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Our mission is to help businesses improve team member's skills-level, while saving valuable time and money. How do we do this?

 KnowledgeCity.com is a state-of-the-art website created to improve employee productivity through our detailed online training platform. With over 7000 tutorials in Business Skills, Computer Software and Safety Compliance, we guarantee users will learn new or updated skills that will improve their productivity.

Our courses are presented in a format that breaks down the topic into sections so the user will thoroughly grasp the training. All courses are taught completely online by industry experts, so anyone taking the courses can do so anytime and at their own pace.

KnowledgeCity is the number one way for organizations to train their departments effectively and efficiently.

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5 Reasons to Learn Windows 8, Despite the Fact We Hate It

So you purchased a new computer or upgraded your operating system and, low and behold, you see a screen full of funky squares and rectangles with various icons which someone thought would be user “friendlier” than the old way. 

“But we like the old way,” You say, “and wait a minute. How do I get in this thing? Where is the start button?” Surprise! There isn’t one in this new “Metro” style user interface.  Despite your current anxiety, you fumble through trying desperately to figure things out.  It takes some getting used to, yes it does.  

Then you hear there is a new Windows in the works and you think, “I’m saved!” Guess what? The next Windows version is jumping straight from 8.1 to 10, but features of Windows 8 are not going away they are being integrated into the 10. 

Don’t worry; you will get a start button and other great features.  So despite the fact we all want Windows 8 to go away, the fact remains in its entirety or in its parts it plans to stick around.  So let’s make the best of it.  Here are 5 reasons to learn Windows 8:

1. Gone but Never Forgotten—For Windows 10, the integration of live tiles and apps that were new in Windows 8 are a couple of the features that will be integrated in the new OS.  The Windows 8 start screen actually does have some cool features, so new is not necessarily always bad and if pieces are going to remain maybe we should learn how they work.
2. 59 Million Devices running Windows 8—that’s right, 59 Million.  There are potentially 59 million users scratching their heads wondering, “What’s this Windows 8 mess and what have you done with my start button?”  Sounds like a teaching moment.  Learning Windows 8 could benefit the masses, well, maybe some of the 59 million anyway.
3. New is Bad! Or is It?—Windows 8 may just be an OS that is ahead of its time. If the net share results have any say, and you may think that I’m crazy, but it has actually gone up since last year.  So either people are settling, or they have learned how to use it and discovered how awesome it is.  See for yourself the stats don’t lie: 
4. It’s Easier to Learn than You Think—unfortunately the integration of a dual purpose desktop didn’t work out too good.  It’s a tablet and a PC—how convenient—not.  But that doesn’t mean you should not learn Windows 8.  There are some who believe that Windows 8 has a lot to offer, but was really designed for touch.  The live tiles are great on a tablet; not so much on a PC.  Still, according to an article in InformationWeek, there is only a moderate learning curve and most people should be able to pick up basic navigation in 10 minutes.
5. Windows 8 is not All Bad—According to an article on PC Magazine’s website, Windows 8 is not all bad.  It does have some very appealing features: faster start-up, access to skydrive, apps and better security than its predecessors.    

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Learn the Fundamentals of Photoshop using the Creative Cloud

KnowledgeCity’s new course, Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: Introduction, will be available soon.

Adobe Creative Cloud Photoshop: Introduction is a beginner’s course which introduces students to the fundamentals of Adobe Photoshop, a pixel-based image editing software application, using the Creative Cloud. 

It is the same software used by professional graphic artists and photographers to create and modify images for use in print, multimedia and web design.

This graphic design training course includes topics on: working with the tools and the user interface, using brushes, making selections, masking, layer basics, repairing and colorizing photos, correcting and enhancing digital photographs and much more.

The course is taught by Carolyn O’Barr; a certified Adobe Education Trainer. She is a freelance graphic artist and instructor. She has taught media arts and technology at colleges and universities for 15 years, and is proficient in numerous software programs in the Adobe Creative Suite.

Carolyn works with students of all levels, from the computer novice to professionals in the workplace. She is patient and very good at taking complex topics and explaining them in a clear and concise way. She is responsible for nurturing many students who have become award winners and successful professionals.

If you are using an older version of Photoshop we have courses in CS3 and CS4 too!

If you would like to be notified when this course goes live, follow our New Courses Page on LinkedIn and be the first to know!

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Freelancers: The New Face of the Workforce

According to Freelancing in America: A National Survey of the New Workforce, 40 percent of the workforce—21.1 million people—are independent contractors.  Another 5 percent—2.8 million people—are freelance business owners.

When faced with the prospect of underemployment or temporary employment many workers have decided to freelance and the number of freelancers is expected to grow to 65 to 70 million over the next decade.  This would mean that over half of the total workforce will be freelancers.

