JJC’s Adult Education Students Earn Certificates

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Joliet Junior College was preparing to transfer courses online in Mid-March. Adult education instructor Angela Logwood was also preparing ahead of how her summer global supply chain management support courses would be impacted. “The writing was on the wall. I knew that we needed to act quickly to prepare for the unknown,” said Logwood. “I organized a meeting at a local coffee shop that had good WiFi.”

Logwood teaches the course alongside business professor Jim Revis. Logwood had already prepared the students for online transitioning. The March coffee shop meeting became the final chance to train in person. 42-year old Sofia Cortes lives with her husband and two sons in Joliet. She said, “At first, I was very worried when my instructor said that we could no longer meet in class and would be working completely from home. I didn’t know if I could do it.”

Cortes said she is completely comfortable as an online student.  She worked at a warehouse emptying trucks. By earning a certificate of completion, she is seeking to elevate her employment status. She dually enrolled in global supply chain management and English as a second language. The pandemic made things more rigorous for her.

As part of the Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS), those seeking their high school equivalency through JJC can simultaneously work toward a Certificate of Completion by co-enrolling in its global supply chain management program. JJC’s Adult Education Services and Business Department jointly coordinate the program.

Cortes said English is not her native language. She liked listening to classmates to learn how to pronounce the words in the industry. Online learning has been challenging for Cortes. She said voice translate helped her.