Randolph Community College proposes strategic investments in economic growth and workforce development
Dr. Shah Ardalan, President/CEO of Randolph Community College (RCC), presented a visionary proposal to the Randolph County Commissioners during their April 1 board meeting, outlining RCC’s commitment to fostering economic growth and prosperity through strategic partnerships and workforce development initiatives. Several members of the RCC Board of Trustees and community leaders were in attendance to show their support.
Ardalan expressed gratitude to the commissioners for their recent approval of RCC’s funding request, which allocated $1,498,000 for the acquisition of 22 acres in Liberty to develop a center aimed at addressing the escalating educational needs arising from the rapid expansion of manufacturing businesses in the region.
“Thirty minutes from here will be the investment of 30 billion dollars by companies that are coming to the area,” Ardalan said. “The College must be ready to serve. We are dedicated to honoring the longstanding relationships we’ve built with the companies that have stood by RCC for over 60 years. To ensure this commitment remains unwavering, we’re developing our strategic plan for 2024-2030 in close collaboration with our county, state, and community partners. This approach ensures that our initiatives are perfectly aligned with the evolving needs of our community.”
Building upon this momentum, Ardalan proposed three additional projects in alignment with the College’s transformative “RCC 2.0” vision. This vision emphasizes the College’s dedication to being more Relevant, Career-focused, and Committed to serving students, communities, and its strategic partners. Ardalan emphasized that RCC 2.0 is fully synchronized with Randolph County’s Strategic Plan and the Northeast Randolph Growth Management Plan.
The proposed projects include:
- Campus repairs and renovations to better meet the needs of students on the main campus and at the RCC Archdale Center, totaling $901,000.
- Renovation and retrofitting of an existing building on the main campus to establish the Applied Industrial Artificial Intelligence (AI2) Center of North Carolina. This Center will concentrate on advanced manufacturing, building trades, and agriculture, with an investment from the county of $5,895,000 and an estimated buildout period of 18 months.
- Updates and expansion of the Emergency Services Training Center (ESTC), which serves firefighters, law enforcement and other emergency personnel across the state, totaling $1,721,000.
Commissioner Hope Haywood praised the proposal, particularly recognizing the strategic utilization of resources, stating that the conversion of an existing campus building into the AI2 Center represented a “resourceful way to use it other than storage” and was “a wise use of funds.”
Following Commissioner Haywood’s motion to approve the proposal as presented, seconded by Commissioner Kenny Kidd, the board voted unanimously to approve the funding proposal.
Ardalan thanked the commissioners for their ongoing support and reiterated RCC’s unwavering commitment to driving economic growth, workforce development, and community prosperity in Randolph County and beyond.
Randolph Community College (RCC), under the leadership of President/CEO Dr. Shah Ardalan, is committed to providing relevant career training and educational opportunities. Affordable degrees and short-term certificate programs start throughout the year, both in person and online. For more information, call 336-633-0200 or visit www.randolph.edu and expect to engage with the most competent and compassionate team of faculty and staff.