Vocational Support Services
Location: Marlboro Hall, Room 2102
Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Evening hours by appointment.
Phone: 301-322-0725, TTY 301-322-0122
E-mail: vss@pgcc.edu
What is Vocational Support Services?
Vocational Support Services (VSS) provides instructional support to students enrolled in career and technology education programs leading to an A.A.S. degree. Staff helps students identify learning strengths, target areas for improvement, and build the skills for successful learning and accomplishment of educational goals. The student and VSS staff work with faculty, learning specialists, and other campus support services to identify barriers to success and develop strategies to help the student deal effectively with the demands of college studies.
VSS Services Available
Study Skills Advising – individual and small group assistance on study skills and learning strategies.
Skills Enrichment Workshops – a series of workshops throughout the Fall and Spring semesters on study skills and life management topics. Workshop topics include Multiple-choice Test Taking, Memory Techniques, Time Management, Overcoming Procrastination, and Math Anxiety. Many faculty permit students to include workshop participation as part of required learning lab hours or as one of the required out-of-class activities. Check with your individual instructor.
SuccessNet – a day of college success workshops held each fall and spring which celebrate diverse learning styles and focus on building skills for success in college.
Camelot – a diagnostic test of your strengths and weaknesses in taking multiple choice tests. This may be done individually or as part of a class room presentation.
Academic Success Keys (ASK) – a reference grid to help guide you to resources available at the college.
Nursing Supplemental Instruction – group study sessions coordinated with select nursing classes to help students strengthen the advanced study skills needed for a health technology curriculum. An anatomy and physiology review related to nursing topics is provided for advanced nursing courses.
Anatomy and Physiology Models and Charts – an extensive range of anatomy and physiology (A&P) models are placed on reserve in the library for use by students in the health technology programs. Numerous A&P charts are available in the VSS resource and study room in the library.
Consultation with faculty – VSS staff are available to consult with faculty on concerns regarding individual students, provide classroom presentations on a variety of study skills topics, and identify resources on how to foster development of learning strategies and critical thinking skills in students.
Transition Services – students participating in VSS or Tech Prep programs in high school are eligible to participate in special transition programs.
Resources Available
Print materials on a wide range of study skill topics
Videos of study skills workshops (also aired on the college’s cable television station)
Assessments of learning style and test taking skills
You may direct questions about VSS by e-mail to VSS@pgcc.edu