One of the most highly valued workers employed by all production or manufacturing companies is a quality and safety control specialist. Individuals who become safety and quality control specialists use principles of quality assurance; in other words, they draw from the standards that are within ISO 9000 as well as other similar guides to ensure the safety of products and/or employees and products that are considered to be top-quality by industry standards.

To become a safety and quality control specialist, you must be extremely detail oriented. With the right education, knowledge, skills, and experience, you can work in the automotive industry, engineering, or other manufacturing capacities; you will also be qualified for management positions within these industries.

Earning an online degree in safety and quality control offers you the opportunity to receive comprehensive instruction without actually having to be in a physical classroom. While each degree program will offer various classes, most of the courses you will take will include those in ISO 9000 fundamentals, auditing essentials, quality management, and Six Sigma.

Salaries, as with any type of career you might pursue, vary greatly and are dependent on the position and industry as well as level of education, location, and the amount of experience you’ve had.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that the median annual salary for industrial production managers was approximately $78,000 in 2006. Employers often prefer (and may even require) individuals who have a formal education, and they are usually inclined to pay individuals who possess a degree a higher salary than those who do not.

Become a Facilities Manager!

A branch of administrative management, facilities management deals specifically with physical spaces. As a facilities manager, you will be responsible for the supplies, equipment, grounds, and the building’s function as well as renovation and construction projects, residential or workspace design, and cost-efficient energy sources. You will need to be competent in areas such as information technology, engineering, and architecture. Some of your responsibilities will likely include:

• Budgeting
• Architectural planning and design
• Space/workplace planning
• Real estate and lease management
• Directing staff – custodial workers and maintenance and grounds crews

You will also, as a facilities manager, need to keep tabs on workplace safety at all times to ensure the workspace meets all maintenance and security standards. You, like many others, will probably divide your time between your home office, a branch office, vendors’ offices, construction sites, and property sales sites. A hands-on profession, working as a facilities manager will require regular supervision of parking, construction, landscaping, security, and grounds keeping. Typically, you will work a 40-hour week, but may be required to make yourself available during non-work hours as well if you are needed to address unforeseen problems.

Most facilities managers earn their online bachelor’s or master’s degrees in architecture, business administration, construction management, or facilities management. A focused degree in the field will offer you career-specific training that is found to be attractive by most employers. Employers also appreciate excellent managerial skills, effective leadership skills, the ability to be decisive, and great communication skills. You should also be a good multi-tasker; you will often be asked to coordinate several activities at once while staying on top of impending deadlines.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for facility managers in the near future should continue to remain strong. Median annual salaries for administrative services managers in 2006 were approximately $68,000; the federal government often employs facilities managers at a slightly higher rate of pay than average.

]]> http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/08/11/become-an-online-facilities-manager-when-you-earn-an-online-degree/feed/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/08/10/earning-an-online-degree-in-acquisitions-and-contract-management/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/08/10/earning-an-online-degree-in-acquisitions-and-contract-management/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:26:25 +0000 Stacey Boothe Snelling http://ieducationblogs.com/?p=1257

Earn Your Living by Shopping!

Acquisitions and contract managers – also known as buyers or purchasing agents – basically shop for a living; they are responsible for finding and buying the goods and services that allow their companies to continue running. While there are many similarities between a buyer and a purchasing agent, there is a distinct difference – buyers procure goods that are headed for resale, while purchasing agents buy the good and services their own companies need, i.e. raw materials and office supplies.

If you become a purchasing professional, your first concern will be finding the best deals (the highest quality for the lowest price) for your company by considering sales records and inventory levels, targeting potential suppliers, and staying aware of changing supply and demand trends.

To work in this industry, you will need to have a good understanding of economics and know everything possible about the specifics of the buying surroundings.

Nearly half of all buyers and purchasing managers work in manufacturing and the wholesale trade; their primary focus is increasing the revenue of their companies as much as possible. If you become a purchasing manager for the federal government, a major employer across the country, you may buy anything from machinery to airline tickets; you may also specialize in supervising and negotiating supply contracts.

