March 4, 2016 | SharkAdmin [image 1]Thanks to the NVC Business Council and the NVC Workforce Education & Training area, the college is slated to add an Associate of Applied Science in Customer Service/Sales Operations this fall. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, customer service jobs across the nation are expected to grow about 10 percent within the next eight years. In the Alamo Region, job opportunities for Customer Service Representatives are forecasted to grow at a rate of 24 percent in the Alamo region over 10 years from 2012-2022. Pat Fontenot, dean of NVC Workforce Education & Training, said the “NVC Business Council has been asking for a Customer Service program for months. At the start, the Business Council did not want to see a 'canned curriculum' for customer service training; instead they insisted in having input into the program and wanted to assist in the development of learning objectives and outcomes.” Students in this new program will gain the ability to identify customer needs and present solutions. The program will also introduce students to proven sales tactics, consumer behavior, customer management, customer loyalty, effective relationship-building strategies, interpersonal communications, and public speaking for professionals. An industry survey was conducted from Oct. 9, 2015 to Nov. 5, 2015. The survey targeted NVC Business Council members, such as Courtyard by Marriott, Old Mind Jewelers, Broadway Bank, Genesis Professional Solutions, Chenega Corporation, Wells Fargo, Fairway Landscape and Nursery and the Hilton Hotel. The survey asked business representative how many customer service related jobs will their organization be hiring for in the next 3-5 years? The respondents said about 1,750 plus employees. The initial three courses in the program will lead to a Marketable Skills Achievement Award and students will be immediately prepared to take the National Customer Service and Sales Certification exam. In addition to the associate degree, a Level 1 certificate and a couple of Continuing Education awards will mirror that of the Customer Service Certificate program. Contact for this program is Heather McCreery, 210-486-4360 or she can be e-mailed at [email protected]. [image 2]
