STC introduces an online certificate course scheduled just for our international members! TechComm 101, presented by Leah Guren, has been one of our most popular certificate courses. Run three times in two years already, we had to cut off registration for her latest edition due to the high level of interest.
Now Leah has graciously agreed to present the certificate course at a time much more convenient for many of our international members. While we realize no one time will accommodate everyone, we scheduled for as many international members as possible. The courses run from 10:00-11:30 AM GMT+3 (each Monday, 16 August through 27 September), making it an early morning for Europe and Africa members, morning through afternoon for Asia members, and afternoon through early evening for Pacific members.
TechComm 101 is the fastest, most efficient way to jump-start your career in technical communication. It covers key theory that you can immediately apply to your work, as well as giving you the skills you need to continue to learn and grow.
Each element of theory is presented with hands-on exercises, real-world examples, and plenty of discussion. The course is sure to leave you feeling enthusiastic and well-prepared to get started in the field.
Technical communication is a thinking person’s dream career! Get the tools you need to go further with TechComm 101. Click the link for more information, including session-by-session detail, or to register.
TechComm 101: International Time
16 August-27 September (every Monday)
10:00-11:30 AM GMT+3
Presented by Leah Guren
US$595 member; US$995 nonmember; US$295 student member
I would really like STC to drop the term “international” because they obviously think it means something other than what it really means.
STC itself is international. It’s HQed in US, but it’s not a US society. It’s an international society. We should be thinking that way.
The training is optimized for a EMEA and APAC audience, not an “international” audience. Even if anything outside the US were “international”, I doubt Canadians would be psyched for this timeframe. 😉
It may seem like picking nits, but it’s a very big nit that needs to be picked. We need to kick this US-centric mindset to the curb.
I’d say that the STC should drop the ‘International’ on the grounds of being too US-centric. Basically, most of the benefits of STC membership depend on being a US citizen: Promoting the Profession, Exclusive Access to Jobs Database, Unlimited Use of the Jobseeker Boot Camp, Discounts on Insurance Programs, even the Network of Peers relies on having an active local organization.
And yet, the cost of membership is the same. That means that for living in a country whose chapter seems to have disappeared off the map (not that the STC web site has recognized the loss of the New Zealand chapter in any obvious way), we get to subsidize insurance programs for the USA; think how people in even less well-off nations must feel.
Also, why can’t you even get something as simple as publishing a time right? What use is 10:00-11:30 AM GMT+3 to anyone? Why not:
7:00 – 8:30 AM UTC
That would at least give a reference that we can all work with, without needing to do any stupid math to work out a good baseline.
What frustrates me most about the STC is the failure to even respond to things like this. The fact is, STC membership is a considerably worse deal for people who are not living in the USA. Why can’t the STC even recognize that?
Whoops! Rightly but harshly said ‘Anonymous’. Instead of/Besides cribbing we all can work to improve the situation.
PS: I feel the financial pinch and lack of too many benefits too. Hence not a member of STC, yet!