ISProfessionals now offers computer software training at Silverdale office.

As the unemployment rate continues to rise, more and more people are looking for computer training to boost their chances at landing a job.

Information Systems Professionals in Silverdale began offering computer software training in Intuit QuickBooks and many Microsoft business applications, ranging from Word to Visio.

Mark Salazar, owner of ISProfessionals, said he’s always planned to offer computer software training at his Silverdale office and decided now was the right time to do it.

“We thought, you know, this economy thing, we have to do that,” Salazar said about adding classes.

Most ISProfessionals computer software classes last one full day, but the Intuit QuickBooks course is a two-day class.

ISProfessionals offers classes for each Microsoft program at the introductory, intermediate and advanced levels. Salazar said they also offer packages where people can go through all three levels of a computer software program in three days.

“We want to make sure we have the right folks in the right classes,” Salazar said.

He said each course comes with a course book, created by ISProfessionals, so students can follow along and use it as a reference once the class is completed.

The ISProfessionals classroom will hold 12 students. Each student computer is hooked up to a monitor, so students can closely watch what instructor Al Hedstrom is doing and follow along.

“It’s a nice setup,” Salazar said.

Aside from instruction, students complete projects in class to ensure they know how to properly use the computer software program.

“It really builds confidence,” Salazar said.

He said Hedstrom has been teaching people about computer software for 15 years, so he brings a wealth of knowledge to the ISProfessionals classroom.

“It’s not like he’s a novice,” Salazar said. “There’s definitely some knowledge and leadership there.”

Anyone can register to take the computer software courses and ISProfessionals is affiliated with WorkSource of Kitsap County.

“Hopefully this will get someone retrained and with new skills to get a new job,” Salazar said.

He said the one-day Microsoft courses cost $165, which includes the course book.

“$165 is pretty average,” Salazar said.

ISProfessionals Sales Executive Debora Hobbs said businesses will be able to increase productivity by having its employees properly computer-trained.

“What we’re really trying to do is get the business owner to see they can be more productive,” Hobbs said.

ISProfessionals will teach Saturday classes if there’s enough interest and businesses can rent the ISProfessionals classroom to train their staff. ISProfessionals also will go to businesses to do training, provided the business has the proper training facility.

“We’re really going to see what our clients want us to do and we’ll try and do it,” Hobbs said.

Salazar said computer software training was needed in Kitsap County and he’s had a good response from the public so far.

“No one else around here besides Olympic College and A to Z (Computer Office Training) in Port Orchard offers classes,” Salazar said. “(People) are almost somewhat surprised that it’s offered here.”

ISProfessionals also offers residential PC repair services, business computer services and support and resume writing services.

For more information about ISProfessionals or to register for computer software training classes, call (360) 662-0111 or visit its Web site at www.ISProfessionals.com.