3D Animation Character created by Chris Koehler

Laurus College is hosting a series of Open Houses from May 1^st through May 9^th at each of its respective campuses: Atascadero, Oxnard, San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria.  Students, parents and community members are all invited to learn more about the exciting and innovative programs offered at Laurus College, including 3D Animation, Web Design, IT & Computer Networking, Business & Office Support, and Medical Billing.

In addition to campus tours, there will be a special presentation each night at 6:30 PM: “How an Interest in Art can lead to a Career in Digital Media.”  This presentation will highlight both the 3D Animation & Web Design programs offered at Laurus College, and will also include an in-depth discussion on the skills needed to succeed in those industries and the potential careers that are available.

Laurus instructors and staff will all be available to answer questions regarding admission, tuition planning, and career services.  Space is limited so individuals interested in attending are encouraged to reserve space by calling ahead of time and RSVP with the campus located nearest them 805-267-1690.

Atascadero Campus, 8693 El Camino Real (Atascadero Oaks Shopping Center): May 1, 6-8 PM

San Luis Obispo Campus, 81 Higuera St., Suite 110 (Pacific Coast Center off Madonna): May 2, 6-8 PM

Santa Maria Campus: 325 E. Betteravia, Suite B-8 (Near Target Shopping Center): May 3, 6-8 PM

Oxnard Campus: 2351 Lockwood Street (Near Outback Steakhouse): May 9, 6-8 PM

Community Leaders Watch as Campus President Tony Amato Cuts Ribbon in Front of Laurus College’s Oxnard Campus.

Laurus College Celebrates its Fourth Campus Opening in Oxnard and Welcomes Ventura County Businesses at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

OXNARD, California — March 23, 2012 — Business leaders and entrepreneurs from Ventura County met the students and staff of Laurus College’s Oxnard Campus at a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Wednesday March 21, 2012. The ceremony celebrated the opening of the college’s new campus in Oxnard, and showcased the school’s innovative programs for members of the local community.

The event was co-hosted by the Oxnard Chamber of Commerce, and student volunteers provided guests and media with tours of the 15,510 square foot facility on Lockwood Street. Over 50 members of the local community were in attendance, including business leaders, staffing specialists and media.

Career Services Coordinator Matt Cortez provided information on Laurus College’s unique technology platform.  “This is our first opportunity to show the leaders of this community what we are doing for our students,” he says. “We are training our students for careers in high-demand fields on industry-standard software…we have set up our programs so they can graduate quickly and enter the job market with a competitive edge.”

Laurus College offers programs in 3D Animation, Computer Networking, Information Technology (IT), Office Support, Medical Billing, Professional Business Support and Web Design. Students at the Oxnard Campus come from areas as far as Santa Barbara and Los Angeles to take advantage of the school’s accelerated courses and hands-on instruction. Many of those students also benefit from financial aid counseling, and some even receive educational stipends while attending school. “We are so pleased to establish ourselves in Oxnard, and to offer Ventura County and its neighbors a quality education, and affordable tuition,” Campus President Tony Amato says. “We couldn’t be happier to be here, and we are looking forward to new partnerships and opportunities within the Oxnard community.”

Community Leaders Watch as Campus President Tony Amato Cuts Ribbon in Front of Laurus College’s Oxnard Campus.

Does this sound too good to be true?  Well, this kind of experience does exist.  At some point in your career, after you have gathered a lot of experience (and built a great reputation for yourself), you might be able to create the scenario that is described above and get paid a lot of money to do it!  However, in the meantime, there’s another way to enjoy a work experience like this that’s available to anyone who wants to take advantage of it.  It’s called “non-paid” work experience (a.k.a. “volunteering”).

Too many individuals overlook this incredibly fulfilling and experience-building option because they’re focused on making money.  Don’t get me wrong; I recognize that making money was probably an important factor in your continuing your education and choosing a new career in the first place.  However, when it comes to earning a living in a career you enjoy, it’s important that you take a long-term view of your financial success as well.

When I was the director for a non-profit organization I used to request volunteer assistance all the time with marketing (website, digital video & pictures, etc.), social media (i.e. Facebook), and database management (donor, volunteer & participant information).  Not only was I extremely appreciative of the volunteers’ efforts, I also wrote several fantastic reference letters for those individuals.  In addition to gaining a work reference, those volunteers also got to “beef” up their resumes and career portfolios with the experience they gained from assisting our organization.

Obviously paying the bills is important (and I certainly wouldn’t recommend you quit your day job at the local coffee house so you can build a website for free).  However, I would simply ask you this question: “Why not do both?”  If you can clear 2-5 hours per week in your busy schedule for volunteer activities, you could build your resume up while you’re completing your education and help out a great cause in the process.

Here are three easy steps you can take to get started:

1) Take a look at your current schedule and identify 2-3 “slots” each week where you could perform at least 1-2 hours of volunteer service.

2) Identify 4-5 non-profit / service organizations in your local area that you are interested in providing volunteer services to.  Organize them in order of “most desired” from top to bottom. Make sure to choose causes that inspire you.  Working for free can quickly fall to the bottom of your priority list if you don’t believe strongly in the organization that you are assisting.

3) Beginning with your top choice, approach the organization as though you were applying for a job with them. Provide them with a cover letter (explaining what you are offering and why you are interested in providing your services to them), your resume, a portfolio of the kind of services you are planning to provide to them (if applicable) and references.