Centenary’s Center for Innovative Learning expands opportunities for continuing education, professional development

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) – Centenary College is adding to their academic offerings with the new Center for Innovative Learning.

The CIL will launch on Thursday, Oct. 17, offering opportunities for continuing education, professional development and other innovative programs.

Officials say the courses will be accessible online to people across the globe, not just Centenary students.

“Centenary College’s mission is to prepare global citizens to live productive lives of vitality and purpose. The new Center for Innovative Learning expands this mission to a truly global scale by providing accessible and innovative programming to a wider community than ever before. The courses and certificates offered through the Center address some of the most pressing needs in our local, state, national, and global economy, including healthcare professions and cybersecurity,” said Centenary President Dr. Christopher L. Holoman.

The variety of courses and certificate programs will center on medical health, business, cybersecurity and information technology, teacher preparation and continuing education, wellness and fitness, and legal studies.

“The healthcare industry is targeted as the largest growing sector over the next decade, adding more jobs than anything else. And here in northwest Louisiana that need is great in terms of needing dedicated healthcare professionals. Individuals who are able to complete these certificates, use their skills and knowledge, will have a job readiness by showing that they’re professionally developed and have the opportunity to earn more salaries having these certificates as well,” said Scott Chirhart, dean of the School of Health Sciences.

Centenary says they’re committed to partnering with businesses and other groups in the community through these courses.

“Willis Knighton has been fantastic, they are very committed to their employees and to the professional development of their employees and so what they’re doing is for their employees who register for these courses and certificates and complete them, they will actually reimburse them a certain amount of professional development towards those credentials,” said Dr. Karen Soul, VP of Academic Affairs.

The goal of the CIL is to help people be more prepared for jobs they would like to pursue. Officials say they also hope to help businesses in the area grow stronger.

“In the past few years there’s been a shortage of qualified people to take positions, we haven’t always had that problem in the past, but we do now. We have more positions than we have people that are qualified to fill those positions. This just adds a greater supply for that demand that’s there, and of course meeting the businesses needs that they have, and of course, encouraging other businesses to make positions available that maybe they’ve been outsourcing, now they can hire people in the community to take those positions,” said Dr. Barbara Davis, dean of the Frost School of Business.

The announcement event will take place at 8 a.m. on Centenary’s campus. To check out courses and enroll, click here.

Copyright 2024 KSLA. All rights reserved.