Janice Glenar
Manager, Information Technology Program
George Washington University

As manager of the Information Technology Program in The George Washington University's Center for Career Education, Janice Glenar directs the activities of this large and diverse technical education program that combines practical skills and academic standards. Before joining GWU in 1993, she directed marketing, communications, information services and educational programs at the National Information Technology Center and the Corporation for Open Systems. Glenar began her information technology-related career in government contract consulting at Booz, Allen & Hamilton.

Ms. Glenar addresses the topic listed above as well as education-related questions of a more general nature.

Ms. Glenar: Greetings from the George Washington University! Thank you and the washingtonpost.com for this opportunity to tell you about GW. Located at the heart of Washington, DC, GW is a dynamic institution which enjoys an excellent reputation for diversity of programs and student population, research, and in the words of President Trachtenberg, for connection to the political and policy centers that move our country and the world.

The Division of University Programs offers an array of choices in continuing education. Within this Division, the Center for Career Education (CCE) provides professional, workplace-oriented training and education. I manage the Information Technology Program at CCE, offering certificates and courses to augment a degree or provide a shorter route to a job with an employer who would likely provide education benefits so you could pursue a degree or additional career training.

At CCE we uniquely combine academic standards with practical education and skills training. In fact, we pride ourselves on teaching the technology behind the tool to give you a broader foundation for handling the constant changes in tools and emerging technologies. This is not information-dump training. We have admissions standards and hold for course prerequisites which help ensure efficiency and quality in our classes. Plus, we require a B average in order to award a certificate. A transcript of your grades is also helpful to win those jobs. In the IT program, we engage the student in class discussions and simulate the workplace, both with the technology used and through team-building projects. Our graduates don't just pass industry certificate exams, they know how to do the job, and do it well. We and our graduates enjoy an excellent reputation for quality which ensures that a CCE certificate enhances your marketability.

I'm ready to take your questions.

washingtonpost.com Advertising: Ms. Glenar, is there really a technology workforce shortage? Even if this is true, do companies still require trainees with experience?

Ms. Glenar: Yes, there really is a technology workforce shortage, but there are some misperceptions out there. We are finding that most companies still want to hire people with experience, rather than trainees. But this is changing. Obviously, it is better to leverage your previous background in whatever business area you have experience, and add to that with internships or even volunteer experience with computers and information technology. Building your own web site can even help! Through our affiliation with the Northern Virginia Regional Partnership, we know that the greatest area of need is programming and the positions available range from entry-level programmers to high-level system analysts who can integrate legacy systems and software with emerging web technologies. So training can advance current employees to higher-level positions which open up lower-level opportunities - there's a chain reaction. What is important is understanding that no one can rest on their laurels -everyone needs to continue their technology training throughout their career. You just have to start somewhere.

Rockville, MD: What classes if any, grant college credit and prepare for certifications such as CNE or MCSE?

Ms. Glenar: The classes at CCE do not earn college credit, just continuing education units (CEUs) which are valued by employers more and more. It is difficult for academic courses and programs to provide enough real-world skills training with academic objectives. Although students want degree credit for skills-training courses, the credit is not valuable to the employer - just passing the exams. But the CCE transcript/certificate tells your employer that you have studied the subjects thoroughly - beyond what is need to pass the industry certification exams. In our networking classes, students have full access to the systems in the lab - they are practicing labs, not just teaching labs. We get you as close to job performance as possible in a classroom setting. Our graduates have a high rate of success on the industry exams and in winning promotions and jobs - usually their salary jumps in the first year "pay back" the cost of their certificate program.

bethesda, md: I've been working for 20+ years in sales management. I'd like to shift my focus on sales in the technology sector. How can your program help me do this and do you know if tech companies are interested in folks like me who don't have a tech background? Thanks.

Ms. Glenar: You are in a great position to leverage your extensive experience by getting a certificate to "prove" your knowledge of IT issues and then seeking a job in an area that combines sales and technology - the web! Please see our website, www.cce.gwu.edu, to explore the web and information systems certificates that would best meet your needs.

Washington: I am not too sure what you mean by "technology behind the tool"?

Ms. Glenar: Most private training organizations, and many credit-bearing programs who are partnering with technology firms for their industry-certification-related programs, do not add value to the vendor curriculum they use. It is more expensive to add time, extra labs and class discussion on real-world applications to the curriculum - but we do that because our mission is education, not just exam prep or skills training, per se. So when you learn Access at CCE, you also learn database management. When you learn VisualBasic, you also learn how to develop applications on the web. You learn about other tools for database connectivity when you study Cold Fusion in our classes. You will learn more than the specific tool - you learn about the many uses for that type of tool and related tools.

