understanding of the military experience and its impact on veterans’ lives, even long after they leave military service.  Greater understanding of that impact is crucial to easing veterans’ transitions to civilian society.

Each breakout group will have the benefit of a student veteran, a Veteran Services Specialist or an employee veteran participating in the conversation. The actor-veterans will rove among the groups to add their experiences and perspectives to the discussions.

Want to fly a drone? SPC offers training in growing industry

General News, Jobs

Drone

With so many technological advancements in the field of pilotless aircraft, UAVs (“Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” that are better known as drones) are poised to play a much larger part in the business model of a variety of different industries, as well as become common in our everyday lives. Over the next 10 years, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or drones are expected to create more than 100,000 jobs with an economic impact of $82 billion. Florida stands to benefit more than almost any other state as new regulations will bring 3,000 new jobs and $632 million in economic impact to the state by 2017, according to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. That’s a lot of opportunities.

Drone Jobs and Tech Industry Growth

So can we expect an aerial army of Amazon and Fedex drones within the next couple decades? Perhaps, but drones have the potential to transform the way many other companies do business as well, and not necessarily in all the ways you might expect. These sectors stand to reap just as many of the benefits of drone technology in the not so distant future:

  • Delivery and Fulfillment: Thanks to Amazon’s efforts, the highest profile potential use for commercial drones is customer fulfillment. The possibilities are endless here; just about anything that can be carried by a delivery person can also be carried by a drone. This isn’t just limited to items we usually think of when we want something delivered to us, like pizza or Chinese food; drones could also bring groceries from the supermarket and prescription drugs from the pharmacy right to our doorstep.
  • Logistics: In addition to delivery, they can also be used as a part of a larger logistics infrastructure, with larger, heavy-duty drones traveling between warehouses for inventory management. Not only could this speed up the warehousing process, but it could also free up our roads and highways from delivery trucks.
  • Public Safety: Drones have the potential to complement or completely replace wall-mounted security cameras or even security guards. They could be especially useful in patrolling large commercial buildings such as factories, office parks, and power plants. On the law enforcement side, police could make use of security drones to supplement their presence at large public gatherings and events like sporting events and fairs.
  • Journalism, Filmmaking, and Photography: Hobbyists are already using drones to take incredible aerial video and photographs. Professional filmmakers have used drones to film several of Hollywood’s blockbusters such as Skyfall, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Locally, a drone was used to film scenes from Dolphin Tale 2. The same principles would apply to journalists, who could use drones to capture footage they wouldn’t otherwise be able to obtain, such as in war zones or disaster areas.
  • Aid Efforts and Disaster Recovery: Because drones can go places that humans can’t, they could be ideal for search and rescue operations and delivering much-needed relief supplies to remote locations or disaster areas. Fire departments could send a drone in to initially assess the damage from a chemical spill without putting lives at un-needed risk.
  • Agriculture: The Environmental Protection Agency is already using drones to monitor and manage livestock farms, the technology that could easily be applied to commercial farms. Farmers could also use drones to spray for pests and diseases, analyze irrigation coverage, as well as deliver parts to their machines out in the fields without having to halt harvesting operations.

Upcoming Drone Training at SPC

Responding to growing interest in and the use of drones, the Workforce Institute at St. Petersburg College has partnered with the nation’s premier UAS Training and Certification Center to provide online courses and certifications. Additionally, the college has partnered with a local aviation group to provide Private Pilot Ground School training and certification courses. The Tampa Bay Times recently reported about drone training at SPC.

Manufacturing & Supply Chain Job Fair!

Events, General News, Jobs

How to Find the Job That’s Right for You

February 5, 2016College of Business, Supply Chain Management

SPC_LINCS_LinkedInBP_LinkedInBlogPhoto_webThe answer to “what do you want to be when you grow up?” may have changed since you were first asked that question. Maybe or maybe not.

Perhaps you are on the verge of deciding your occupation, what degree to pursue, what industry will allow for growth and flexibility and consistent financial gain.

These determinations are ironically more difficult to make today than they ever were. The ability to obtain advanced degrees and major in concentrations never before offered, provide for a dizzying array of options.

Here at St. Petersburg College, it is our commitment to educate, but also to open up the realm of possibilities.

To that end, we are hosting a MANUFACTURING AND SUPPLY CHAIN JOB FAIR in partnership with Florida TRADE on March 23, from noon to 3 p.m.

Its focus is to bring together job seekers and employers within the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management sectors.  In attendance will be area employers with job openings for: entry level, professional, and management positions.

This event is not only FREE, it includes workshops that will run from 9 a.m. to noon covering topics such as:

  • Resume Tips and Critiques
  • Acing the Interview
  • Networking 101

Join us on March 23rd from noon to 3 p.m.

SPC EpiCenter
13805 58th St. N
Clearwater, FL 33760

How to Participate

This job fair is open to the public as well as employers who might be looking to hire someone in the manufacturing and supply chain management field.

A Career in Supply Chain Management

You may not be aware that a Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals exists or that it is a means to a prospect, but you may find this industry interesting; because it is multi-faceted.

