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A certificate program requires 1 to 4 semesters of course work which prepares the student for a specific academic or vocational career. Classes are taken only in the student's chosen career area.

Occupational Competency Guarantee

Illinois Valley Community College students graduating with an Associate of Applied Science Degree or Certificate requiring 20 credit hours or more in an occupational program are guaranteed technical skill competency as represented by that AAS degree or certificate. In the situation where the graduate is not able to demonstrate the technical skills expected by his or her employer, the student will be offered up to 12 credit hours of retraining for the AAS degree or 6 credit hours of retraining for the certificate, tuition and lab fees free, subject to the following conditions:

  1. All course work for the AAS degree or certificate must have been completed at IVCC and a grade of "C" or better earned.
  2. The student must have completed the program within four years of initial enrollment at the college.
  3. The student must have been employed full-time in a job directly related to his or her program of study within one year after graduation from the college with the AAS degree or certificate.
  4. The employer must verify in writing to the college within 90 days of initial employment that the graduate lacks competency in specific technical skills as represented by college literature for the AAS degree or certificate.
  5. A written retraining plan must be mutually developed by the employer, the graduate, the appropriate dean, and the occupational program instructor specifying the courses needed for retraining and the competencies to be mastered.
  6. The retraining will be limited to courses regularly offered by the college and must be completed within one calendar year from the time the educational plan is agreed upon.
  7. Prerequisites and other admission requirements for retraining courses must be met and are not included in the courses covered by this guarantee. Students must take the course(s) for a grade and no waivers will be allowed.
  8. A maximum of 12 credit hours for the AAS degree and 6 credit hours for the certificate will be provided free for tuition and course fees. Other costs for books, workbooks, etc. will be the responsibility of the graduate and/or the employer.
  9. Should the student audit, withdraw, or not receive a passing grade in a course identified in the retraining plan, that course will be included in the offer of credit hours.
  10. This guarantee does not imply that the graduate will pass any licensing or qualifying examination for a particular career or occupation.
  11. Student's rights under this guarantee are personal and may not be assigned or transferred, voluntarily or involuntarily. Further, no refund is required or will be made.
  12. Claims against the occupational program guarantee must be filed with the Director of Admissions and Records within the prescribed time limits as set forth above.
  13. This policy becomes effective with students enrolling in the spring semester of 1995. The sole recourse available to participants enrolled in this guarantee program will be limited to the tuition and course fee costs of the retraining with no recourse for damages, court costs, or any associated costs of any kind or right to appeal beyond those specified by the college.

Not all certificates are eligible for financial aid. Consult the Financial Aid Office for more information.