PDI will not offer New Jersey Planning Law in Fall 2011

We are sorry to report that the Professional Development Institute will not be able to offer the online New Jersey Planning Law class in Fall 2011.  Because of transitions within our organization and other factors, we could not produce a new class in time to adequately prepare participants for the New Jersey Professional Planner exam. We expect to offer the class again in Spring 2012 in partnership with the New Jersey chapter of the American Planning Association.

The New Jersey chapter offers resources to help those taking the AICP or the PP exam.  Learn more...

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How to get your free hour of career coaching and complimentary resume review

If you paid full price for a Deep Learning course between March and June 2011, you are eligible to receive an hour of career coaching, followed by a complimentary review of your resume.

To request the coaching and review, please send an email to PDI Director Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP.  Indicate the course you registered for.  Please note that if you took advantage of any scholarships, you are not eligible to receive this service.

Leonardo Vazquez will provide the coaching and resume review.

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Urban Design Studio to create waterfront design concept for Pottstown, Pennsylvania

This year's Urban Design Studio class in BOCEP will help the Borough of Pottstown, Pennsylvania by creating a waterfront design concept.  Pottstown is a town of about 21,000 residents located 40 miles from Philadelphia.

Learners in the class, which meets entirely online from April 27 to June 4, will work with each other and key members of Pottstown's government to create the concept.  The class' work will be delivered to the client after the course ends.

Registration is open to anyone.  There are no prerequisites, but the course assumes that learners have a basic knowledge of urban design.  (If you don't, there are several books that provide an introduction or overview of the topic. )

The Urban Design Studio is taught by Matt Wanamaker, an urban designer with the Philadelphia architectural and planning firm of Brown & Keener.

Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program Deep Learning classes provide high-quality, interactive and entirely online learning in topics such as community development, economic development, leadership and management, planning, sustainability and urban design.  Learn more about BOCEP.

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PDI Director elected to board of Center for Non-Profits

Leonardo Vazquez, Director of the Professional Development Institute and The Leading Institute, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Center for Non-Profits in New Jersey.

Leo was among seven nonprofit or public sector executives elected to the 14-member board. 

The Center provides leadership and services for New Jersey nonprofit organizations, and is the state's umbrella organization for all nonprofits in New jersey. The Center engages in advocacy, education, capacity building and member services to help nonprofit leaders and staff get the knowledge and tools they need to pursue their missions more effectively.

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BOCEP offers free career coaching and resume review to course registrants

You can get one hour of free career coaching and a review of your resume if you register for a Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program course by April 15, 2011.

This is a great opportunity for anyone who is looking to enhance their career or improve their chances in the job market.  As far as we know, no other continuing education program for planners and placebuilders offers this service.

Coaching will be done in person or by phone, if you're not able to get to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ).  You can submit your resume by email and receive comments by phone or email from the reviewer.  All information, including your participate in coaching and resume review, will be kept confidential.

The coach and resume reviewer will be Leonardo Vazquez, Director of The Leading Institute.  Leo, a community and economic development with more than 15 years experience in the private, academic and nonprofit sectors.  He provides performance coaching to planners and public affairs professionals and is the author of Leading from the Middle: Strategic Thinking for Urban Planners and Community Development Professionals.  


BOCEP provides a wide variety of high-quality, interactive and cost-effective online deep learning courses.  Upcoming courses cover a wide range of topics, including:

• Community and economic development
• Planning law and legal issues
• Professional practice (business and leadership)
• Urban design and placemaking

Learn more or register for upcoming BOCEP Deep Learning courses

If you have any questions, please contact Professional Development Institute Programs Manager Swena Gulati by email or by phone (732-932-3822, x711)

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3 for 1 special: Take New Jersey Planning Law, get free registration to APA’s PP exam review session and Complete Guide to Planning in New Jersey

The New Jersey Chapter of the American Planning Association has teamed up with Rutgers University’s Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program to help planners pass the New Jersey Professional Planner exam.

If you register for the New Jersey Planning Law course offered by BOCEP, you will get a free copy of the Complete Guide to Planning in New Jersey (3rd edition), and free registration in the chapter’s one-day PP review session. All you need to do to take advantage of this offer is register for New Jersey Planning Law -- https://rutgers.catalog.cerkit.rutgers.edu/course/display/10910
You can also get 14 AICP Certification Maintenance credits, including the mandatory 1.5 law credits.

New Jersey Planning Law is an interactive, online class that runs from March 16 to April 23. There are no required meetings, and you can participate in the class at your convenience. The PP exam review session will be held April 2, 9 am to 4 pm, at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy in New Brunswick.

Why take both courses? Because they offer you two ways to learn, which can help improve your score in the PP exam. New Jersey Planning Law allows you to learn at your own pace (which is helpful for busy people), and you can work on the types of questions and issues you might encounter on the exam. The one-day session will help you bring your knowledge together. In both courses, you can ask questions and consult with instructors.

Please note that this offer cannot be combined with any discounts or scholarships.

If you have any questions, please contact PDI Program Manager Swena Gulati at swena@rutgers.edu or 732-932-3822, x636

The Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program (BOCEP) is produced by the Professional Development Institute of Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. BOCEP offers courses and certificates in community and economic development, cultural development and planning, planning law, professional practice and leadership, and urban design. Courses are offered between September and May.

For more information on BOCEP, please visit http://www.policy.rutgers.edu/bocep

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BOCEP seeking instructor and clients for upcoming classes

The Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program is seeking new instructors and community clients for upcoming classes in 2011.

• BOCEP is seeking a seasoned practitioner to teach an introductory Deep Learning course in Geographic Information Systems.  Deep Learning courses are six weeks long and entirely online.  Instructors receive compensation of $1,000 to $3,000, depending on enrollment size, as well as training in online education.  Previous online learning experience not required.  Ideal candidates would have extensive practical experience using GIS, and have earned an AICP designation.   Interested applicants should send their resumes to PDI Programs Manager Swena Gulati.  You can also reach Swena at 732-932-3822, x635
  
• BOCEP is seeking a community outside of New Jersey to be a client for an upcoming Cultural Community Development Studio course and an upcoming Urban Design Studio course.  Client communities will be expected to provide access to key leaders and information about the community so that course participants can complete their assignments.  While there is no financial requirement to be a client community, clients that provide additional financial support to a class will receive a higher quality product from the class. (Funds would be used in part to support additional time spent by the instructor and BOCEP staff on the client project.)  Interested applicants should contact PDI Director Leonardo Vazquez for more information.  You can also reach Leo at 732-932-3822, x711

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