If you are a freelancer or considering making the switch here are the top ten skills that are in demand as reported in a surveys conducted by Freelancer.com and Elance.com:

1. IT & Programming
2. Design and Multimedia (These include: Illustration, Photoshop Design, Banner and Logo Design)
3. 3D Rendering, Modeling and Animation
4. Android and iOS Development
5. Social Media
6. Presentations (PowerPoint and Report writing)
7. Accounting
8. Writing and Translation
9. Marketing, Strategy and Public Relations
10. Business Management

Looking for freelance gigs? Here are some sites where you can find jobs just for your skill set:

https://www.freelancer.com

http://www.craigslist.org

https://www.odesk.com/

http://www.elance.com

http://www.peopleperhour.com/

Need to update or obtain new skills to launch your freelance career?  KnowledgeCity has courses in Business Management and Computer Software.  Try the first 3 lessons of any course for free!

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Business Word Processing

“Word processing refers generally to the creation, editing, formatting, storage, and output of both printed and online or electronic documents. Word processing is undoubtedly the most-used business application for personal computers…”  

Encyclopedia of Business and Finance, 2nd ed. | 2007 | Young, Ray

Word Processing involves understanding how business documents and correspondence are formatted.  It is a skill that is used to enhance the effectiveness of business communications.  From letters to agendas, forms and presentations; word processing keeps the business world moving.

View a Sample Lesson

From our Business Course:

   Business Word Processing—This lesson focuses   on keyboarding techniques.  You will learn tips to good keyboarding as well as the correct finger placement for keyboarding.  Also includes some keyboarding drills.

KnowledgeCity Presents: Business Word Processing

Course Description: 

Learn the standards and etiquette for: professional documents, emails, correspondences, and reports.

This course starts with an overview of Microsoft Word 2007, continues with a description of the skills required for effective word processing, and progresses to more in-depth applications of word processing.

This course also touches on the process of compiling career portfolios, writing business plans, and more advanced topics such as using mail merge, designing newsletters, and editing with proofreader marks.

Learn to correctly format business correspondence, use templates such as: invoices and reports, and create a company newsletter. Click the thumbnails to see screenshots from the course.

Visit www.knowledgecity.com for this and other great business courses!

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Discover the New Face of Training

KnowledgeCity.com is a state-of-the-art website created to improve employee productivity through our detailed online training platform. 

With over 7000 tutorials in Business Skills, Computer Software and Safety Compliance, we guarantee users will learn new or updated skills that will improve their productivity. 

Our library offers a unique format that breaks down the topic into sections so the user will thoroughly grasp the training. All courses are taught completely online by industry experts, so anyone taking the courses can do so anytime and at their own pace. 

In addition, all users can receive a Certificate of Proficiency upon the successful completion of their course. KnowledgeCity is the number one way for organizations to train their departments effectively and efficiently. 

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Volunteering: Helping a Cause and Your Career

As we move closer to the holidays many of us will consider volunteering for various organizations.  If you have never volunteered before, you should.  Not only does volunteering make everyone involved feel good, but while you help a good cause, you also have an opportunity to add to your resume or enhance your current position.

When volunteering you can choose to donate your time in an area related to your current position, where your skills and expertise can be useful, or you may choose an entirely different area where you can develop new skills, abilities, knowledge, and work experience.  Volunteering is an opportunity not just to serve the greater good, but to explore other interests.  It can also be a way to learn and develop leadership skills.

You also have an opportunity to expand your network.  Volunteering exposes you to other organizations, businesses and employment fields.  You never know who you may meet while volunteering.  The people you meet during your volunteer experiences will come from all walks of life.  Networking with these people can be an added bonus to your service.  Building professional contacts as well as social relationships with other volunteers can lead to employment leads and opportunities.

In the Forbes article, “Proof That Volunteering Pays Off For Job Hunters”, Nancy Collamer stated, “...when you volunteer, you gain access to people you might not otherwise meet, creating opportunities to develop positive relationships outside a traditional work environment.”

In a study published last year by the Corporation for National and Community Service, it was reported that volunteering was associated with a 27% greater odds of employment.  Volunteerism can be used as a strategy to obtain new job opportunities, especially for recent graduates and others who are re-entering the workforce.

The reason is suggested by another study conducted by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, “Does It Pay to Volunteer? The Relationship Between Volunteer Work and Paid Work” which concluded that “The volunteer experience conveys information to potential employers about the job applicant’s abilities, such as motivation, initiative, creativity, and reliability. This makes volunteering particularly relevant for job applicants with limited prior employment experiences, such as recent graduates entering the job market, and individuals who are re-entering the labor market after a longer break.”

So as the holidays near, look for the opportunity not only to help in your community, but to help in your career.  It is a win-win.

Find volunteer opportunities here:

https://www.volunteermatch.org/

http://www.idealist.org/

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