Food Safety Training Returns This Fall
We are excited to announce that our popular Basic Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) food safety training is back this fall!
Why Get HACCP Certification?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that approximately 1 in 6 Americans gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases each year.
HACCP is an internationally recognized system to identify and manage food safety-related risk.
Federal food safety regulations for meat and poultry mandate that each manufacturer must rely on a trained individual who has received instruction in the application of HACCP principles. Those trained individuals must perform a periodic reassessment of the ongoing adequacy of the HACCP plan.
The Basic HACCP course directly fulfills these regulatory expectations, as well as provides additional practical and technical instruction to assist food manufacturers in producing safe product.
This course is appropriate for anyone wanting to better understand HACCP, especially individuals who either are working or want to work in any aspect of food production, distribution, or preparation.
About University of Arizona Basic HACCP Training
Basic HACCP is designed and taught by Dr. Margie Sánchez-Vega, University of Arizona Assistant Professor of Practice and Dr. Margarethe Cooper, University of Arizona Associate Professor of Practice.
The content of the course is accredited by the International HACCP Alliance.
Fall 2022 Dates: September 13-15, 2022 (8 a.m.-5 p.m. September 13 and 14, 8 a.m.-noon September 15)
Visit the Basic HACCP page to see more upcoming classes.
Location: Tucson, AZ
Language of instruction: English
Did you know? Depending on interest, Basic HACCP can potentially be taught in other locations across Arizona or offered as a group training for your employees. Basic HACCP can also be taught in Spanish. Let us know you are interested and we will see how we can help.
We Are Moving! Office Closes July 29
The office of Continuing & Professional Education will be moving to a new location in fall 2022.
Effective July 29, 2022, the current Continuing & Professional Education office at 1955 E. Sixth Street in Tucson will be closed.
All Continuing & Professional Education staff will be working remotely starting August 1 until we move into our new office space. Unfortunately, that means we will not be able to meet with you at our office or accommodate walk-in inquiries during this transitional period.
How to contact us:
- Registration will stay open during this time. Explore our catalog of short courses and certificate programs to find the right program to meet your career goals.
- Have questions or need assistance? Please use the contact form, email or phone (520-626-5091) to contact us.
- We will continue to receive postal mail at our current mailing address: 1955 E. Sixth Street, Tucson, AZ 85721 until we move to our new office.
We look forward to seeing you in person in the fall!
Career Spotlight: Business Analyst
Do you enjoy solving business problems? Have you considered a career as a Business Analyst?
Business Analysts use their analytical skills to help organizations improve efficiency, reduce costs, increase revenues, and meet their organizational goals.
What does a Business Analyst do?
Business Analysts help organizations become more effective by using data to solve problems, drive growth and make better, data-informed decisions.
For example, at a retail company, a Business Analyst might analyze customer feedback data to identify opportunities for improvement in the company's products or processes. Or they might analyze customer purchase data to identify new revenue opportunities.
An Information Technology (IT) Business Analyst might interview stakeholders across the organization to understand and document their requirements for a new system or software package, research and compare potential solutions, and make strategic recommendations for solutions that would meet the requirements. They may also test the new system, develop processes and reports to monitor system performance, or create training and documentation for system users.
Is there demand for Business Analysts?
Yes. According to Burning Glass, there were over 300,000 Business Analyst job openings in the U.S. in the past year. And the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of business analyst jobs will grow about 14%, almost twice as fast as the average for all roles in the next 10 years.
Business analysts are in demand in almost every industry, from finance and insurance to manufacturing to retail to health care, and many other industries.
In Arizona, the top employers hiring business analysts include Wells Fargo, USAA, Deloitte, Accenture, Bank of America and UnitedHealth Group.
What skills or training does a Business Analyst need?
Most business analyst jobs require a bachelor's degree. The most commonly-requested program of study in Business Analyst job postings is Business Administration/Management, although not all job postings specify a program of study.
Business Analyst job postings more often list specific business analysis skills, rather than a specific degree program.
