Our Graduates Today |
 |
2010-2011 Articles
Name: Noel S. Pierce
Occupation: Licensed Practical Nurse at Presque Isle Rehab & Nursing Center
Typical Day: My day begins by pulling the report from the previous nurse's shift to see what updates or changes have been made for the individual residents I've been assigned. I then check on the residents to say hello and address any issues or concerns they may have. Throughout the day I assist residents with activities for daily living, montior resident safety, delegate tasks to CNA's, complete charting on resident status and manage and administer resident medication.
Favorite part of job: My favorite part is working with residents and getting to know each of them. Our residents are like historians and the more you listen, the move you can learn! I also enjoy working with staff members because it takes a team effort to do our jobs and I can depend on our staff to be just that.
Skills needed: An LPN needs more skills than knowing medical terminology. Compassion is a must, plus possessing a nurturing spirit and the drive to want to help ill people get well or help them to maintain their quality of life.
Education: Practical Nursing Diploma Program
Why EBC: I chose EBC because the length of the courses really suited my needs, and it was also very convenient because it is located just downtown.
Name: Thomas W. Crockett Jr.
Occupation: Crew trainer for McDonalds
Typical Day: A typical work day for me starts at 6 a.m. I check the inventory for the morning shift and make sure we have everything we need for breakfast. I also check food temperatures before we serve food to customers. Job training becomes part of the routine at times as well.
Favorite part of job: My favorite part of the job is seeing the smiles on the customers' faces — especially the children who get that Happy Meal toy that they wanted! I try to create golden moments for any of my customers who walk through the door. In general, just helping customers is my favorite part of my job.
Skills needed: Knowing the two basic areas of the hospitality industry and mastering them. For example, "front of the house" is customer service and you have to know how to talk to people and learn how to handle money and complaints. "Back of the house" is cooking, cleaning and monitoring the time and temperature of the food we serve.
Education: Associate Degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Instiutional Management
Why EBC: I chose EBC because it's local and they worked with my schedule. Also, the teachers have real-life work experience for the subject matter they teach. EBC has smaller class sizes which means every student receives individual help and attention; no one is left behind.
Name: Jim Rice
Occupation: Director of Finance and Accounting for Glowacki Management Company
Typical Day: I'm responsible for the fiscal oversight of more than 40 real estate investment properties in Western Pennsylvania. I prepare financial statements for various property owners, ensure proper accounting of all related transactions, including all accounts receivable, accounts payable and bank reconciliations. I also communicate with property owners and investors to ensure their investment is fiscally sound.
Favorite part of job: I work with an extremely talented group of individuals who work hard daily to ensure our owners and investors are getting the most out of their investments. I enjoy working with these individuals in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.
Skills needed: Attention to detail, as well as a solid understanding of accounting principles. Also, a strong work ethic and solid interpersonal skills will ensure success in this position.
Education: I have an associate degree in accounting and will obtain my bachelor's degree from Edinboro University in May 2012.
Why EBC: As a nontraditional student, I appreciated the small class sizes and flexible scheduling that Erie Business Center provides. My time at EBC gave me the confidence and academic foundation to continue with my education.
Name: Joshua Rossi
Occupation: Information Technology Support Specialist at Great Lakes Home Healthcare Services
Typical Day: I provide software and hardware support for all employees throughout the company. I spend the day answering Help Desk calls, configuring new and old computers and troubleshooting just about everything computer- and printer-related.
Favorite part of job: "Troubleshooting" to me is like trying to solve a mystery.
Education: Information Technology Associate Degree
Why EBC: I chose EBC because the teachers are extremely knowledgeable and are not afraid to spend the extra time to make sure you completely understand each lesson before moving on. I really liked that each class was geared to equip me with the ability to pass Information Technology-related certifications.
Name: Sherry Wieczorek
Occupation: I work as a medical secretary/office assistant at Community Health Net.
Typical Day: I register and discharge patients as well as schedule and reschedule their appointments. I also write pink slips and messages for the doctors in our office. My position requires a lot of administrative duties such as data entry, faxing and filing, answering phones, billing patients, taking co-pays and payments, and keeping daily logs.
