WCP Offers Short Term Certificate Courses In October, November, and December 

Prof. Lynn Wilson - Husband and father of 2, Prof. Lynn has two decades in management and business instruction developing and teaching courses online and on campuses at the Associate, Bachelor, and Master's level. As a Denver native, he has deep roots in the entrepreneurship and academic ecosystem of the city. He incorporated SparqU in 2017 as a social enterprise that provides STEM programs & workforce training for underserved and underrepresented communities. Known as a forward-thinking innovator, he is highly sought for consulting and advising small businesses, non-profits, and community leaders on how to create and market effective fundraising campaigns and career development programs. In 2021, he was recognized as one of the top 100 Black Educators in Colorado by My Black Colorado magazine. Prof. Lynn has an International MBA from Nova Southeastern University. He also holds a BA from the University of Oklahoma.

Dr. Jamal Bowen - Dr. Jamal was inspired to start a business called, “Empowering Community Entrepreneurs” in 2016. The vision of this program is to create events that encourage, teach, and mentor young adults to proactively generate business ideas and construct a plan of action to make them successful. Dr. Bowen served as the Dean of Instruction for the STEM Pathway and Manufacturing Pathway at the Community College of Denver. He served as the First-Year Experience/Advanced Academic Achievement Program Chair at the Community College of Denver. He provides Business and Entrepreneurship workshops as well as certification training for the community. Dr. Bowen received the Post-Secondary Educator of the Year award from the Education Center (The Edu Ctr) on March 7, 2020. Dr. Jamal Bowen also received an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service from the Denver Institute of Urban Studies & Adult College June 19, 2021.

We are honored to welcome Drs. Wilson and Bowen to ACC. Below, learn about the 3 Certification Courses they’re offering this fall through WCP. 

You have taught in the CCCs system before, but this will be your first time teaching at ACC and WCP. What are you looking forward to most working with our community of learners?

We look forward to helping these students level up in their careers and hone in on their professional skills. We understand that the workforce needs highly digital workers more than ever, and we enjoy helping our students envisioning themselves in positions that can showcase their talents using today’s tools. 

You and Prof. Wilson founded SparqU and the mission of that company is centered around the 4Ss. Can you speak to those and how the 4Ss relate to the 3 courses you offer at WCP this fall? 

Our mission is to foster collaboration in the public and private sectors in order for there to be more opportunities for others to show up, skill up, start up, and scale up. These courses offer an opportunity for people that live near ACC to receive skills-based training in an accelerated format that could be used immediately in their careers or in their businesses.

This brings me to my next question. Why did you decide to offer these 3 courses? In other words, what makes these 3 courses relevant and necessary for today’s workforce? 

Our company, SparqU, is a workforce training company that connects and facilitates youth and adults towards industries of high demand and low supply. We seek partnership with companies and organizations that commit to paying livable wages and promotion for individuals who are committed to leveling up their careers. All of them have shared with us that these are the foundational tools that every professional should have in their administration and marketing toolbox.

All 3 courses you offer at WCP this fall and winter offer short term certifications upon completion. What can learners do with these certifications? 

Besides workforce, these certifications can also be valuable in entrepreneurial endeavors. They can help individuals start their own businesses, work freelance as consultants, or build a personal brand online. Furthermore, our certifications show a commitment to ongoing learning and skill development, which can make individuals more attractive to potential employers and clients in a variety of fields. Nonetheless, certifications like CSB, Google G-Suite, and Social Media can provide a strong foundation for success in various professional roles.

To date, you’ve trained 21 leaders in your Communication Skills for Business course. Can you speak of a success story of one of the completers of this course? 

Bernadette was one of our leaders who we met through a wonderful organization called CrossPurpose. Bernadette wanted to personally improve on public speaking, and time management skills. She wanted to become more comfortable speaking in large groups.  Through our training Bernadette was able to gain more confidence in speaking in front of others, and communicating digitally. She was helpful with other leaders throughout the course, so  we gave her the opportunity to be a Teaching assistant for one of our other cohorts. 

• Communication Skills for Business runs Mondays and Wednesdays, October 2 – October 25, 11am - 1pm. 
• Google G-Suite Certification runs Friday and Saturday, November 3 and November 4, 9am - 4pm. 
• Social Media Certification runs Friday and Saturday, December 8 and 9, 9:30am - 12:30pm. 

All 3 courses are held at our Littleton Campus and are eligible for up to 100% WIOA (Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act) funding. Contact your local workforce center or email wcp [at] arapahoe [dot] edu (wcp[at]arapahoe[dot]edu) to learn more about funding opportunities.