So, what skills do employers look for in a Business Analyst?
- Data skills: Business Analysts use a variety of data analysis and visualization tools, such as Excel, SQL and Tableau to gather, analyze and visualize data.
- Business and industry knowledge: Business Analysts need to understand the industry and the organization they work in. For example, the business goals, opportunities and challenges at a healthcare organization are very different than they would be at an insurance company or a manufacturing company.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Business Analysts work with a wide variety of individuals and teams to gather data. They must also be able to communicate their findings clearly and effectively to different audiences, including leadership.
How much is a Business Analyst salary?
As of May 2022, the median salary for a U.S. business analyst was over $79,000. In Arizona, the median salary is over $76,000.
Ready to add business analytics skills to your resume?
The University of Arizona Business Analytics Certificate program teaches you the fundamental data and business analytics skills that employers need.
Business Analytics Certificate Program FAQs
Below are frequently asked questions about the University of Arizona Business Analytics program.
What will I learn in the Business Analytics Certificate Program?
The University of Arizona Business Analytics Certificate program is designed to equip you with core business analytics skills, including: developing KPIs and business objectives, data modeling fundamentals, accessing data with SQL, Microsoft Excel, data visualization, using Tableau, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning for business analytics.
Successfully completing the program will give you practical, workplace-ready skills. In fact, 94% of learners who completed the program say that they are applying what they learned back on the job.
Do I need previous Business Analytics experience?
You don't necessarily need prior experience to succeed in the program. Some material may be more advanced if you don't have any previous experience, in which case, the course mentors can work with you to help fill the knowledge gap.
This program is ideal for:
- Recent college graduates
- Business professionals looking to improve their analytics skills
- Experienced professionals re-entering the workforce
- Working professionals looking to make a shift into business analytics
- Entrepreneurs seeking to grow their business by utilizing a set of analytics tools
Does the program include Tableau training?
Yes, the Business Analytics course includes training and hands-on practice using Tableau to organize and visualize data. It also prepares you to take the Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification exam.
Explore the full Business Analytics curriculum.
Will I get a Tableau certification?
Tableau is one of the top data visualization tools in the world. Earning the Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification verifies that you have the foundational skills to use Tableau Desktop to organize and visualize data.
Upon successful completion of the course, you will be prepared to take the Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification exam. Taking the exam is optional (though highly encouraged) and is not required for successful completion of the course.
Does the program include data visualization training?
Yes, the program teaches you the fundamentals of data visualization. You will also get practical, hands-on experience using Microsoft Excel and Tableau Desktop to organize, explore and visualize data.
Learn more about the Business Analytics curriculum.
Does the program include SQL training?
Yes, the program includes an introduction to SQL, including developing SQL queries and performing basic SQL operations.
View the Business Analytics curriculum.
Is this a Data Science course?
While the course does include an introduction to data analysis and data modeling concepts, as well as hands-on practice with different data analysis and visualization tools, this is not a data science course.
Data science is a much more technical field than business analytics. Data science includes topics such as advanced statistical analysis, machine learning, advanced mathematics, and various programming languages.
Does this course give me a Business Analyst Certification?
This course does prepare you for the Tableau Desktop Specialist certification exam, an important employer-recognized credential.
However, the course is not designed to prepare you for a Business Analyst Certification exam, such as those offered by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA) and Project Management Institute (PMI).
How is Business Analytics Different from Data Analytics?
Business Analytics and Data Analytics are similar, in that both fields use data, and both require data analytics skills.
A Data Analyst role is often more technical than a Business Analyst role. The two roles also tend to have a different focus.
| Data Analyst | Business Analyst |
|
More technical role, often focusing on the data itself. |
More business-focused and strategic role, using insights gleaned from data to solve problems and identify opportunities for improvement. |
|
Often has knowledge of the various programming languages and data visualization tools but is not necessarily an expert. |
How is a Business Analytics course different from a Data Boot Camp?
