Penn State Fayette Offering Webmaster Certification

February 7, 2000
Uniontown, Pa. -- Penn State Fayette is answering the exploding demand for those who want to learn how to create and sustain webpages with its new Webmaster Certificate program.

Webmaster is designed for those who want a career creating, designing and maintaining Web pages, according to Daphne Gooding, administrative coordinator in the Continuing Education Office. It will also provide new opportunities for those who wish to increase their job marketability or who want to expand their computer skills. The first group of students in the Webmaster Certificate program, which is offered through Penn State Fayette’s Continuing Education Office, completed the initial semester of the program in November 1999.

"This program allows someone to begin a web design company, become an Internet consultant, advise on Internet business and security issues and manage online commerce", she explained, "People can begin a new career with this certificate."

Courses in the Webmaster certificate program cover designing and creating high quality Web pages, e-business, server administration, Internet security and Internet legal issues.

Students in the program follow a course sequence consisting of 120 instructional hours. The certificate is endorsed by the Association of Internet Professionals (AIP) and the World Organization of Webmasters. Students completing the course will be fully prepared to take the AIP certification exam.

According to Gooding, individuals interested in this program of study need a good background in computer skills, including the ability to navigate Microsoft Windows, familiarity with word processing and databases, and some minor experience with the Internet. For those who are interested in the Webmaster program, but need to learn basic computer skills, the Continuing Education Office also offers introductory level courses in Access Level 1, Access Level 2, Introduction to Surfing the Net, Advanced Surfing the Net, Excel Worksheets, Excel Organizing Data, Windows 95, Intermediate Windows 95, Windows 98, Introduction to Computers, and Intermediate Computers. A complete course schedule is available by calling the Continuing Education Office at (724) 430-4210.

"This certificate is designed for someone who will be a professional webmaster in either a corporate setting or private consulting environment," said Gooding. "The students in our fall semester group came from very diverse backgrounds. We saw career professionals looking for a career change and high school graduates looking for a career start."

Davida Cavallo, director of the Career Services Center, Penn State Fayette, says, "The Internet job market is the fastest growing job market right now. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this field will expand 102 percent through the year 2005. NACE Salary Surveys project starting salaries as high as 30 thousand per year."

Four computer labs equipped with a total of 100 IBM systems are located on campus, according to Larry Belan, campus informational technology coordinator. Each computer has full Internet access, and can be used for the certificate's courses.

"We already have a good compliment of the tools necessary to make the program a success," Belan said.

"We are constantly updating our course materials and equipment in keeping with the rocket paced advances in this field", said Gooding. "This is a hands on class. Problem based projects are done on a computer and learning is accomplished through experience, supported with lectures."

Classes are available evenings at Penn State Fayette. The next series of classes begin February 2000. Those interested in registering for Webmaster classes can call Daphne Gooding in the Continuing Education Office at (724) 430-4206 for more information or a complete Webmaster certificate program schedule.

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For more information, contact Paul Heyworth or Melanie Thomas at 724-430-4199.