While you will likely work from the comfort of a nice office, your hours will probably fluctuate during conferences or sales and with approaching deadlines. You might also enjoy a few days of travel each month; those working for international companies often even travel abroad.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities will be best for those who have earned a degree in Acquisitions Contract Management. Online degree programs usually provide students with a wide variety of course curriculum including legal and financial classes, business law, and acquisitions and contract management methods. Although the BLS predicts that there won’t be any immediate change to employment of acquisitions and contract managers, obtaining your degree will likely give you a great advantage in the field.

As with any career path, the more specialized training you receive, the better your resume will stand out from others who seek the same positions. If you wish to advance even further, obtaining an online master’s degree as well as garnering as much experience as you can will help you meet your career goals.

Studying Educational Technology

The combination of teaching and technology – called educational technology – is a very significant trend in education today. This field, while it is most often associated with computers, goes beyond the use of technical gadgets; it deals with design, development, implementation, and evaluation of new methods of teaching and learning.

Educational technology programs are typically offered at the graduate level, leading to a Master of Science or Master of Education in Educational Technology. You can earn anywhere from a bachelor’s to a doctoral degree through online programs allowing you to study and learn at your own pace from the comfort of your own home.

While working toward your degree, you will develop the skills you will need to work with the newest technologies in education. Multimedia tools, the Internet, and computer technology are a few of the major areas you will likely study while earning your bachelor’s or master’s degree.

Some of the courses you may take include:

• Distance Education
• Educational Media and Technology
• Educational Hardware Systems
• Developing Multimedia Materials
• Instructional Design
• Computer Interface Design for Learning
• Integrating Technology into the Classroom

When you graduate with a degree in educational technology, you will be able to work in a number of different fields, including teaching, school administration, and curriculum development. You will also find opportunities in private or nonprofit sectors as a training specialist.

Earning a graduate degree in the field of educational technology will prepare you to deal with the ever-changing demands of education by training you in ways to prepare and implement newer and more efficient and effective ways of teaching.

Job prospects are likely to be favorable as school districts come to rely more heavily on new technologies. While salaries vary widely depending on location, experience and position held, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, curriculum designers earned an average annual salary of more than $58,000 in 2007. During the same year, corporate trainers earned approximately $90,000 annually, teachers averaged an annual salary of $52,500, and administrators $82,000. A number of schools offer bonuses for teachers and administrators who earn their master’s degrees in educational technology.

Studying Media Arts and Animation

The world of computer animation has come a long way in recent years; it is sometimes mind boggling to compare the animation of more recent films such as WALL-E and Up to those made even just a few short years ago: Monsters, Inc, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles, for instance. It is quite obvious that this type of technology has made astounding advancements.

Earning a degree in arts and humanities with a specialization in computer animation, visual effects, or gaming animation involves taking classes that will likely include those that teach computer-aided software programs and multimedia.

You will find, once you have graduated, that you will be able to find a position working for a video game company, a production studio, an architectural design firm, or a corporation that deals in marketing and media. Because the spectrum of computer animation has grown beyond the film industry, graduates have the opportunity to work in a variety of industries. Learning the technical aspects of animation, behind-the-scenes operations, storyboard creation, client business relations, presentation, and team building skills will provide you the education you need to be competitive in this field.

When you train for a career in Web design and animation, you will find a rich variety of topics will be covered:

• 3D animation skills
• 3D graphics design
• Movie and television production
• General computer animation
• Drawing and design animation
• Photorealistic and non-photorealistic animations
• Web design and Internet based skills
• Business building and marketing skills

Multimedia artists and animators, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, earned a median annual salary in 2007 of $54,550, with top earning animators commanding an almost double salary of $98,000. The median salary for graphic designers in 2007 was slightly more than $41,000 annually.

The top paying fields for animators in 2007 included: design services, Web search portals, motion pictures, and employment services.

The BLS indicates that job growth in the industry of animation and arts will grow by approximately 16% through 2016; during this period, graphic design should see a growth of 10%. Both fields are quite competitive, but if you have a keen eye for detail and a creative mind, an animation or design career may be the best career choice for you.

