PCC to Hold Open House for New Adult Learning Center

• ADULT LEARNING CENTER OPEN HOUSE INVITATION (VIDEO)

WINTERVILLE—Pitt Community College’s commitment to equity has led to development of a new, on-campus center dedicated to serving the interests of adult learners.

With the start of spring classes a little more than two months away, PCC has established a new Adult Learning Center in the Craig F. Goess Student Center and is inviting prospective adult students to attend its grand opening. The event will take place in room 120 on Nov. 11, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

According to PCC Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Services Brian Jones, the center will operate outside of normal business hours to accommodate the busy work schedules many adult learners have to balance. The Adult Learning Center, he said, is part of PCC’s ongoing commitment to helping improve access to services and connecting the local workforce with skills that will lead to better jobs.

“We understand our local workforce needs employable skills,” Jones said. “We have designed this center with the adult learner in mind, providing support and connectivity to the admission process, as well as opportunities to discover the educational pathways they wish to explore.”

The concept for an Adult Learning Center arose earlier this year during discussion of a pilot project focused on encouraging adults to seek more gainful employment, either by completing training they started in college but didn’t finish or by acquiring skills in a new area of interest. PCC partnered with the John M. Belk Endowment, myFutureNC, and four other North Carolina community colleges on the effort, which led to the “Better Skills, Better Jobs” campaign during the summer.

When the campaign launched in June, MC Belk Pilon, president and board chair of the John M. Belk Endowment, spoke about her private family foundation’s commitment to helping meet the needs of North Carolina’s evolving workforce through postsecondary educational opportunities.

“The John M. Belk Endowment is pleased to partner with Pitt Community College and four other outstanding community colleges to catalyze and supercharge their efforts to recruit and support adult students,” Pilon said. “As the pandemic recedes, we know that many North Carolinians are looking for a fresh start, and we believe our community colleges are a great place for their journey to begin.”

Jones said prospective students are encouraged to visit Pitt’s new Adult Learning Center Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to noon. Visitors, he said, can expect a supportive experience in discovering their educational pathway, completing the application process, and securing financial support to offset the cost of college tuition.

11/03/2021