News and Features

  • Small Business Center to offer two free webinar series this fall

    To help small businesses navigate any startup and/or growth challenges they are experiencing during the current COVID-19 pandemic, Central Piedmont Community College’s Small Business Center is offering two free webinar series this fall focused on “HVAC business development” and “non-profit capacity building post-COVID.”

    HVAC Business Development Series
    The demand for heating and air-conditioning services is anticipated to increase over the next five years with industry revenue forecasted to increase from $84 billion to $100 billion. This is an ideal time to plan entry into the industry. Technicians thinking about striking out on their own will find value in this series, which will equip them with the business skills needed to transition from a technician to small business owner. This series is designed for individuals with existing skills and licenses to start a business, as well as those interested in gaining the business skills to one day obtain the necessary industry certificates and licenses.

    Post-COVID Non-Profit Series

    This timely series will cover new ground and provide specific strategies to leverage during this era of social isolation. Attendees will discover how to elevate their board, find donors and dollars, and make virtual fundraising work for them. The series will be led by John Curtis, Ph.D., founder of IOD, Inc., and is tailored to help local nonprofit founders excel in the marketplace.

    Small business owners interested in enrolling in one of the above sessions are encouraged to register early; slots fill quickly. For more information or questions, email renee.hode@cpcc.edu.

  • Small Business Center to Provide Free Government Contracting Webinar Series

    To help small businesses navigate any startup and/or growth challenges they are experiencing during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Small Business Center is offering a series of free government contracting webinars in September and October.

    The series will focus on the following topics:

    Be sure to register early; slots fill quickly.

    Questions? Email renee.hode@cpcc.edu.

  • $15,000 AT&T grant to support Central Piedmont’s Emergency Fund

    AT&T has awarded the Central Piedmont Community College Foundation a $15,000 grant in support of the college’s Emergency Fund to provide immediate, short-term, financial support to students and employees who have emergency financial needs related to housing, utilities, medical expenses, food, technology and more.

    “Thanks to AT&T’s gift, the college is better positioned to respond to the growing financial needs of its internal community during this unprecedented time in our history,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont. “This gift will help us purchase the technology our students, faculty, and staff need to successfully learn and work remotely and provide them with the financial assistance they need for tuition, books, child care, transportation, medical care, and other needs.”

    Given the extraordinary disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the college has seen an increase in requests for assistance from students facing a variety of pressing challenges. The pandemic has significantly exacerbated these challenges. AT&T’s support expands the college’s ability to help students in need at this critical time.

    “Just as all our lives have been impacted by COVID-19, everyone can play a part in helping neighbors and communities through these days,” said Kathleen Evans, regional director of external affairs for AT&T. “We are pleased to be able to support Central Piedmont in making a difference for students and their families.”

    Individuals interested in making a gift to Central Piedmont’s Emergency Fund can visit cpccfoundation.org/donation.

  • Small Business Center to launch 'Small Business Rebound Program’

    Central Piedmont Community College’s Small Business Center is excited to announce it has launched a new initiative — the Small Business Rebound Program — to connect small business owners impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with Master in Business Administration (MBA) students from top universities and colleges located across the United States. The program will be available May 11–July 3, 2020.

    The program will provide business owners with exclusive access to business advisors, studying for their MBAs at some of the country’s most elite universities, including Stanford University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Advisors will conduct virtual counseling sessions with participants, helping small business owners identify and apply for loan opportunities, redesign their business models, evaluate their budget, and analyze their cash management process.

    “Growing up in Charlotte, I saw how small businesses defined the character of our community,” said Ladd Hamrick, a Stanford University MBA student. “Our team of MBAs hopes to help by offering what we’ve learned in the classroom, from financial planning and marketing to crisis leadership.”

    One of the many perks of the Small Business Rebound Program is some participants may be eligible for a professional service grant. The MBA business advisors will work with small business owners to help assess and/or gather the information needed to help them apply for the grant.

    If awarded funding, eligible small business owners would have the opportunity to receive four hours of counseling from a Small Business Center Network-affiliated certified public accountant (CPA), digital marketing strategists, human resource expert, or attorney (a $1,200 or $1,500 value), depending on their area of need. Potential services include establishing a financial chart of accounts, developing social media accounts/a Google Business page, creating HR policies, and more.