]]> http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/08/03/make-a-great-living-by-earning-an-online-degree-in-media-arts-and-animation/feed/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/08/02/earning-your-aerospace-engineering-degree-online/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/08/02/earning-your-aerospace-engineering-degree-online/#comments Mon, 02 Aug 2010 22:39:59 +0000 Stacey Boothe Snelling http://ieducationblogs.com/?p=1218

Become an Aerospace Engineer

If you are interested in studying to become an aerospace engineer, you may or may not already know that when you graduate you will be working on the design, development, and testing of satelites, space vehicles, aircraft, and guided missiles. This exciting, lucrative, ever-expanding field will offer you abundant opportunities as an engineering professional to share your special talents by working with either the U.S. Government or in the private sector. As an aerospace engineer who possesses formal training and holds either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in the field, will have the best opportunities for careers in this field according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

If time constraints are somewhat of an issue for you, online classes can be taken in aerospace engineering, which will then lead to a two- or three-year master’s degree. Your courses will vary somewhat depending on the program in which you enroll, but will usually include: study of guidance control, defense aerospace products, instrumentation, propulsion systems, fluid mechanics, aerodynamics, advanced mathematics, and materials science.

According to government statistics, there were approximately 76,000 aerospace engineers employed in 2004. The department of labor has estimated that in 2007, the wages earned by professionals in the field of aerospace engineering were upwards of $50,000 for those who held bachelor’s degrees, and over $62,000 for those who earned their master’s degrees. Your salary, of course, will be subject to your location, your level training, and how much experience you have had.

Earning Your Online Degree

Businesses, various industry sectors, and government all require statistical analysis; this means a wealth of career opportunities are available to those who double major in statistics and mathematics. Individuals who possess this joint degree can not only find jobs in finance, accounting and banking, but are invaluable in psychology, biological science and computer software engineering as well.

Those who have been formally trained in mathematics use techniques and innovative computer technology to tackle various issues – anything from exploring the safety of new prescription drugs to deciphering encryption systems for all branches of the military.

Likewise, statisticians are likely to enjoy many career opportunities. A statistician’s general job description is relatively simple; it involves analyzing, interpreting and summarizing data; however, their day-to-day tasks are actually quite a bit more complex with far-reaching effects that influence a wide variety of sectors of the economy such as psychology, sports, and engineering. Using their unique mastery of numbers, statisticians conduct surveys and experiments, then present the tabulated data in a manner that addresses practical issues.

With the proper education, those who have a natural give for mathematical comprehension will be well prepared to work in many different types of careers.

If you want to expand your options, but don’t have the time necessary to attend a campus-based university, there are a variety of excellent online degree programs to choose from.

Online bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in the fields of mathematics and statistics are available. Some of your coursework will include the following:

• Calculus and matrix algebra
• Statistical design
• Statistical data analysis and databases
• Bio-statistical methods
• Computational mathematics
• Mathematical modeling
• Mathematics and management science

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 9% or more growth during the 2006 – 2010 decade. Particularly in demand will be bio-statisticians due to the pharmaceutical boom. The annual mean salary for statisticians, according to the BLS, is approximately $66,000. As informational technology continues to make advances, the demand for mathematicians and statisticians will remain consistent.

Aviation Mechanics and Technology

In 2007, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the air transportation industry employed approximately 486,000 individuals. To pursue a career in this field, aviation mechanics and technology degrees can provide you the crucial foundation of knowledge you need. You will be trained in a wide variety of aspects of aircraft repair and maintenance – from motors to computer systems used in air traffic control – while earning your degree. Jobs in the industry are expected to expand as the economy recovers and the population increases. The median salary for aviation mechanics as well as other aircraft technologists, according to the BLS, was approximately $57,000 annually in 2007. Those who have earned their degrees have the best chances of securing positions as well as higher salaries; most jobs offer great benefits including pension plans and heavily discounted travel.

