Randolph Community College Industrial Engineering Degree Draws Lucrative Job Offer

Darryl Timms of Archdale had been working as a third shift supervisor for ABCO Automation near Greensboro for 4 1/2 years. It wasn’t a bad job, but he knew he could do more. Originally from Australia, Timms, 47, had worked as a press tool maker there, but only earned a junior certificate (10th grade level) before getting his apprenticeship. “I had a big background in lean manufacturing, but I didn’t have a degree,” he said. “I realized I needed a degree, but I procrastinated. I thought I was too old to learn.”
           
Timms’ wife, Deb, had taken some classes at Randolph Community College’s Archdale Center and told him he could earn his GED there. “I got my GED and then I spoke to RCC advisor Grover Yancey,” Timms recalled. “To be honest, I didn’t know what I wanted to do.” Timms said Yancey told him that RCC was getting ready to introduce an Industrial Engineering Technology associate degree and he thought that was what Timms was best suited for. “I also spoke to Mitchell Kiser (chair of RCC’s Industrial, Engineering & Transportation division) and he got me excited about the program,” said Timms.

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2012/2012-07-26.php.

Randolph Community College Schedules English as a Second Language Class at YMCA

Randolph Community College will be adding an English as a Second Language class at the Randolph-Asheboro YMCA in August, according to Yacine Kout, coordinator/instructor of ESL classes at RCC.
           
Kout has worked with Patrick O’Hara, general director of the YMCA, to set up the class, which will be held in the Ann and Bill Hoover Community Room. Kout said the location was chosen because of its familiarity to the majority of the community. “We are really appreciative of Patrick’s support in this effort,” said Kout.
           
ESL is a free program for adults whose native language is not English. The classes teach the students to communicate effectively in English for real life situations (job interviews, job applications, filling in medical forms, citizenship tests, etc.). The program also aims at preparing students for diploma granting programs.
           
The ESL class at the YMCA will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Aug. 16. The ESL students will be issued an RCC student ID card for check-in purposes. Students at all levels of ability are welcome in the class; if there is enough response, the class may be split into beginning, intermediate, or advanced levels, said Kout.
           
The YMCA is located at 343 North Carolina Highway 42 North. For more information or to register, call Kout at RCC, 336-633-0368.

Randolph Community College Criminal Justice Certificate to be Offered in Asheboro and Archdale

In conjunction with the Career and College Promise program, Randolph Community College has added a Criminal Justice Technology certificate beginning this fall, which also will be available to students at the Archdale Center through videoconferencing.
         
The 12-hour certificate was added to RCC’s curriculum at the request of the Asheboro and Randolph County school systems, to give high school students in the Career and College Promise program the opportunity to graduate with a high school diploma and a Criminal Justice certificate from RCC. But the certificate option is open to all students who have an interest in the criminal justice field.
           
Four courses are needed for the certificate, according to Neil Weatherly, Criminal Justice department head. They are Introduction to Criminal Justice, Criminology, Juvenile Justice, and Criminal Law. Two classes will be offered in the fall and two in the spring. The classes will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-4 p.m. this fall at both the Asheboro Campus and the Archdale Center.
           
Randolph Community College will be registering new students by invitation only July 23 through August. 3. Late registration will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 8, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fall semester classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 15.
           
For more information or to get started with the admissions process, stop by RCC’s Welcome Center on the Asheboro Campus or call 336-633-0200. Potential students may also complete an application by going to www.randolph.edu/admissions/apply_now.php.

Open House Set for July 26 at Randolph Community College’s Richard Petty Education Center

Randolph Community College’s Automotive Systems Technology and Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology programs will host an Open House from 5 - 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, at the Richard Petty Education Center on the Asheboro Campus.
           
The event will feature tours, demonstrations, and free refreshments. “We are inviting new students, potential students, and the public,” said Dan Moore, department head for Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology. RCC personnel will be on hand to help interested students complete enrollment applications.
          
The 20,000-square-foot Richard Petty Education Center, which opened in July 2009, features energy efficient operating systems, a computer lab, and new technology for both programs such as a downdraft paint booth and Nederman Exhaust Rails. Classrooms are equipped with electronic data projectors and Smart Boards. The building is decorated with an automotive theme and includes Richard Petty racing memorabilia.
           
RCC’s Automotive Systems Technology program prepares individuals for employment as automotive service technicians. Students can earn an associate in applied science degree, diploma, or certificate. Classes are offered day and evening.
           