Favorite part of job: I enjoy working with a diverse population. Community Health Net also has a homeless program as well as the Ryan White program. My job is very rewarding — I'm helping people daily who truly appreciate having someone to care for them. I also enjoy the staff at my job because they are wonderful, easygoing and fun to be around.
Education: I am a Medical Secretary graduate of Erie Business Center.
Why EBC: I liked that EBC offered class times that fit my schedule. It was also important that I take classes that directly related to my future job and EBC offered that. Their wonderful job-placement reputation was also a deciding factor in my attending school there.
Name: Tosha Gaines
Occupation: Account Coordinator at Remedy Staffing
Typical Day: I have a lot of administrative duties such as answering phones, data entry and greeting clients, but my main job is filling job orders. A company calls me and tells me they need three people for welding. I pull prospective employee files and match skilled employees with employers.
Favorite part of job: I love doing payroll and being able to hand paychecks to our clients. It's nice that I get to know them by name and they are always happy to see me. It's a very busy office and I enjoy the fast pace.
Education: I graduated from EBC with an Associate Degree in Marketing and Management.
Why EBC: I enjoyed the flexible class hours the school offered so I could work while going to school
Name: Michael Rowland
Occupation: Licensed practical nurse at Millcreek Community Hospital.
Typical Day: I start at 11 p.m. each day and work one-on-one with patients in the Transitional Care Unit. I do patient assessments and take vital signs, med passes and treatments as ordered.
Skills needed: To be successful in this line of work, the skills you need are patience, organization and time-management skills.
Education: I went to EBC for the Practical Nursing Program.
Why EBC: I chose EBC because I liked the idea of a one-year course, instead of 18 months or even longer. Looking back, the fantastic staff and the great friends I made during the year really did make EBC the right fit for me.
Name: Kelsey Lytle
Occupation: My title is Ophthalmic Technician and I work at Laser Eye Surgery of Erie.
Typical Day: I screen patients and perform eye tests before the doctors see them. My job is very fast-paced. Our office sees many patients and this really makes the time go fast!
Favorite part of job: My favorite part of the job would have to be the different people and personalities I meet on a daily basis and knowing that I'm helping to take care of people.
To succeed in this job: You really need good communication skills. Plus, you need to know what questions to ask the patient so that you can get all the answers you need. Knowing medical terminology is also a big part of the position.
Education: I received an Associate Degree as a Medical Assistant.
Why EBC: I attended college and then moved on to a technical school for a while. EBC's education seemed to be the most promising for my future. I like how they arranged everything for me and didn't leave me in the dark on the details. They don't make promises that they can't keep and the teachers will stick by you until you understand all of the material you are being taught. I'm really happy I chose EBC!
Name: Michelle Randazzo
Occupation: My title is Patient Care Assistant and I work at Hamot Medical Center.
Typical Day: I work on the Inpatient Surgery floor and take care of patients who have had surgery. I have a wide range of job duties which include taking and recording vitals on patients and assisting the nurses with whatever they need.
Favorite part of job: I really like my job because I am learning new things all of the time. I also enjoy the people I work with which makes a big difference in my day!
To succeed in this job: For a person to succeed in the medical field, each day they must remember and use what they gained from their education. I need and use all 23 nursing assistant skills that I learned at EBC, and I have acquired a lot more skills since I've started working for Hamot.
Education: Nursing Aide Training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
Why EBC: I chose EBC because I thought it was the perfect learning institution to get my health-care career started. The class schedule worked perfectly for me being a working mom. Plus, I had plenty of time to study and learn the skills that put me in the job I have today.
Name: Joel Behrendt
Occupation: Sales Specialist at Lowes
Typical Day: I work with customers to establish their needs and make sure they purchase the right products. I stock, process orders and see to it that customers are taken care of.
Favorite part of job: I like interacting with the variety of people I meet each day. I enjoy learning new things and working with team members to solve problems.
Skills needed: Multitasking, strong organizational skills, communication and leadership skills.
