New strategy, new programs highlight Fall Term 2024 at Seminole State

With the 2024-25 academic year beginning Aug. 26, Seminole State College of Florida is moving forward with a new strategy, programs and resources designed to create a college- and career-long partnership with learners at every level. Here’s a look at what’s on the horizon for Fall Term 2024 at Seminole State.

New Year, New Strategy

“Seminole State is Your Learning Partner for Career Success.” That’s the strategy Seminole State is embracing for the new academic year and beyond. While the College has always focused on providing a quality education that prepares students for successful careers, this strategy statement provides the framework for supporting students from admission to graduation and throughout their careers. By fostering a career-long relationship with students and community members, Seminole State will be a trusted partner throughout individuals’ career journeys. You can expect to hear more about the College’s new strategy throughout the year, so stay tuned. 

New and Updated Programs

As a workforce champion for the community, Seminole State works with industry partners to add and update programs to meet workforce needs and help students prepare or upskill for in-demand careers. 

Data and Visual Analytics: Bachelor’s degree holders have a new opportunity to enhance their skills and advance their careers with Seminole State’s Data and Visual Analytics Certificate of Professional Preparation. This fully online program will allow professionals to deepen their knowledge of contemporary analytics tools and techniques and immediately apply it to any corporate setting where data and the analysis of it are vital to business success. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the demand for data scientists will grow by 35% through 2032, so opportunities in this field will abound.

Pneumatics, Hydraulics and Motors: The College will offer a new career certificate in Pneumatics, Hydraulics and Motors for Manufacturing starting this fall. The pneumatics certificate will train students for jobs in the field of engineering technology and provide a pathway to continue their education and advance their careers with Associate in Science and Bachelor of Science degrees in Engineering Technology. Unlike many engineering programs, engineering technology at Seminole State is a hands-on, real-world experience so students can be sure the skills they learn in this program are the skills they will need to enter the workforce.

Artificial Intelligence Awareness: With the emergence of AI and its increasing influence on our society, the demand for professionals with the skills to understand and ethically use the technology is expected to grow. Seminole State’s new Artificial Intelligence Awareness Certificate will be the entry point for students to learn about AI and its application to various fields. While the College’s AI certificate won’t be available until Spring Term, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Thinking, a course in the nine-credit program will be offered this fall, giving students a head start on earning the certificate. 

STEM Express: Students aspiring to attend medical, dental, pharmacy, physician assistant or even veterinary school can move closer to that goal faster with Seminole State’s new STEM Express program. In this program, based at the College’s Lee Campus at Oviedo, students can take prerequisite courses for majors in these health-related fields in full and eight-week sessions, allowing them to earn the STEM Certificate in just two semesters. In addition to accelerating time to degree completion, earning the STEM Certificate via the College’s express program can increase students’ chances of getting into medical, dental or other limited access programs. 

Stage Technology: Students looking for a shorter pathway to a career in Central Florida’s bustling entertainment industry can take advantage of Seminole State’s updated Stage Technology Certificate. For the first time, the certificate can be earned in just two semesters. The courses in the 17-credit certificate have been redesigned in shorter, intense formats so students can start this fall and finish in spring. Students in this program will build a foundation of skills to begin production work in the entertainment industry. Already, this program has proven to be a pathway to a career as Seminole State graduates who have earned this certificate have been employed in Central Florida’s theaters, theme parks, libraries and churches. 

Career Planning and Exploration

Aligning with Seminole State’s new strategy, more resources for career planning and exploration will be available this fall. 

Focus 2 Career: The College’s Career Center encourages students to begin career planning and research long before graduation. To assist with that effort, the center is offering Focus 2 Career, a program that helps students choose majors, explore occupations and make informed career decisions. The program assesses students’ work interests, personality, values, skills and leisure interests to guide them toward occupations and supporting majors at Seminole State that match their personal preferences and attributes. It allows them to navigate their career options and track their academic and professional experience as they progress toward career readiness. Focus 2 Career saves their results so student can access their information at any time as often as they wish. This summer, 500 students in the College’s first year experience course used the program, and it will be available to more students in that course this fall. Prospective and current students as well as alumni can access Focus 2 via the Career Center website under Career Opportunities. 

Navigate 360 – Forage: Seminole State students already use Navigate to guide their college experience, but the system’s new feature, Forage, takes it a step further by providing access to virtual job simulations and career preparation tools. Real-world employers from companies such as J.P. Morgan, Lululemon, Red Bull and beyond have all worked with Forage to create online simulations that provide students a better understanding of what to expect when starting a career at their company. The simulations take between two and four hours and give students a better sense of what day-to-day life in the job would be so they can plan their career path with confidence. As Navigate promises “college simplified,” Forage is designed to make career exploration easier. 

Getting Ready for Fall Term

Complete the FAFSA: There’s still time to complete the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to receive financial aid for Fall Term. The FAFSA determines students’ eligibility for financial aid and scholarships that can be applied toward their tuition and fees, reducing out-of-pocket costs. Seminole State’s Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships notes that most students qualify for some kind of aid and having a FAFSA on file is required not only for grants and loans but also for many scholarships. The FAFSA form has been simplified and is designed to connect more people with more funds and improve the user experience. Seminole State’s FAFSA website provides the steps to apply for aid and a FAFSA checklist to help students get started. 

Fall 2024 Prep Rally: Speaking of helping students get started, Seminole State will host Prep Rally from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 17. During Prep Rally, students can stop by the College’s Altamonte Springs or Sanford/Lake Mary campuses for help with financial aid and registering for classes, to pick up their student ID or parking pass, purchase textbooks and more. It’s a one-stop event for students to complete their checklists for Fall Term. 

With a new strategy and career resources, industry-aligned programs, and events all focused on student success, Seminole State is preparing learners at all stages to reach their academic and career goals as their “learning partner for career success” now and in the future. Registration for Fall Term is underway. Classes start Aug. 26.