“Not only is supply chain management important to the world’s leading organizations, this fast-paced, global field offers tremendous employment opportunities. Supply chain managers are in high demand but limited supply, meaning that you’ll have wide-ranging supply chain management career options and advancement prospects. In short, nearly every size and type of organization needs motivated, well-prepared individuals like you to become their supply chain leaders of the future!”

From the 40,000 foot perspective, professionals in this industry of logistics “make sure that goods and services get into the hands of consumers”.

This sector encompasses just about every other industry with career advantages that suit the gamut of aptitudes and interests:

  • Analysts
  • Customer Service Representatives
  • Logistics Associates
  • Inventory Control Managers
  • Logistics Managers
  • Logistics Services Salespeople
  • Logistics Software Managers
  • Materials Handlers
  • Production Managers
  • Purchasing Associates
  • Demand Planners
  • Supply Chain Managers
  • Systems Support Managers
  • Transportation Managers
  • Vendor Managed Inventory Coordinators
  • Warehouse Operations Managers

For more information about this exciting opportunity, contact Marta Przyborowski at 727-341-7973 or email her at przyborowski.marta@spcollege.edu. Pre-registration for job seekers can be accomplished at www.spcollege.edu/lincs.

For more detail about our program in general, check out our SPC LINCS webpage. What you don’t know may be exactly what you are looking for in a career.

Ride 2 Recovery Grand Opening

Events, General News

RIDE 2 RECOVERY GEARS UP FOR THE OPENING OF THEIR CENTRAL FLORIDA PROJECT HERO FACILITY AT ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE ON FEBRUARY 12

 

Mike Prendergast, Executive Director of Florida Department of Veterans Affairs

and Mayor of Clearwater, George Cretekos, to be Special Guests

 

John Wordin, President and CEO of Ride 2 Recovery, a unique ground-breaking physical and psychological rehabilitation and recovery program that restores hope and purpose to injured veterans, announced today the opening of Project HERO Central Florida in Clearwater on Friday, February 12, 2016 at 1pm.

Mike Prendergast, (Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired) Executive Director of Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, will be on hand and is set to speak at the opening. Other elected officials are expected to attend.

Project HERO (Healing, Exercise, Rehabilitation, Opportunity), a life-changing program  that is one of the four components of Ride 2 Recovery’s model, is where injured veterans can interact with the local community to enhance, inspire and challenge them. The program tailors fitness regimens, dietary and lifestyle counseling and ensures each participant success through their progressive cycling program.

“Veterans come to Project HERO to help themselves and help each other,” says Wordin. “There is no other program like this that combines the hard work and the reward of completing a goal you set for yourself that you were not sure you could accomplish. For these men and women, cycling becomes a life-changing addition to their physical and mental rehabilitation.”

Nathan DeWalt, Program Manager for the new facility, said, “Ride 2 Recovery (R2R) will host in partnership with St. Petersburg College Clearwater Campus a Grand Opening event this Friday, February 12. To publicize its presence in Central Florida and to kick off the opening of its new indoor cycling training facility, the opening will introduce cycling volunteers from the Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and Tampa communities to R2R program participants and will start preparations for future outdoor group rides. “

Project HERO Central Florida intends to make a difference in the whole life health of our disabled service members and veterans by providing an adaptive cycling program that will positively impact their lives forever.

The mental and physical challenges of cycling have proven to be a catalyst to the recovery process for our heroes in an environment of support and camaraderie with like-minded riders.  Our mission is to get more riders riding more often!

Raytheon and the VA have provided R2R with the funds to purchase upright, recumbent and hand-cycle bicycles, cycling trainers and associated computer, software and monitoring equipment. St. Petersburg College Clearwater campus provided R2R with the indoor space. The result is a contemporary, state-of-the-art training facility on the Clearwater campus that will accommodate athletes with almost any physical or mental injury.

The new facility is opening the day before Ride 2 Recovery’s Honor Ride Florida at Tropicana Stadium in St Petersburg, where over 500 cyclists will support injured veterans from across the state.

Project HERO Central Florida is located on the campus of St. Petersburg College Clearwater Campus, 2465 Drew St, Clearwater, FL 33765 (Building ES Room 104)

Veterans Fire Corps

Benefits, General News, Jobs

 The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America’s #1 conservation service organization and seeks qualified applicants to lead, educate, and inspire Corps Members for the Veteran Fire Corps programs. Below is a link to an informational flyer about our Veterans Fire Corps Project Leader position. The Project Leader does not need to be a military veteran. The Project Leader will supervise teams of five post-9/11 military veteran members working in partnership with the US Forest Service to complete fire/fuels management work.  Veterans Fire Corps provides post-9/11 veterans with the training, credentials and experience they need to competitively pursue wildland fire and/or forestry careers.  Projects may include participation on prescribed fires, fuels reduction, fire effects monitoring, FIREWISE educational outreach and pre-fire preparation of burn units.

 http://www.thesca.org/veteran-fire-corps-project-leader

  http://www.thesca.org/serve/program/veterans-fire-corps