Data Boot Camps are generally focused on developing technical skills, such as Python, R programming, and SQL queries. Boot Camps generally last three to six (or more) months and tend to very intensive.
Data Analytics Boot Camps may be full-time or part-time. They generally require a very significant commitment of time and effort, up to 20-30+ hours per week. Because they are so intensive, Boot Camps can also be costly.
A Business Analytics course is usually shorter and less intensive (and therefore less expensive).
Business Analytics courses will teach you core data analysis skills and tools, with more of an emphasis on using those skills to solve problems in a business context.
Which is better, a Data Boot Camp or a Business Analytics Certificate?
There is no "one size fits all" answer to that question.
It depends on your background, interests, and career goals, as well as the amount of time you can commit to your professional development. Cost may also factor into your decision.
- If you want to develop extensive "hard" technical skills in data management and analytics, a Data Analytics Boot Camp might be the right choice for you.
- If you want to use data to make better strategic business decisions, a Business Analytics program might be a better fit for you.
How do I register for the Business Analytics Certificate Program?
Visit the Business Analytics enrollment page to start your enrollment.
New Program: Business Analytics Certificate
Business analytics skills are in high demand. Employers need people who understand how to use data to solve problems, identify opportunities and improve business performance.
Now you can add core business analytics skills to your resume in just 10 weeks, with a University of Arizona Continuing & Professional Education Business Analytics Certificate.
What You Will Learn in the Course
You will learn:
- Business Analytics Fundamentals: Learn how data can help you solve problems, drive growth and influence decision-making.
- Data Modeling: Determine the data set for answering key research questions. Understand application workflows, design tables, determine primary keys and use the right data types effectively.
- Accessing Data with SQL: Retrieve and summarize data with SQL. Develop SQL queries and learn techniques such as filtering, working with joins and using aggregate functions.
- Data Visualization and Technology: Design research questions and select tools, techniques and visualization types to highlight insights, and get hands-on with Tableau.
- KPIs, Business Objectives, and More: Develop business objectives and articulate their relationship to business performance.
You will also be prepared to take the Tableau Desktop Specialist Certification Exam.
How the Business Analytics Course Works
The convenient online format allows you to learn in-demand business analytics skills from any location.
The ten-week Business Analytics Science Certificate course includes weekly online learning content such as videos and reading, plus assignments to reinforce your learning and give you hands-on practical experience. You can complete these learning activities on your own schedule each week.
You also have the option to attend weekly mentor-led live broadcasts once a week via Zoom. These sessions are an opportunity to ask questions, get feedback, and deepen your knowledge.
Classes start monthly. See upcoming class dates.
Who Can Take This Course?
This is a noncredit professional development program that is open to all learners. You do not need previous business analytics experience, and you don't have to be in Arizona or a student at the University of Arizona.
Top 2021 Courses and Certificate Programs
We continually review our programs to ensure we meet the needs of our learners and the employers who hire them.
As 2021 comes to a close, we dove into our data to see which programs were most popular among our learners in the past year.
These were the top ten programs in 2021:
- Coding Boot Camp: Learn to code in 12 or 24 weeks and become a full-stack web developer.
- Spanish/English Translation: Turn your language skills into a new career in business, medical, or legal translation with a Certificate in Spanish/English Translation.
- Paralegal Certificate Course: Learn the essential skills to start a career as a Paralegal.
- Data Analytics Boot Camp: Learn data analytics in 24 weeks, including in-demand technologies like intermediate Excel, Python, JavaScript, SQL Databases, Tableau, and more.
- CompTIA Certification Exam Prep: Whether you are just starting your IT career or have many years of experience, we have a CompTIA exam preparation course for you.
- Legal Nurse Consultant Training: Pivot to an exciting new career in the medical field.
- Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam Prep: Get ready to pass the FE Exam, the first step towards earning your Professional Engineer (PE) license.
- Human Resources (SHRM) Certification Exam Prep: Prepare for the SHRM-CP (Certified Professional) or SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified Professional) exam.