The Collision Repair & Refinishing Technology program prepares graduates to be qualified technicians to perform quality repairs and proper refinishing techniques on automobile bodies and to diagnose and repair mechanical and electrical systems. It also offers associate in applied science degree, diploma, and certificate options, with classes offered day and evening.
           
The Richard Petty Education Center is located at 704 Industrial Park Avenue. Take the McDowell Road exit off of Highway 220 Bypass and follow the signs.

Randolph Community College Archdale Center Offers Basic and Precertification Welding Courses Beginning in August

Even though unemployment remains relatively high nationwide, good jobs in the field of welding are available. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers is expected to grow 15 percent from 2010 to 2020, about as fast as the average for all occupations. The medial annual wage for this job category in May 2010 was $35,450.
           
Of course, properly skilled welders with up-to-date training should have the best job prospects, so Randolph Community College’s Archdale Center is offering two Continuing Education Welding courses beginning in August in its 5,700-square-foot, state-of-the-industry Welding lab.

For more information on these classes, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2012/2012-07-17.php.

Randolph Community College Foundation Dancing with the Randolph Stars DVDs Available

If you missed this year’s Dancing with the Randolph Stars event, held on June 2 by the Randolph Community College Foundation, you can still enjoy it by ordering a DVD.

The professionally produced DVD features the entire show, from beginning to end, including dance performances, video clips of practices and dancer interviews, additional entertainment acts, and the announcement of the champions—Nicki McKenzie, owner and manager of McKenzie Properties and Investments, and Dr. Henry Vruwink, a local dentist. The fundraiser collected over $129,000 before expenses.

The cost of the DVD is only $25 if ordered by mail and $20 if purchased in person. To order by mail with a check or money order, request an order form from Kelly Heath at kwheath@randolph.edu or call 336-633-0271. The DVD can also be purchased in person at the Foundation Conference Center, 629 Industrial Park Avenue, Asheboro; please call 336-633-0295 before stopping by to make sure someone is available.

Randolph Community College’s Archdale Center Offers WordPress Series

Randolph Community College’s Archdale Center is offering a series of courses on how to use the free WordPress web software to design and publish a website or blog. The first of three courses will begin Aug. 1.
           
Basic WordPress Web Design will provide hands-on instruction to create a working website plus a blog that students can maintain. Students will use a free WordPress account and learn to use the WordPress Dashboard. The basic course will meet from 9 a.m.-12 noon, Wednesdays, Aug. 1 – Sept. 5.
           
In Intermediate WordPress Web Design, students will earn how to make their websites interactive by using widgets and plugins. The focus will be primarily how to edit and manage the content using posts and forms. This course will meet from 9 a.m.-12 noon, Wednesdays, Sept. 12 – Oct. 17.
           
The final class, Advanced WordPress Web Design, will allow students to polish and publish a complete website with content appropriate for a small business, nonprofit organization, or an interactive personal website. The course will meet from 9 a.m.-12 noon, Wednesdays, Oct. 24 – Nov. 28.
           
Registration for each course is $67, and the courses will be held at the Archdale Center at 110 Park Drive, inside the city of Archdale’s Creekside Park.
           
For more information or to register, contact the Archdale Center at 336-862-7980.

Randolph Community College’s Computer-Integrated Machining Program Earns NIMS Accreditation

Randolph Community College’s Computer-Integrated Machining program has been officially accredited by the National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS). Since first applying for accreditation in 2009, the staff and faculty at RCC have met NIMS standards and will continue to set the bar for exceptional metalworking training for post-secondary education in the state of North Carolina.
          
“This accreditation is the result of a rigorous examination determining that your program meets the quality standards as established by the National Institute for Metalworking Skills on behalf of the nation’s precision manufacturing industry,” said James A. Wall, NIMS executive director, in a letter announcing the accreditation. “I join with the entire NIMS community in conveying our congratulations.”

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2012/2012-07-12.php.

Firefighters Needed: Randolph Community College Firefighter Academy Application Deadline July 25; Classes Begin July 30

In this era of tight budgets for local governments, volunteer firefighters are more important than ever. Fires don’t stop when budgets get cut, and every year, fires and other emergencies take thousands of lives and destroy property worth billions of dollars. Firefighters help protect the public against these dangers by responding to fires and a variety of other emergencies, but local fire departments are in need of new recruits. “Recruitment and retention of firefighters and rescue workers is a serious issue across the United States,” said Brian Causey, director of Randolph Community College’s Emergency Services Training Center.
           
