Agency Report
InterCoast College (ICC) was originally founded as a travel school in South Orange County. The first class started in May 1985 and InterCoast received its initial accreditation in 1987. Currently, InterCoast is a vocational college that has many locations throughout Southern California, Maine, and its newest location in New Hampshire offering various careers to its students. The central mission of ICC is to provide Associate’s degree and Diploma level educational career programs designed to prepare students to succeed in the medical, legal, business, and technical industries by enabling him or her to meet the highest expectations of employers for entry- level professions.
Education and training at InterCoast are directed toward helping students develop technical skills, expertise, and a better understanding of his or her application by providing hands on training. Intercoast aims to help students ripen professional approaches and behaviors by teaching positive work habits and qualities, interpersonal communication skills, and self-discipline. Additionally, the curriculum is devoted to job-related subjects and tasks enabling the students to focus on their major areas of interest. Because students are directed along these paths, they make the most rapid progress and are equipped, in the shortest time with the knowledge and skills that will gain them respect and the means of rewarding self-support. With a work-like environment to aid the students in achieving such objectives, InterCoast students are taught tips and strategies to obtain employment in their chosen career.
Students must be at least 18, or possess a valid High School Diploma or GED equivalent for admissions. Candidates who do not possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent shall also be considered for admission, provided that they take and pass an independently administered “ability-to-benefit” examination. Individuals admitted as ability-to benefit students will receive GED testing locations and will be encouraged to obtain this certificate before graduating from InterCoast. Most of the students have dealt with traumatizing life events that have held him or her back from success in the past. Moreover, the population served can best be described, as the population that wants a fresh start to further his or her education and profession.
InterCoast specializes in providing Associates degree in Substance Abuse Counseling and Diploma level educational career program certifications in Administrative/Medical Assistance, Mental Health/Counselling, Massage Therapy, Multimedia, Electrical, and Pharmacy Technicians, Business and Legal Administration, Technology, and Alcohol and Drug Counselling both on campus and through Interactive Distance Learning. Generally, ICC also offers a personal and professional development class, which students must complete before entering into his or her career courses. This particular class is special because it teaches the students, tips and strategies for success such as interviewing skills, communication skills, social skills, writing, and presentation skills. ICC offers a Career Services Department accomplished in assisting students with “Externships” as well as individualized career services assistance. The career services department often functions as a liaison between the employer and the student/graduate. This is a service provided to eligible graduates. ICC also offers Graduate Employment Assistance Services to assist graduates in contacting companies to secure employment.
The faculty at ICC is composed of mature and competent industry professionals such as from each vocation, administration staff, financial advisors, resource coordinators, and academic advisors who possess superior job-related knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm in teaching and providing sensitivity and concern for students and their progress. Throughout the enrolment process, students work closely with enrolment advisors who ensure requirements are met and resources are made available to individuals in need. After the requirements are met, the student is introduced to a financial aid advisor who guides the student through the available financial options to pay for school. From there, students are introduced to his or her instructors. All instructors are licensed in the profession in which they teach and are knowledgeable about the human services field altogether. The environment at ICC for personnel is very family oriented and enjoys working as a team. Furthermore, Intercoast College is a forward thinking organization that staffs employees who want to make a difference in each student’s life.
InterCoast is an accredited college, which means this organization receives funding from state and federal governments. Consequently, ICC is an eligible institution for financial aid and can offer additional financial assistance under the Pell Grant, SEOG, Direct Loans, Subsidized Stafford Loans, Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Additional Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, and Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) Programs who qualify. The institution also participates in the College Work Study Program and offers and accepts scholarships to cover the cost of books, materials, and tuition. InterCoast also holds contracts with certain businesses that guarantee ICC students an opportunity of employment once the student has graduated from the program and become certified in his or her chosen profession. Other sources of funding are funded by the businesses through private donations.
Initially, I observed how newly enrolled students appeared to be scared and intimated about returning to school or a classroom like environment or interacting with an online community. I noticed how the instructors and school staffs addressed such fears throughout the program by way of consistent encouragement, structure, discipline, and positive reinforcement. I was immediately drawn to the connections and appropriate relationships built between students and staff both on campus and online. InterCoast College is always acknowledging students for Perfect Attendance Awards given to students who have not missed any school days, Director’s Honour Award given to graduates with 3.85 GPA and a minimum of 95% attendance, and Achievement Awards given to graduates who have shown the most improvement in school. Such attributes help increase graduation rates by motivating and encouraging students to continue moving forward toward success. However, some students are not motivated and drop out of certain programs causing the school to cut back instructional hours for instructors and having to lay off others no longer needed. Therefore, areas of improvement consist of more advertising and community networking to inform individuals within the community that a program like InterCoast exists.
Moreover, I hoped that I would receive skills training at InterCoast that would be directed toward the development of attaining additional practical skills and knowledge, in conjunction with the development of professional approaches and behaviors related to the human services field. With that I learned how to identify the means of assessing crisis situations and how to implement crisis interventions along with resolution techniques. Additionally, I developed the skills needed to maintain accurate, appropriate, and timely record keeping by setting organizational priorities that reflected quality assurance. What is more, I developed comprehensive planning skills needed to match participants’ needs with the resources that existed in their lives—in the community, among their friends, and within their families. I learned to pinpoint areas for self-improvement, pursue education, and training resources for career support, and the necessary skills and strategies to assist students in meeting their goals.

References
Intercoast College. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.intercoast.edu