Education: Associate Degree in Business Management
Why EBC: EBC offered convenient hours which suited my needs. They have a great staff that takes the time to answer questions and give advice. The staff takes pride in their work and are very knowledgeable. They care about you and your future.
Name: Michael Burlingame
Occupation: Information Technology/HelpDesk at the Erie County Department of Human Services
Typical Day: No day is the same but I do routinely check the nightly backups, answer service calls and work on special projects. I install virus removal and software updates as well as train people on basic computer usage, make revisions to the website and create customized pdfs.
Favorite part of job: Working with dozens of different people and solving different problems each day. There is also never a dull moment; you will not get bored. Someone will either break a computer in a way you haven't seen before or you will have to make new devices work with your existing network.
Skills needed: Good people skills, the ability to troubleshoot a variety of problems and maintain a high level of knowledge of emerging technology.
Education: Associate Degree in Information Technology
Why EBC: I like that it is a local school and easy to get to. EBC has convenient class times and quality instructors who teach up-to-date and practical lessons.
Name: Crystal Sweet
Occupation: Medical Records/Activities Assistant at The Village at Luther Square-LIFE NWPA.
Typical Day: I work on medical records and taking minutes for our daily meetings. I also assist in daily activities for the participants. Our program keeps the elderly safe in the community by transporting them to and from the Center.
Favorite part of job: Interacting with the participants. Working with the elderly is a unique job. They are full of life and there is always a lesson to be learned.
Skills needed: You must be able to complete tasks in a timely manner and have patience.
Education: Office Professional Associate Degree
Why EBC: I wanted to further my education without taking additional classes which wouldn't be needed for my occupation. I needed a program that allowed me to earn a degree and the time to take care of my children.
Name: Fred Haynes Jr.
Occupation: Cleaning Captain/Trainer for Kentucky Fried Chicken
Typical Day: Maintaining cleanliness and proper running of machines. I follow a daily check sheet and take care of any problems they are having with machinery or operating systems. I also perform routine checks to make sure all equipment is safe and ready for use.
Favorite part of job: I enjoy traveling to our nine market stores. I also enjoy the challenge of fixing things. It's nice to have the skills to be able to solve a difficult problem. Working with my crew and training team members is a very rewarding aspect of my job.
Skills needed: Knowledge and training in how to work with toxic chemicals and common safety hazards. You would also need to have an understanding of electricity, safety precautions in a restaurant and sanitation procedures.
Education: Associate Degree in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management
Why EBC: I wanted to go back to school but wasn't able to drop everything to go. EBC made it easy to work and earn a degree at the same time. It's nice to have quality education so close to home. I liked that the staff was professional, knowledgeable and able to break everything down for me by explaining my options; they wanted to see me succeed. The courses they offered were tailored to teach me everything I needed to be great at my job.
Name: Megan K. Hodges
Occupation: Paralegal to Theodore B. Ely, II Esquire, and Stanley G. Berlin, Esquire.
Typical Day: My day starts off by checking the calendar to see what has to be done for the day. If there are hearings, I pull the files for the attorneys. I check the mail for correspondence, prepare legal documents, listen to dictation, write letters to clients, review files to stay up to date on client matters, research information for cases, speak with clients and schedule appointments for them.
Favorite part of job: I love my job! I enjoy coming in and doing something different every day. The most rewarding part is that I'm surrounded by amazing people. Everyone is extremely helpful when I have questions and they are always a great support for me.
Skills needed: You need excellent communication skills, typing skills and an expansive vocabulary.
Education: Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies.
Why EBC: I chose EBC for a few reasons:
1. I was out of school for two years at that time, working full-time at a restaurant and knew that being a server was not what I intended to do with the rest of my life.
2. I looked at different schools and programs and EBC was the one that fit me and my life's schedule — I could go to school in the morning and still work at night.
3. I knew that I wanted to be in the work force as fast as possible and Erie Business Center helped me do just that!
2009-2010 Articles
Name: Amy Gollmer
Occupation: I work at the Erie Club as the controller’s assistant.
Typical Day: I process payments from members, go over and process the checks from the previous business day and classify our accounts receivable.
