Career and Life Planning Services
Whether deciding on a major, preparing to enter the job market, or considering a career change, career and life planning services are available to students, prospective students, alumni, and community members. The college offers a wide range of career and life planning services which help students focus on their values, interests, skills, and personality traits. These services include individualized career counseling, special topic workshops, career assessments, and job assistance services. The Resource Library is open to the public and provides a variety of job and career materials, including printed resources, video tapes, and computerized self-assessment and career exploration programs. For further information, contact the counseling and career services office, room RCF-302 or call 443-518-1340. For additional resources, please visit our website at howardcc.edu/career.
Cooperative Education/Internships
Cooperative education (co-ops) and internships are supervised work experiences directly related to a student’s learning program and/or career interests. The basic purpose is to integrate classroom theory with work applications. For further information, contact the counseling and career services office, room RCF-302 or call 443-518-1340.
Employment Counseling
Employment Counseling is available to students, alumni and community members who are interested in pursuing full time, part time, permanent and temporary positions.
Available resources include:
- job books listing current openings in the Baltimore/Washington corridor.
- job hunting reference materials featuring books and videos about resume writing, interviewing skills, creative job search techniques, and related topics.
- HCC Jobs Online, job matching database that can be accessed via the internet at howardcc.edu/career.
Employment Counseling services include:
- individual assistance in resume writing and interviewing/job search techniques provided on an appointment basis.
- customized workshops on a wide range of topics as requested by the college community.
- job fairs are held each semester and on campus recruiter visits are scheduled regularly.
For further information, contact the counseling and career services office, room RCF-302 or call 443-518-1340.
Personal Counseling
College can sometimes be a difficult and stressful time for students. With students trying to juggle school, work, and family responsibilities, there are times when these demands can be overwhelming. Personal counseling provides an opportunity to talk with an objective professional about your concerns. What is discussed with a personal counselor will remain confidential and will not be shared with others. There is short-term individual counseling, as well as crisis intervention, available to students who are struggling with a variety of issues. Personal counseling services are free of charge to HCC students. In addition, there are educational resources available on a wide range of mental health issues, as well as information and referral to community programs and services. Personal counselors are available by appointment. To schedule an appointment or for further information, contact the counseling and career services office, room RCF-302, or call 443-518-1340. Please feel free to visit our webpage at howardcc.edu/counseling for additional resources.
Learning Assistance Center
The Learning Assistance Center (LAC) provides tutoring and academic support services to all students enrolled in credit courses who would like to become more successful and efficient learners. The LAC, located in RCF-340, provides free group tutoring in most courses offered at the college. Drop-in tutoring services are scheduled and advertised each semester. The LAC conducts workshops on study skills, learning styles, time management, memory building, notetaking, and test-taking. Drop-in help for writing assignments is available in the Write Room, located inside the LAC. Tutoring, writing, and study skills software are available for use on computers. For further information, call 443-518-1320.
Student Support Services
Student Support Services is a federally-funded program offering free comprehensive services to eligible students. Eligibility criteria include low-income and/or first generation college (neither parent received a four-year college degree), and/or a documented disability.
The program’s goal is to increase the retention and graduation rates of students at the college. The Student Support Services Program provides free, individualized instruction by academic specialists in the areas of math, reading, writing, English as a second language, and study skills. Learning disabilities specialists assist students who have varying learning styles. Free individual tutoring is available in most courses. Personal, academic, financial aid, career, and transfer counseling is available to program students. Advocacy, assistance with accommodations, and equipment are also available for students with disabilities. For further information, call 443-518-1300 or come to room RCF-302.
Services for Students with Disabilities
HCC is committed to providing an accessible education and supportive learning environment for all students. A noncredit student with disabilities who requires special accommodations must notify the division of continuing education and workforce development, in writing, two weeks before the first class begins so that suitable assistance may be provided in a timely fashion. A student with disabilities who is enrolled in credit classes should schedule an appointment with a counselor in the disability support services (DSS) office. The student must provide appropriate documentation of the disability to this office. The counselor will create an accommodations contract and the student and the counselor will agree upon appropriate academic accommodations and both will sign this form. As a result of this, accommodation memos will be produced for each of the student's instructors. The student will pick up these memos on the first day of class and will deliver these to the instructors. No accommodations will be granted unless the student delivers these memos to the instructors. All information provided will be kept confidential and will be used to determine appropriate and reasonable academic accommodations. To schedule a sign language interpreter, a credit student must notify the DSS office of the semester schedule at least two weeks prior to the start of classes. Because of a region-wide shortage of sign language interpreters, it is highly recommended that students needing interpreters work closely with the interpreter coordinator and complete early registration to give the college greater time to find an appropriate sign language interpreter. Interpreters are also available for college activities.
Services provided to students with documented disabilities include: advocacy, tutoring, interpreters, notetakers, test-taking accommodations, counseling, and academic advising, and assistive technology. For further information regarding scheduling services, assistive technology, course waivers and substitutions, personal care attendants, service animals, the grievance process, or other concerns related to students with disabilities, please contact the DSS office at 443-518-1300 or 443-518-4606 TDD, at disabilitysupport@howardcc.edu, or in person in room RCF-302.
Vocational Support Services
Vocational Support Services is designed for students in vocational/career programs who are having academic difficulties or who have disabilities. The Vocational Support Services Program provides free small group and individual tutoring in vocational courses, such as nursing, accounting, and electronics. Career counseling is available from a Career Specialist located in career services, room RCF-302. Group test reviews for vocational courses, and study skills and test-taking workshops are also available. The program assists students with disabilities majoring in vocational/career programs in arranging accommodations and specialized equipment.
Retention Services
Retention Services assists in the development of retention plans that support students’ academic persistence and success. This includes student monitoring, assessment, follow-up, skill reinforcement, co-curricular programming, and learning community involvement, which complements enhanced student performance. Programs monitored by Retention Services include Early Alert, Peer Mentoring, and Academic Suspension Appeals. For further information, call 443-518-1320.
Career Links
The Career Links program assists low-income single parents, displaced homemakers, and single pregnant women to become economically self-sufficient. The goals of the program are to achieve education and career goals toward long-term economic self-sufficiency.
Career Links staff will help participants determine their goals and decide on the type of work they would like to do based on their interests and past experiences. If appropriate, the staff will help participants plan a program of study, assist with the application for college admission and financial aid, as well as facilitate the registration process. Information on resume writing, interviewing skills, the job search process, and job retention is provided. The staff will also assist program participants with concerns that interfere with job or school activities. Staff members can make referrals to a wide variety of community services. The Career Links program assists with any difficulty participants may encounter on their way to economic self-sufficiency.
Low-income single parents, displaced homemakers, or single pregnant women should contact the counseling and career services office for further information and to attend a Career Links program orientation. For further information, call 443-518-4954 or 443-518-1340.