When you pursue your aviation and technology degree online you will be studying a variety of applications to hone your skills; options for training include:

• Avionics
• Aviation electronics
• Aviation maintenance management
• Aircraft computer systems

You may be able to complete your online degree in as few as 18 months; with more training, you might diversify your skills or specialize in a particular field in the industry, such as computer systems for air traffic. These more advanced programs will allow you to secure a career that pays more and may lead you to pursue your associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

Online programs allow you to build your work experience while you are working toward your degree; current technologies for interactive usage and simulation make earning your degree online easier than ever before.

]]> http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/07/29/pursue-a-lucrative-career-in-the-air-transportation-industry-with-an-online-degree-in-aviation-mechanics-and-technology/feed/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/07/27/get-your-online-degree-in-the-ever-advancing-field-of-biotechnology/ http://ieducationblogs.com/2010/07/27/get-your-online-degree-in-the-ever-advancing-field-of-biotechnology/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:17:47 +0000 Stacey Boothe Snelling http://ieducationblogs.com/?p=1183

Biotechnology

Do you have a decidedly scientific mind and the desire to apply that knowledge to practical problems? If so, you’ll likely be very interested in pursuing a career in the field of biotechnology. This field combines science with real-world issues allowing biotechnologists to discover and implement important advances in technology.

Biotechnology is one of the most active in the scientific fields, attracting a fourth of development funding according to the National Science Board. This exciting field combines the study of applied technology and biology to solve the pressing issues of today’s study of science and society. Researchers have developed new vaccines and drugs, better ways of handling hazardous waste as well as disease-resistant crops. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the focus of biotechnological research should continue to drive employment growth and generate an average yearly salary of approximately $66,000 for researchers; income is predicted to grow further with the extent of money being given to biotechnological research.

A degree in biotechnology focuses on practical applications of biotechnological science; biology degrees focus on the science itself. If you study for either, your coursework will likely include:

· Manufacturing practices

· Drug design

· Food biotechnology

· Basic concepts of biotechnology

· Biological computation

Certificate programs in biotechnology are also offered as a broad introduction to the field and will often lead to a position as a research or laboratory technician. Associate’s degrees are more in-depth and have a greater focus on technical skills and research; this degree may lead to a job as a research specialist. Bachelor’s degree programs usually concentrate on one area of biotechnology, while earning your master’s degree will require you to do independent research; this will often lead to doing more advanced research at a PhD level. The further advanced your degree, of course, the higher your salary will likely be.

Television and Film - A Fabulous Industry!

If you have always had a strong desire to learn about motion picture effects, film making, television, theater history, digital visual effects, and the like, a career in film and television is probably where you should be heading.

The business of entertainment is full of wonderful positions; and, it’s one field that seems destined to be recession-resistant. Regardless of their economic situations, people always want to be entertained! You will find that there are a variety of behind the scenes and in front of the camera opportunities with television and film companies; you might become a cinematographer, a set designer, an actor, a director, a screenwriter, or a producer, just to name a few.

Earning your degree from a formal online institution can help you with the necessary background experience to break into this fun, exciting business. With its glamorous, high profile reputation, working in this industry is extremely desirable, so there will be considerable competition when you are searching for a position. But, with training and experience, you will have the skills and confidence you’ll need to succeed in your job search.

Your coursework, while earning your online degree in television and film will likely include lighting, photography, costume or stage design, sound technology, camera operations, computer animation, and film editing. With film and television being so dependent on computer technology, you will need to develop strong skills in digital and computing experience.

Several degrees and certificates are available for this industry: associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s. An associate’s degree program will provide hands-on experience that will prepare you to obtain a position in most any sector of the TV and film industry. While earning a bachelor’s degree, you will be immersed in a broad range of film making skills, including directing, cinematography, producing, lighting, editing, sound, acting, production design, and screenwriting.

Once you’ve gained experience, you will be able to specialize in one area in order to develop a portfolio. Earning a Master’s in Motion Pictures & Television will offer you the opportunity to expand your vision and film making skill set.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the median annual earnings for those in the motion picture and video industry is approximately $48,000, though actors and actresses will only be paid by the job; they will usually hold other jobs between working in TV or films until they have become successful.

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