Penn Foster High School Courses Gain National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Recognition   Penn Foster High School is registered with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Students who wish to participate in athletics at a college that requires specific NCAA approved high school courses can take some of these courses with Penn Foster High School. A list of Penn Foster’s NCAA approved courses can be found at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. The school code is 394413. Click here for more information, www.PennFosterHighSchool.com.   The Value of Writing Skills   According to Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D. and Katharine Hansen, authors of The Importance of Good Writing Skills: Writing skills can be the ticket to better grades and greater academic achievement. In fact, the overwhelming majority of instructors surveyed said that writing skills are critical to academic success. Read more.   Looking for Employees?   We can post your job openings. Employers seeking to find the right help, with specific skills and training, will be able to reach thousands of current students, near graduates, and graduates through job postings at no charge. Contact Jim.Healey@pennfoster.edu for more information.   Tell Us Your Story   There is no one better qualified to understand and encourage students than someone who has personally experienced and met the challenges of distance learning. Many students need inspiration, motivation, and support just to enroll, as well as to continue with and complete their studies. E-mail your story to Jim.Healey@pennfoster.edu or mail your story to Jim Healey, Penn Foster, 925 Oak Street, Scranton, PA 18515.   Penn Foster News Archives   Spring 2006 June 2006

What attracts someone to a career in the skilled trades? Perhaps it’s a chance to make a difference, the opportunity to be one’s own boss, or the hands-on learning. Or maybe it’s the number of career choices and opportunities, earned respect, job mobility, and good pay. Skilled trade occupations include automotive repair, carpenter, decorator, chef, florist, and electrician, to name just a few. Read the full story. As baby boomers — those born between 1946 and 1964 — start to plan for their retirement, employers will find it difficult to fill their positions with skilled employees. In addition, more jobs will be created trying to provide for the growing needs of an aging population. Read the full story. A fear of learning is often a fear of failure. Time away from education and an academic setting makes us unsure of ourselves and of our ability to learn. What can we do to regain confidence in ourselves and our abilities? Remember that the knowledge and life experience you’ve gained outside the classroom is education. Be realistic in your approach to learning. Plan you education so you can achieve your career goals. Read the full list. Stuart Symington, First Secretary of the United States Air Force and U.S. Senator from Missouri in 1952, took one of our courses in Electricity and stated that “I learned a lot more about making a living from ICS than I did at Yale.” www.acinet.org For information about employment trends, typical wages, job training requirements, state profiles, and more, go to America’s Career InfoNet. www.rcls.org/deskref Find the best library and reference resources at LibrarySpot.com, including top dictionaries, encyclopedias, newspapers, maps, etc. If you have a Web resource you’d like to share, e-mail me at Jim.Healey@pennfoster.edu.