Robeson Community College offers many programs that are short term in nature and designed either to help get small businesses started or get people into the workforce. Often these are time-sensitive endeavors in that the participants want to accomplish their goals as quickly as possible.

One such program is RCC’s Entrepreneurship Academy.

RCC’s Small Business Center, which was named best in the state this past November, has sponsored an Entrepreneurship Academy each fall and spring for the past several years. Participants learn the basics of starting a business, including start-up issues, funding, marketing, management and record-keeping. Participants are encouraged to develop a business plan focusing on each of the areas.

On Nov. 28, the Sandhills chapter of SCORE, a nonprofit comprised of 12,400 volunteer business counselors, presented Jackie Brewington a check for $250 for developing the best business plan among her class in this past fall’s Entrepreneurship Academy. SCORE volunteers presented many of modules during the fall academy. For information on the upcoming spring academy and other Small Business Center offerings, contact Debbie Bruce at 910-272-3630 or dbruce@robeson.edu.

RCC’s May curriculum graduation will likely see hundreds march across the stage. On Dec. 17, two other important graduation ceremonies took place. Each had only about 20 participants, but in terms of their impact on our community, these graduations are no less important.

The first ceremony was held in the BB&T room of the Workforce Development Center. These students graduated from the first Industrial Systems Technology Fast Track program at RCC. Given the state of the economy, the jobless rate, and the needs of remaining local industries, community colleges across the state are looking for ways to get back to their original mission of training folks for technical jobs that are in demand in the workforce.

The Fast Track Industrial Systems Technology program does just that. Students participate in intense classes focusing on business math, electronics, pneumatic systems, programmable logic controllers and other areas needed to perform maintenance duties in an advanced manufacturing environment.

Manufacturing has not disappeared from American society. What remains is scaled down, high tech and fast paced. Workers in these environments need to be skilled technicians and good problem solvers. This group of graduates, and the industries in which they will go to work, have benefited from state-of-the-art equipment and training thanks to a U.S. Department of Labor grant that funded the North Carolina Advanced Manufacturing Alliance of which RCC is the lead institution. For more information about the N.C. Advanced Manufacturing Alliance and RCC’s role in it, visit www.advancedmanufacturingalliance.org.

The second Fast Track Industrial Systems Technology program will start up in January. If you or someone you know is interested in the program, contact Jo Ann Oxendine at 910-272-3632 or by email at jaoxendine@robeson.edu.

Unfortunately one only needs to read the daily news to be reminded of the importance of well-trained law enforcement. On Dec. 17, friends and families assembled in the A.D. Lewis Auditorium for the Basic Law Enforcement Training graduation. Approximately 20 graduates heard Capt. Freddie Johnson of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol speak on the importance of maintaining integrity as they go about the most difficult job in society.

The Basic Law Enforcement Training Program will also begin a new class in the spring. For information about this program, contact Barbara Sampson at 910-272-3651 or by email at bsampson@robeson.edu.

Information on each of the programs mentioned in this article can be found on RCC’s webpage at www.robeson.edu. Pictures of the various ceremonies can be found on RCC’s facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Robeson-Community-College/74194968458. We encourage you to visit these sites.

Dennis Watts is the Public Information officer at Robeson Community College. If you have questions about RCC or suggestions for future articles, he can be reached dwatts@robeson.edu.