Community college's work institutes gather steam

Businesses collaborate with school to foster trained workforce

Although the college hired a new executive director, Jennifer Calhoun, for its hospitality and tourism institute last year, it remains to be seen whether Gaylord's $1 million grant for the institute will be renewed after its three-year contract expires in 2010. The grant came in exchange for Gaylord's request to the county to add 500 additional guest rooms at its National Harbor hotel in Oxon Hill. Since then, the company has provided $150,000 in full scholarships, with the rest going toward startup costs.

The Nashville, Tenn., hotel chain hopes to recruit the program's graduates and possibly offer internships, said Amie Gorrell, public relations director for Gaylord National. While Gorrell said she doesn't foresee Gaylord continuing monetary support for the college, Gaylord representatives will remain part of the program's advisory committee.

The tourism institute is one of five that the college manages, with one for computer and information systems starting this fall semester. Each of the institutes includes an advisory committee comprising businesspeople, public officials and college staff.

More than 10,000 students now attend the college's workforce development institutes.

"We want to create a framework to find industries of interest," said Daniel P. Mosser, college vice president for workforce development and continuing education.

Mosser said the workforce development institutes respond to the needs of the business world, which is why hospitality is currently such a driving force. The college has added a culinary arts division to the hospitality program, which includes the use of two high school kitchens, with plans for a larger instructional kitchen. Supplementing the college's efforts is a $2.3 million job training grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to provide tuition assistance.

"A lot of students are those retiring from the government with dreams of one day opening a restaurant," said Edward Whitfield, culinary arts director. "This is gives them the opportunity to open the right way."

The college also seeks a main business partner for the computer institute, which complements the college's Cyberwatch information security program; the program is boosted by a $3 million, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation.

Other businesses continuing their relationship with the college include Riderwood, an Erickson Retirement community in Silver Spring, and Southern Management Corp. of Vienna, Va.

Riderwood has given more than $900,000 in scholarships to Prince George's and Montgomery County students over the last five years, including 32 Prince George's scholarships this year. It awards $4,000 scholarships to students who work in its facilities, typically in food service, and employs more than 400 students.

"We feel it's important for the community to know what a beacon Riderwood has been for Prince George's students," said Riderwood spokesman Dan Dunne, adding that Riderwood is one of the county's largest providers of college scholarships.

Southern Management, a residential property management group, also shares a $1.7 million maintenance training facility with the college, splitting night and day classes. The 10-year agreement began about 18 months ago.

Ron Frank, president of Southern Management, said the building allows both the company and college to provide a hands-on learning experience for employees and students, respectively.