By Steven Appelbaum, ABC President & CEO
Greetings and happy summer; I hope you are all healthy and doing well. The passing of time is such a funny thing, as this year seems to be going by much quicker than usual. I know being busy seems to make time go faster, but does it seem like it’s been six months since New Year? Speaking of busy, here what is happening ABC.
Going Remote = More Opportunities
Last year’s change to a remote office opened up myriad opportunities for anyone interested in working for our school. Many of the positions at ABC can be filled from anywhere in the United States. Currently, ABC employees are working from home in 13 states. We have openings in several departments, including finance, student support (program managers and externship coordinators, marketing and communications. We are also looking for professional writers and researchers with specific experience. If you are interested in working for Animal Behavior College, please submit a cover letter and résumé to Cris Acuna at Misscris@animalbheaviorcollege.com; please include the position or department you are interested in. Her phone number is 877-329 2408. ABC graduates are of particular interest to us as you have experience with our programs and operations.
Upcoming Programs
We are focusing on two or possibly three new programs. One that we are currently developing is a Service Dog Training Program. We are excited about this program as many of our Dog Obedience alumni have frequently requested it. Our target date for launch is mid-2022. I will keep you apprised of the Service Dog Training Program’s progress.
The next program we are considering is on advanced business building and marketing. Knowing essential business and marketing principles is something I have championed for many years. Anyone who wants to start a business or contribute to an existing one needs a sound business foundation. This is why business basics are included our dog obedience training, pet grooming instruction, cat training and behavior, and aquarium maintenance programs.
We are in discussions with a respected company about offering its programs at a discount to ABC enrollees. Once we thoroughly vet and approve its programs, and then determine if they are genuinely advantageous to potential students, ABC will offer them in the not-too-distant future. I am cautiously optimistic and excited about this, and will keep you updated as process evolves.
The third is technically not a new program; instead, we are looking at offering some of our current programs in new markets outside of North America. While we are still conducting research, potential markets include Japan, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and a few EU countries, particularly Germany and France. We have also not ruled out India or South American countries. It’s a great big world, and there is no reason ABC cannot reach out to animal lovers in other places. While the idea of offering our programs outside North America is not a new one for us, this time around we are seriously researching potential opportunities and how to capitalize on them.
Focusing on Canada
A significant development for our Canadian enrollees is that ABC now accepts Canadian dollars (CAD) via debit or credit card. Previously, Canadian enrollees had to pay the American tuition price, which was then converted into CAD. For example, with conversion rate of 1 USD = 1.27658 CAD, a US$4,000 tuition would cost a Canadian student $5,106.59.
Also, because exchange rates constantly change, the tuition Canadian students pay does as well. This also made payment plans problematic as the amount owed each month could vary due to the exchange rate; one month might be $159 but the next $170. Both of these issues have been resolved as ABC has now set Canadian tuition in CAD; so that financing plans in Canada consist of predictable, consistent payments.
In addition, ABC is currently working on a dedicated website for our students, mentors and potential enrollees in Canada. This should be completed by September of this year.
Existing and New Program Updates
ABC is continuing to make progress on our complete update of the GIP curriculum. Plus, we continue to review and update all of our programs. Special thanks and mention here to Sherri Collins and her editorial and graphic design team. They do a stellar job.
Thanks for reading!