RCC’s Firefighter Academy, beginning July 30, will put potential firefighters on the fast track. The Academy is designed to give the student an idea of what it is like in a fire department recruit training school. It includes an aggressive physical fitness program to allow the student to be able to handle the physical demands of the fire service. “Some firefighters take five years of training to achieve the same level that this intensive program provides,” said Causey. Students can receive up to five certificates (Emergency Medical Technician, HazMat, North Carolina Rapid Intervention Team, Emergency Vehicle Driving, and North Carolina Firefighter I & II).

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2012/2012-07-11.php.

Salem College/University Center B.S. in Business Administration Information Sessions July 24

Have you considered pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, but cast the idea aside once you began to think about traveling to a large university or college campus, where simply finding a place to park can be a daunting task? Perhaps your fear is being viewed as just a number rather than as a student, or being enrolled in a class taught by a graduate student as opposed to an actual professor. Another fear may be the thought of sitting in a large lecture class with 100+ students. You may view your age as an obstacle, and think that it is just too late to go back to school. Your full-time job and your work schedule may seem to soak up so much of your time that you certainly could not add one more thing to your plate.     
           
At Randolph Community College, all of these obstacles were eliminated with the establishment of the University Center of Randolph County in 2008. Salem College, a member of the University Center, has been offering courses in its Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree program since August of 2008, and the first graduates of the program completed their degrees in May 2012. One of the graduates, Justin Henderson, has already found a job at a local bank. 

For students who are interested in more information about the program, two information sessions are scheduled for 12-1:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24 in the Computer Technology Center, Room 110, on RCC’s Asheboro Campus.

To read more of this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2012/2012-07-10.php.

Randolph Community College ADN, NA Graduates Achieve 100% Pass Rate on Exams

Randolph Community College’s recently graduated Associate Degree Nursing class completed their National Council Licensure Examinations (NCLEX-RN) with a 100% pass rate. In addition, RCC’s Nursing Assistant class also had a 100% pass rate on the National Nurse Aid Assessment.
          
“This is an incredible success rate,” said RCC President Robert Shackleford, noting that this is the third time in four years that both classes have achieved the 100% pass rate.
           
He noted that the Nursing Assistant graduates achieved 100% on both the written exam and the clinical evaluation. The North Carolina averages were 92% on the written exam and 70% for the clinical portion.

For more information, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2012/2012-07-09.php.

Randolph Community College English as a Second Language Celebration Set for Aug. 10

Randolph Community College’s English as a Second Language students will be honored at a celebration set for Friday, Aug. 10, at 6 p.m. in the R. Alton Cox Learning Resources Center on the Asheboro Campus. A presentation in the auditorium will be followed by a covered dish meal and music in the Armadillo Café.

“This is the one event in which all the people who make the program a success will be gathered,” said Yacine Kout, coordinator/instructor of English as a Second Language for RCC. Students who have had perfect attendance for the summer semester, students who have moved up a level in English proficiency, students who have entered the GED program, and students who have earned their citizenship will be recognized, he said. “But this is to be a program-wide celebration—all students in our program are invited as well as their family and friends.”

Randolph Community College partners with many community organizations and agencies to provide English as a Second Language classes in sites that are more convenient for the students. These include several Randolph County elementary schools (Randleman, Liberty, Southmont, Tabernacle, Seagrove), Goodwill Industries, Acme-McCrary, the city of Ramseur, the YMCA, the Latino Coalition, Mision Adonai, and Mision Evagelica Pacto. “Without these community partners, we would not be able to reach as many students,” said Kout.

The public is invited to help RCC celebrate these accomplishments.

Winston-Salem State Joins University Center of Randolph County to Offer Nursing Degree

The University Center of Randolph County has added a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree through Winston-Salem State University. A signing ceremony to formally welcome Winston-Salem State as a new partner was held Monday morning at Randolph Community College, with the agreement being signed by Dr. Robert S. Shackleford, RCC president, and Dr. Brenda Allen, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs for Winston-Salem State.
           
“We are very excited about this opportunity to welcome Winston-Salem State University to the University Center of Randolph County,” said Shackleford. “Now our Associate Degree Nursing graduates can get a bachelor’s degree right here on our campus.”
          
“We are happy to add you to our (program),” said Allen. “You have some great students here and we’re happy to move them to the next level.”

For more on this story, go to http://www.randolph.edu/newevents/2012/2012-07-02.php.