Favorite part of job: I like just about everything, but my favorite part would have to be processing payments for members and processing the accounts receivable. I always enjoyed working with numbers, and math was one of my favorite subjects in school. So I decided to give accounting a try.
A person who would be a good accountant is good with numbers, trustworthy (because you’re working with money), enjoys multi-tasking and is able to remember many things at once.
Education: I graduated from Erie Business Center in April 2009. The teachers there are wonderful. If it weren’t for my accounting teacher Mrs. Moore and my supportive family, I’m not sure if I would have graduated. I was working 40 or more hours a week plus taking care of my daughter. It was a long three years, but now that I’m done, I’m glad I did it. It was definitely worth it.
Name: Julie Rice
Occupation: I am a licensed practical nurse (LPN) on the geriatric floor at Millcreek Community Hospital.
Typical Day: My day mostly consists of interacting with patients by doing a lot of hands-on and bedside work. To succeed in this job, a person should be a good team player who is always ready to pitch in — that’s a huge part of the job. It’s also important to have a good work ethic and to have a big smile ready for your patients.
Favorite part of the job: I enjoy making a difference in the lives of people receiving care and working to be the bright spot in a patient’s day.
Name: Tenille Crockett
Occupation: Assistant Manager at the Salvation Army
Typical Day: I greet customers, replenish and price inventory and collect donations. To succeed in this job, you should be friendly and self-motivated. It’s important to be self-motivated because you need to figure out what to do after you finish whatever it was you were working on.
Favorite part of job: The people. I talk to everyone, and I have a great staff.
Education: I graduated with a Marketing and Management Associate Degree from Erie Business Center.
Name: Tiana Petty-Smith
Occupation: I am the head medical assistant at Eastside Medical Center.
Typical day: It’s usually hectic! I have many duties, including doing lab work, administering children’s vaccines, taking patients’ vitals (blood pressure, temperature, etc.) and getting patients settled into exam rooms. To succeed in this job, a person needs to be friendly and outgoing and have a strong work ethic. You also have to be willing to study hard! Medical assistants need to know many different skills and enjoy learning about science and math.
Favorite part of job: I really enjoy the relationships I’ve developed with the regular patients. No one likes to go to the doctor, and it makes me happy to put people at ease and make their visit as pleasant as possible.
Education: I completed the two-year Medical Assistant program at Erie Business Center.
Name: John Newlin
Occupation: Paralegal at Nicholas, Perot, Smith, Koehler & Wall
Typical Day: I draft and file legal documents, type letters and deliver subpoenas. I also make a delivery to the courthouse about once a month and, because we process many cases involving a client's health, summarize medical records. To do well in this job, a person must be organized and have knowledge about computers.
Favorite part of job: The firm handles personal injury, Social Security and workers’ compensation cases, and I like that variety. There is always a new type of case to work with.
Education: I received a two-year paralegal degree from Erie Business Center.
Name: Rachel Schupp
Occupation: Administrative Assistant at The McDonald Group, L.L.P.
Typical day: I will do dictations, make copies of documents, answer the phones, schedule appointments and file paperwork. To succeed in this job, a person needs to be organized, have good people and problem-solving skills, have good phone etiquette and be able to work independently. It’s also important to be able to learn things quickly, because technology and software are constantly changing.
Favorite part of job: I enjoy being able to help the clients and the attorneys accomplish their goals by using the skills I learned both in school and in real life! I also enjoy my office’s atmosphere, and that everyone is willing to help one another out when we have busy days or big projects due.
Education: I graduated from the Executive Secretary Diploma Program at Erie Business Center.
Name: Cindy Weindorf
Occupation: Medical Transcriptionist
Typical Day: I write down everything a doctor dictates into a recorder when he or she is with a patient. This can include the patient’s medications, prognosis, treatments and more. It can be difficult because I have to be very familiar with medical terminology; if I don’t know something, I will perform research on Web sites like www.webmd.com.
Favorite part of job: I love typing—I’m very fast—and I love computers. But most of all, I find it so rewarding to help patients with the work I do.
Education: I finished Erie Business Center’s Medical Transcription two-year associate degree program in one and a half years. It was an intense couple of months, but I liked that I was in and out and that my education was affordable.