    “The goal of this program is to help provide small business owners with the sounding board they need to analyze the current state of their business,” said Renee Hode, executive director of Central Piedmont’s Small Business Center. “Advisors will provide guidance, helping each small business owner sustain their business practices during this challenging time in the marketplace.”

    To learn more, visit the Small Business Rebound Program.

  • College donates gloves, masks, and gowns to Atrium Health and Novant Health

    Central Piedmont Health Professions and Human Services donated more than 30,000 pairs of gloves, 670 N95 masks, 350 isolation gowns, 250 level 3 masks, and 400 bouffant caps to Atrium Health and Novant Health.

    All of our health programs and Environmental Health and Safety offered their supplies to meet the community's needs. Faculty from all of the college's Health Careers areas wanted to come in and help pack but we wanted to limit the number of faculty involved to just a few. They were:

    • Karen Summers, Interim Dean ,Health Professions and Human Services
    • Eileen Clark, Dental Hygiene
    • Cathy Flores, Medical Assisting
    • Mel Angelisanti, Surgical Technology​

    Learn more about Central Piedmont's Healthcare programs.

  • Central Piedmont employees use 3D printers to make face shield parts

    Central Piedmont’s Dr. Adam Harris, chair of the computer engineering technology, electrical engineering technology and electronics engineering technology programs, and Dr. Jacob Garbini, chair of the engineering program, are partnering with Charlotte Latin to produce the parts needed for CharlotteMEDI to make face shields for area hospital personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    As instructors, Dr. Harris and Dr. Garbini regularly work in the college’s FabLab, home to 10 3D printers, which the duo has been visiting tirelessly, sometimes twice a day, to manufacture the headbands and bottom clips needed to complete the assembly of CharlotteMEDI’s face shields.

    To date, the Central Piedmont team has made approximately 300 3D printed parts, such as bottom clips and headbands.

    But, according to Dr. Garbini, that’s only the beginning.

    Once the team receives more filament — the material used to produce the parts — and services a couple of the machines to get them all working at 100 percent capacity, Dr. Garbini anticipates being able to print approximately 160 clips a day going forward.

    However, productivity isn’t his only concern, so is safety. “I’ve sectioned off the lab in the building to prohibit the parts from being exposed to any external germs or elements before they are shipped,” adds Dr. Garbini. “At the end of the day, Adam and I are grateful to be given the opportunity to use our college’s equipment to contribute to a community need. Any support we can offer to our healthcare providers during this critical time is extremely important — both for their safety and the well-being of the greater Charlotte community.”

    Dr. Garbini delivered the face shield parts he and Dr. Harris produced to an approved CharlotteMEDI drop-off location on April 8. The parts will immediately be assembled into face shields, to later be shared with healthcare personnel working at area hospitals throughout Charlotte.

  • Central Piedmont, community partners help package food for residents in need

    Central Piedmont Community College’s hospitality education program partnered with Sysco Charlotte LLC and the Piedmont Culinary Guild on March 25 to package and deliver 500 boxes of food to local restaurant employees who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

    Sysco Charlotte LLC donated 250 cases of food to the community outreach project. The cases consisted of frozen chicken, produce, fresh fruits and vegetables, and dairy products, such as milk and butter.

    Representatives from Central Piedmont, Sysco Charlotte LLC, and the Piedmont Culinary Guild were on site at Central Piedmont’s Culinary Arts Center to receive the cases of food, sort and package the individual boxes, and deliver them to 25–30 restaurants located in Mecklenburg County and beyond.

    Each box included three to four major food group items, providing local restaurant workers with a nutritious meal for their family during this unprecedented time. Restaurants needing employee assistance signed up to participate in the community outreach project online through the Piedmont Culinary Guild’s website.

    Thanks are extended to Central Piedmont's Richard Kugelmann, division director of the college's hospitality education division; Ross Howard, director of business resources and marketing for Sysco Charlotte LLC; and Kris Reid, co-founder of the Piedmont Culinary Guild for spearheading the initiative.

    View WSOC-TV's coverage of the community outreach project.