CommentaryPosted January 10, 2012 06:55 am
UNF's Banner Center For Creative Industries
Glitz and glamour or real value?
When I see the Banner Center I immediately remember the Logistics Program at Gateway College and all the jobs that program was supposed to create. I know several people that took the course and never did find employment and have since questioned its overall value.
I question merits of the Banner Center's New Media TV and Film program and the actual jobs that such courseware would create.
It would be interesting to know how many people paid to go through the Logistics Certification Program and how many of those who graduated from the program actually have been hired anyplace on earth?
I am very much pro-education, but expect accountability and a documented Return On Investment for those taking any educational module offered by any organization.
The marketing of Glitz and Glamour of new media vocations that have limited job opportunities are not sound business expenditures for those seeking a change in vocational direction.
It appears that the Banner Center is promoting a program that is nothing more than a cash cow for educators. Marketing training modules to people looking to better themselves or change vocations in the current economy with industries that have few or no jobs in the region is unconscionable.
Answers to the following questions might prove interesting:
What are the projected State-wide and Southeast regional Occupational Job Demands for TV & Film Production certification?
Are the people signing up for such certification being given accurate information regarding potential job availability within the immediate area; the region; the country prior to signing up for the courseware and paying for it?
What is the ratio of available jobs to those paying for the certification course?
How does the course-ware compare to training facilities such as Full Sail in Winter Park, FL, or Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA and any number of other schools?
Has the Banner Center negotiated any intern programs with potential employers similar to what Full Sail and Georgia Tech have done?
How many TV Industry companies have committed to hire people who complete the Banner Center certification course in the Jacksonville area, Northern Florida, the Southeast Region, the United States, or earth?
Did the educators who formulated this courseware understand the labor needs for the Jacksonville TV stations?
I question merits of the Banner Center's New Media TV and Film program and the actual jobs that such courseware would create.
Who benefits the most -- the educators with the revenue stream they create for themselves, or the students seeking educational value that will enhance their earning power?