Name: Sean Choy
Occupation: Medical Coding and Billing Assistant at Millcreek Community Hospital
Typical day: When I come in, I will help the receptionist with some of the administrative duties. Then I will grab the patient charts and start coding. Medical coding involves using specific numbers, or codes, so that everything gets billed correctly when it is sent to the insurance companies. This is done on a computer. To succeed in this job, you need to really know your pathological and medical terminology. You can always look up a term, but you want to know it by heart so you can get things done as quickly as possible.
Favorite part of job: I like that coding requires a special knowledge. Not just anyone can walk off the street and do it.
Education: I completed the Medical Billing/Coding program at Erie Business Center.
Name: Tabitha Jones
Occupation: Director of Sales and Marketing at the Bel-Aire Clarion Hotel and Conference Center
Typical day: It really varies. Sometimes I am outside the building on sales calls while other times I am cold calling potential clients. I also work on ads with ad agencies and give site tours to people. My goal is always to bring conferences to the conference center and to book sleeping rooms at the hotel. To succeed in this job, you need to be organized, personable and willing to adapt to changing situations.
Favorite part of job: I enjoy meeting different people and traveling several times per year. For example, I will soon be going to London, Ontario, for a trade show.
Education: I received a two-year degree in marketing and management from Erie Business Center.
Name: TaLeah Knight
Occupation: Certified nurse aide at the Village at Luther Square
Typical day: There is always something different to do depending on the day. I take people’s vitals (blood pressure, respiration, pulse, temperature). I also help residents get ready for dinner, bathe, get dressed or help them walk to an activity. To do well in this job, a person must have a genuine concern for people and be caring. You also have to be OK with doing lots of walking and lifting.
Favorite part of job: I love being there and spending one-on-one time with residents. You become attached to them!
Education: I received a Nurse Aide diploma from Erie Business Center.
Name: Desmoyne Henderson
Occupation: Home Health Aide and Nursing Assistant at Great Lakes Home Health Care Services
Typical day: I take patients’ blood pressure and pulse rate and assist them in taking their meals. I also help them go to their programs and doctors’ appointments. In order to succeed in this job, a person needs to be patient, flexible, willing to take on new challenges and able to be on time.
Favorite part of job: At the end of the day, I know I put a smile on people’s faces. They come in scared, and I put them at ease. This leads them to say that you are the only aide they want to have.
Education: I graduated with a Home Health Aide Diploma from Erie Business Center.
Name: Adam Suroviec
Occupation: I work with the information technology support department at the Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Typical day: I usually address five to 10 help desk tickets each day. Common requests include obtaining a forgotten user name or password and setting up e-mail encryption, which secures e-mail so that no personal information is leaked. I also work on bigger projects; right now, I am building a platform for a Web-based interface that will allow patients to do things like renew their prescriptions and interact with their doctors online.
Favorite part of job: I love helping those who help veterans, a group of people I greatly admire. It’s always been my dream job to work here.
Education: I received a two-year degree in network administration, as well as a hardware technician certificate, from Erie Business Center.
Name: Katelyn Wheeler
Occupation: Rehabilitation Technician at Chiropractic Solutions.
Typical day: I do exercises such as knee compressions and electronic stimulation with patients. Many of our patients were in car accidents and they need a good amount of help. I also help run tests they take. To do well in this job, a person first and foremost needs good people skills.
Favorite part of job: I love seeing how patients smile even though they are in pain. It is also really gratifying to be able to help people get better and to watch the progress they make.
Education: I received a one-year rehabilitation technician degree from Erie Business Center.
Name: Letesha Dunlap
Occupation: Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Erie Homes for Children and Adults, Inc.
Typical day: I assist in many different ways at my job. I change and replace the tubs, administer medications and order supplies. There is also a lot of paperwork and documenting that needs to be done at my office. For a person to succeed in this job, he or she should be independent and able to work with minimal supervision.
Favorite part of job: I love working with my residents. I like knowing that what I’m doing helps them and gives them a better quality of life.
Education: I graduated from the Practical Nursing Diploma Program at Erie Business Center.