- UX/UI Boot Camp: Learn design thinking, prototyping, user interface design, and more in this intensive 24-week course.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Prep: Get the training you need to pass the most important project management exam of all - the PMP.
If you missed out on one of these courses in 2021, don't worry. They will be offered again in 2022. Just click the class link above to see upcoming class start dates.
Join a Thriving Industry: Earn a Cannabis Certificate
The University of Arizona office of Continuing & Professional Education has joined with the cannabis education company Green Flower to offer three new noncredit Cannabis Certificate Programs to help address workforce needs in the growing cannabis industry.
Learners can choose to earn a certificate in the Business of Cannabis, Cannabis Law and Policy, or Cannabis Healthcare and Medicine. Each certificate includes three eight-week online courses, which learners can complete in approximately six months.
More than a decade ago, voters approved Proposition 203, which created Arizona's medical marijuana program. In 2020, voters passed Proposition 207, which legalized recreational cannabis consumption for adults 21 and over. A robust cannabis industry has emerged in the state, which has already generated over $150 million in tax revenue this year.
Along with this growth has come an increased demand for individuals trained in various aspects of the cannabis industry, ranging from retail to law to medical science. The new certificate programs will address this workforce need.
For additional information, please contact Green Flower at cannabis-ce@arizona.edu.
Top Ten 2021 Arizona Tech Credentials
When choosing which IT certification to pursue, IT professionals usually consider their professional experience and their career goals. Geography can also play a role in the decision-making process, because employers in different locations may prefer different credentials.
To ensure our programs equip our learners to achieve their career goals, we continually review the top certifications requested in job postings locally and nation-wide.
Top IT Certifications in Arizona
Based on the past 12 months of job postings, these were the top IT certifications requested in Arizona for 2021:
When we looked at the top Arizona IT credentials in 2020, IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) were the two most-requested certifications statewide. That didn't change in 2021.
So, what did change? This year we saw that demand for CompTIA Network + and CompTIA Security+ increased relative to other certifications: Network+ moved into the top 10 list and Security+ moved up to number three.
Top Credentials in Arizona by County
We also looked at the top tech credentials in Arizona by county. As we saw in 2020, each county's list of top IT certifications looked a little different.
These were the top IT certifications requested in each county in the past year:
- CompTIA Security+ was the top certification requested in Pima, Yuma, and Cochise counties. The high demand for Security+ is likely related to the military installations in those areas: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson (Pima County), Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista (Cochise County), and the Marine Corps Air Station and Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma County. Security+ is one of the baseline certifications for DOD 8570, as required for many roles that perform IT work for the federal government.
- IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) was the top-requested certification in Maricopa, Coconino, and Yavapai counties.
- CISSP was the top IT certification requested by employers in Apache and Navajo counties. In Mohave county, CISSP tied with CISA for the top spot.
In addition to considering your experience, qualifications and goals, you can also explore local job postings to get a sense of which certifications are most in-demand.
IT Certifications and Training
If you want to add an IT certification to your resume, University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education offers IT training and certification exam prep programs for many of the top Arizona IT certifications.
We can also provide custom group IT certification training in locations across Arizona, including the Phoenix, Tucson, Sierra Vista and Yuma areas.
Spanish/English Translation Certificate Wins Outstanding Program Award
The University of Arizona Spanish/English Translation Certificate Program was the recipient of the 2021 University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) West Region Outstanding Non-Credit Program Award.
The program was designed and is managed by Dr. Sonia Colina (Regent’s Professor, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and Director of the National Center for Interpretation at the University of Arizona).
The non-credit Spanish/English Translation Certificate Program helps bilingual speakers turn their language skills into a rewarding career. It also produces trained translation professionals who can provide Spanish/English translation services in medical, legal, and business settings.
As Dr. Colina says, the UPCEA award affirms that it is possible to offer “high quality academic content and sound pedagogical design in the form of practically-oriented professional courses.”