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Good For Business
Story by Vickie Quinn
reprinted with permission
from The Duncan Banner
2/3/05
Jerry Morris is counting down the days until the classrooms at the Red
River Technology Center’s new Business and Industry Service Center
are filled with students.
“It should be open in about two weeks,” said
Morris, Red River superintendent. “The
open house will be held March 8, but we don’t know what time yet.”
The odor of new carpet and wallboard permeates the
facility, while the buzz of saws cutting countertops echoes through
the empty hallways. Carpenters and plumbers worked steadily at
the facility on Wednesday, installing sinks and toilets and buffing
the floors of the lab classrooms.
Morris said the first large shipment
of furniture, which includes tables, chairs and office furniture, is expected
to arrive today. “We’re getting the furniture from
Woolsey’s,” Morris said, adding that the order consists
of approximately 260 chairs, 36 tables and other pieces to furnish
six offices.
The 22,000-square-foot facility will offer classrooms
for specialized training courses that might be required by new
businesses opening in Duncan.
For instance, Morris said, if a new trailer manufacturing
business moves into the area and potential employees need training,
the trailers can be taken to the center for hands-on training. |
Kenneth
Pierce of Cabinets by Design cuts holes in a sink counter Wednesday
as
work continues on the Red River Technology Center’s
new Business and Industry Service Center. |
“Then they can be taken back out,” he
said.
There
are three plans for instructors at the facility. Businesses can provide
their own instructors, or teachers from Red River can be scheduled.
The third alternative would be to bring in adjunct faculty to teach the
courses.
Lance Strickland will be heading up the safety training,
while Dana Harwell is busy securing contracts for local contractors.
Morris
said Harwell
provides information to prospective employers.
While industrial training
will be offered in the east wing of the new building, “soft skills” training
will be offered in the west wing. The three computer labs will have about
16 computers in them, and
LCDs will be in the ceiling,” Morris said.
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