Fall

The Sales Fundamentals program is designed to prepare you for a career in sales or customer service. This one-term, four-course certificate program teaches the skills that help you represent a business or service. You'll learn customer service and problem-solving, professionalism, selling principles, and business software in preparation for roles in which first impressions matter including inbound sales representatives and customer service professionals.

Completion of the course puts you on the path to a technical diploma in the Sales Representative program, which can lead to an associate degree in Sales Management if you choose. Either way, you'll be developing the skills that employers value.

When you have solid customer service skills, your value to prospective employers increases. Our Customer Service Representative pathway certificate is a great starting point if you're planning a career that puts you in front of the public.

Earned in just one term, this certificate tells prospective employers that you know how to work with people, have good computer skills, and understand the sales process.

The pathway represents a laddered approach to career preparation. Graduates can enter the workforce directly, or use the certificate as the first rung of the ladder that can lead to a Sales Representative technical diploma or Sales Management associate degree.

Are you passionate about plants and eager to enter the "green industry"? Get ready to kickstart your career with a certificate in Horticulture Plant Health. This program provides a comprehensive overview of plants and plant health-related topics, offering valuable insights into plant identification, ornamental care, and soil characteristics.

As part of this program, you will undergo testing to obtain the State of Wisconsin Pesticide Applicators License, enhancing your qualifications in the field.

Upon successfully completing this certificate program, you will be well-prepared to either begin your career in the workforce or seamlessly transition into Western's Landscape Horticulture Technician technical diploma program for additional career opportunities and earning potential.

As a diesel and heavy equipment technician, your role is instrumental in keeping businesses and industries operational by diagnosing and repairing diesel engines, heavy trucks, and heavy equipment. Western's hands-on program equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this field, covering essential areas such as powertrains, electrical/electronic systems, chassis systems, brakes, and hydraulics of these equipment. Throughout your training, you will stay up-to-date with the latest industry technology and practices.

Our program takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from welding and general studies to provide you with a comprehensive foundation for entering the field. Through applied, general, and specialized training, you will gain the expertise necessary for success. Most students complete the program within 21 months, and upon graduation, you will find excellent career opportunities in a secure and fulfilling industry. Your work will play a crucial role in keeping essential equipment running smoothly and contributing to the efficiency of various businesses and industries.

Mechanically inclined? Like solving problems? If so, you might find a career as an automotive technician challenging as well as rewarding. With a focus on hands-on experiences in this technical diploma program, you'll learn to diagnose and repair problems in engines, drive trains, brakes, electrical systems, steering, suspension, transmission systems, as well as hybrid and alternative fuel systems. Coursework covers the basics of operating an automotive repair business. You'll learn skills that will help you communicate with customers and gain valuable experience by making repairs on student and faculty vehicles in an actual shop.

The program prepares you for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. Graduates find jobs in car dealerships, independent repair shops, and other related areas.

The field of electromechanical maintenance covers a wide spectrum, from high-tech to low-tech applications, including robotics and mining. It provides a diverse range of opportunities to work with mechanical, electrical, and electronic control systems.

In this role, you'll work with machine operators and use Maintenance Management System (MMS) software to maintain industrial equipment and maximize operational uptime.

With this degree, you can directly enter the workforce in this field. Or, you have the option to expand your career prospects and increase your earning potential by seamlessly transitioning into the second year of Western's Electromechanical Technology associate degree program.

You can have a hand in designing products with your education in Computer Aided Design (CAD). CAD technicians work closely with engineers as they prepare and revise technical drawings and documentation used to build products for a variety of industries.

Courses include instruction in 2D and 3D CAD software, Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software, and other technical tools used in the field. You might find this a rewarding field if you are strong in algebra and have an interest in manufacturing processes and engineering materials. Also important are good communication skills and an eye for details. Hands-on experiences complement classroom learning.

Save lives as an EMT-Paramedic. Paramedics respond to emergencies and provide aid to victims of accidents or those experiencing a medical emergency such as cardiac arrest. Under direct medical control, these professionals render advanced aid by administering medication, performing and interpreting diagnostic tests such as EKGs, and intubating patients, in addition to performing the basic lifesaving measures of an EMT. The program offers a combination of classroom learning and field experiences.

Increased job opportunities will be available to you as a paramedic. In addition to ambulance services and fire departments, paramedics can find themselves working in industrial settings, in correctional facilities, and in hospital emergency rooms.

After successfully completing the program, you're ready to take the National Registry Paramedic written and practical examination in order to be eligible for a license in Wisconsin. You may also choose to continue at Western to earn a Paramedic Technician associate degree for increased earning potential.

The Paramedic program's minimum expectation is to prepare Paramedics who are competent in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains to enter the profession.

The Educational Assistant technical diploma meets the requirement for all school employees working with students to have a minimum of 48 credits beyond a high school diploma. Educational assistants with this diploma are in high demand in schools, where they work under the direct supervision of a licensed teacher. They provide support to school-age students with varying abilities in the classroom, assisting with a range of tasks.

This program covers all the core courses from Western's Foundations of Teacher Education program along with 4 credits of general studies education. Start your career as an assistant with the technical diploma or continue your education to expand your opportunities and earning potential.

As a medical assistant (MA), you would be an indispensable member of a healthcare team, directly assisting a physician or RN. This program prepares you for an active role in providing care-assisting with examinations, carrying out select medical and diagnostic procedures, collecting specimens, and performing routine laboratory tests.

The program focuses on laboratory and clinical procedures, insurance and finance, medical terminology, and skills to keep a medical office running smoothly. You'll also get valuable on-the-job experience. Graduates become medical assistants, laboratory assistants, phlebotomists, insurance clerks, and electrocardiogram technicians in a variety of medical settings.