By Joanie Morris

Kannapolis Citizen

Any county official will tell you the Cabarrus Business and Technology Center is a hidden jewel for the county.

Only in full operation since August 2005, it began limited college course offerings and expands to a full compliment of courses this spring.

Heidi Whitesell, director of customized training and development at the center, said it offers more than classes. There is a whole different side to the center — serving as a business and training resource for the community.

"This (center) came from the Cabarrus County government and their forward thinking," Whitesell said. "It was the government that developed this concept with our leadership here."

With space tight at the south campus of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, and the area growing rapidly, Whitesell said the county was ready for a center like this.

During a tour of the facility, which any of the employees are happy to give, it doesn't look like the dusty education center you might expect.

Housed in the old central offices of the Cabarrus County Schools, new paint, decorations and plenty of TLC went into making a warm, friendly atmosphere.

With 11 computer classrooms, six general purpose classrooms, a distance learning lab, Small Business Resource Center, Career Readiness Center, AHR Training Center and two conference meeting rooms for curriculum and continuing education classes, the center offers a multitude of uses for the college and the community — at little or no cost.

Whitesell has worked on grants with the state government and offers a variety of free and reduced cost seminars at the center, in addition to the classes offered through Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

"This is for existing small businesses and entrepreneurs that just want to learn," said Whitesell. "You name it for small business, we've got a workshop for it."

Free seminars are offered to find out if you are cut out to be a small business owner — making a small business plan, marketing a small business, the cost to start a small business, pricing products, operational demands of a small business, legal considerations, finding funding for a small business, bookkeeping and being a small business owner.

There are also free workshops for self-employment and franchise options.

"All the free seminars and workshops, I'm paying for them with your tax dollars," Whitesell said. They also do a lot of customized classes for small businesses, including classes on grant writing and other needed skills.

The center also offers workshops with a small fee attached. Those include working with Quickbooks, accounting for small businesses and a variety of eBay classes designed to help people become better eBayers.

Ann Morris, director of customized training and development for new and expanding industry at the center, said her job is a little different. While Whitesell gives classes to the community, Morris concentrates solely on new and existing industry.

She offers two ways for industries to benefit from the center. The first — New and Expanding Industry Training — industries have to qualify for. To qualify, Morris said the business has to be adding 12 or more new jobs to North Carolina over one year.

"It's not a grant," Morris said. "It's a customized training program that we put together and send to the state for approval ... Typical training can be soft skills, safety training, quality training and any kind of technical training."

Another program she has is Focused Industrial Training for industries and manufacturers only.

"They don't have to be adding jobs to qualify," Morris said. It is a certain amount of money set aside by the General Assembly each year, and the money can go towards manufacturing training. "They just have to have a training need. This is typically for technical training."

With that program, there is a small registration fee that typically goes along, depending on the number of hours an industry wants for training.

Linda Spencer, director of customized training and development, said her focus is not only on business but the general public. She is in charge of getting the public to come to the events and seminars held at the Small Business and Technology Center. "Any person that wants to come in, they'd be more than welcome to join the classes," Spencer said.

Now, she is working on a special project — a short term biotechnology information series that she received a grant for, due in part to the announcement of the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.

"What we want to do is help educate the community on what biotechnology is," Spencer said. "The biotechnology grant was just awarded at the end of February. We will be announcing and advertising 10 information sessions."

The biotechnology information series will begin soon, Spencer said.

"Mr. (David) Murdock's biotechnology center is a huge culture shift to our lifestyle," Spencer added. "The first thing we can do is educate people about what biotechnology is and how pervasive it is in our society."

The Small Business and Technology Center is located 660 Concord Parkway North in Concord. For more information, or a complete list of seminars and classes offered at the center, contact Angie Corriher at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College at 704-788-3197, ext. 383.

Contact Joanie Morris at 704-932-3336 or jmorris@kannapoliscitizen.com.