As big industries ramp up and Kannapolis area companies grow, they turn to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College for workforce solutions.

Educators at Rowan-Cabarrus address the latest business growth by training new workers at companies such as Harmony Labs, Corning Inc. and CVG-Concord, formerly Cabarrus Plastics.

Jeanie Moore, the college’s vice president of corporate education and continuing education, says popular programs offer technical training and soft-skills training (good oral and written communication, for example). In addition, the college raises the bar on long-term planning by offering “green” programs to handle environmental issues and techniques to streamline efficiency. New classes start at the end of January.

“Companies need help implementing process improvement, they want to be more efficient, leaner and they need to know processes like Six Sigma,” Moore says.

Courses may compress an entire semester to a 40-hour week or synthesize skills training to three hours of classroom instruction and three hours of hands-on practice.

Because the college is partially funded by the state and the staff consistently applies for federal grants and other funding, programs are largely affordable regardless of a company’s budget. In addition, the college brings in experts who normally charge higher fees in other settings but offer expertise to the college at a reduced rate. Classes could range from $50 to several hundred, depending on the course.

DeAnn Basden, Rowan-Cabarrus’ director of corporate and professional development, says that the college’s strategy is to identify occupations where jobs are available and pursue "any and all funding opportunities.”

“A lot of people really don’t have time to get through an associate program or even a semester program. They need short-term training to get out there as quickly as possible,” she says.

The college’s 60-plus year community history gives it a solid reputation and value in the community.