Washington, DC: How many credits are required for an Information Tech degree? If I am working full-time, how many classes would you suggest that I take each semester?

Ms. Glenar: We've received several questions referring to an information technology degree. What I am describing in most of these answers are non-credit certificate programs.

There are several different types of technology degrees offered at GW so I can't answer about all of their requirements. Please explore our website at www.gwu.edu and then click on schools and colleges, looking for computer science, information resources management, information systems, etc.

Washington: What is the most competitive IT program at GWU? Also, n your opinion what area of study produces the most lucrative job upon graduation?

Ms. Glenar: The Web has changed technology more than any other development since PCs were born. Anything relating to web development - web design, web programming, web security, web management, etc. will open up your career possibilities the widest. It is difficult to answer what would be the most lucrative - it depends on your background in business, not just technology. Many employers are looking for technologists, but also project leaders with business acumen and management skills. According to a survey published by washingtonpost.com recently, the highest-paying jobs are in software development managers - people who have the broadest understanding of systems and the lifecyle of application development. Those jobs require extensive training and background. The highest jump in salary for people new to the field of technology usually comes in programming, particular with web application knowledge, but network engineering and management run a close second.

washingtonpost.com Advertising: Does GW assist students in finding jobs?

Ms. Glenar: We provide several types of career services - job fairs, career seminars (one employer at a time), a listserv so that job opportunities can be served to your email account, instructor referrals and references, and in conjunction with our Most Valuable Partner Program (in cooperation with the Northern Virginia Regional Partnership), businesses are providing internships and employment opportunities. The GW certificate enhances your marketability because of our reputation.

Ms. Glenar: Something important that I'd like to address is how you decide what area of technology would best suit you or leverage your background. Everyone thinks they want to pursue an IT degree or certificate and find it difficult to sort through all the fields within that field and which direction they should take. I congratulate all of you who are researching your educational alternatives - you are on the right track - you need to decide for yourself. It is helpful to read and ask questions of various providers, to ask advice from your friends and colleagues, but one person's solution may not be yours. I invite you to take an introductory course at GW - CWIS 400 Intro to Information Technology, so you can learn about the different career tracks, terminology, and become a more astute reader of information technology news - to apply that information to yourself and your company's business. Understanding the intersections and differences in technologies and tools makes you a more valuable employee - now and in the future. See our website at www.cce.gwu.edu, the Information Technology Program, to see the variety of courses you can explore in your search for what is best for you. Don't be taken in by false promises - no one can guarantee you a job unless they are the ones doing the hiring!

Potomac, MD: Can you tell me something about the differences in the GWU certificate programs?

Ms. Glenar: GW's IT program provides a wide variety of educational possibilities. You may only want to improve your technology knowledge or skills to augment your current profession rather than changing to an IT career. So you can take individual classes or "package" them into a certificate program that verifies you are a subject expert in a particular area. Besides the introductory course I mentioned, there is also an introductory course in networking concepts and overview courses in databases, programming logic, web management, system design, etc. We offer Microsoft Office Suite courses for desktop applications. Students who want to enter the IT field, but only have user experience, will find the PC Support/Help Desk certificate a good way to break into PC support or help desk administration/management. People with substantial business experience who cannot afford to start at an entry-level salary, will find the Information Systems, General Networking, or Web Management certificates a way to segue to a more technology-focused career. If you want hands-on skills before you try to move into a management position (which will make you a better technology manager!), you can choose from our certificate programs in MCSE, UNIX/C/C++, Oracle, or Web Programming. But we also have management-oriented programs in Software Development and Web Management. All programs have some lecture courses because we believe you must learn more than the tool. But our hands-on classes provide 80-90% hands-on experience in full-access labs - not a pristine classroom setting - and with remote access and a case-study emphasis. Only practicing professionals are hired to teach our classes - no full-time educators who may not be in touch with current technology applications in the workplace.

Lexington, MA: Does IT have the best job market?

Ms. Glenar: Thanks for this question - everyone just assumes that the IT market is the strongest. It turns out it is, but let's think about why. This goes back to my earlier answer about updating your technology skills whether or not you choose IT as a career. The computer has changed everything we do - we are now a society with enormous information resources at our fingertips. What is important to us as individuals as well as to business, is how we transform information into knowledge - to improve our lives (surgery simulations and bioinformatics improve medical research and advancements, employees can work from home and perform their jobs more efficiently, etc.) and enhance business productivity and competition. We have started down the technology road and there is no end in sight. Although much has been done to make computing easier for the user, there will always be the need to understand and improve the technology behind the tool that continues to advance our local, national and global knowledge.

I've enjoyed being with you today and wish you the best in pursuing your educational goals. Thank you.

washingtonpost.com Advertising: Thank you to Ms. Glenar and our viewers.