The Garden City Telegram
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Business owners, employees have place to turn to
Published 9/12/2009 in GCCC Anniversary
By STEPHANIE FARLEY
While Garden City Community College's Business and Industry Institute Director Jean Warta estimates the institute reaches at least a thousand people a quarter through its services, programs and training, she and other institute staff are striving to touch even more lives.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Suan Deih Thang, left, fills out a questionare as he and other students talk with Steve Thompson about careers in computer science at a booth in Garden City Community College's Student and Community Center during an adult career/exploration fair. Thompson is the director of the business division at GCCC.
Warta said she's glad the institute has touched so many people since it was created and staffed in 2007 with the goal of giving businesses a place to turn for specific training for their employees.
"But we've just scratched the surface," Warta said as the college nears its 90th anniversary and departments and entities, such as the Business and Industry Institute and Kansas Small Business Development Center, look to how they can better themselves and help more employers and employees.
Employees need to be stimulated to help creativity, productivity and their general well-being, Warta said, explaining the institute helps stimulate employees and businesses by providing training programs, certification and other programs and services to help people stay motivated and continue to meet the needs of their employer.
Training and learning new skills is one way to stimulate employees, Warta said. It also helps with business retention, she said, explaining that if an employee is happy and doing well at their job, they're more likely to stay in the community.
Warta said the institute also has been providing customized training, which is targeted to the customers' and employees' needs.
The institute's classes and training are available to the general public, not only enrolled students at GCCC.
"Our classes are for anyone," she said.
The Kansas Small Business Development Center (KSBDC) has the tag line, "Growing Kansas Entrepreneurs."
"And that tag line sums it up," explains KSBDC Regional Director Pat Veesart.
According to KSBDC, the center "is a regional resource and support for the small business person. Any individual interested in starting a small business or existing small business firm may receive assistance from the KSBDC."
KSBDC serves 22 counties in southwest Kansas, including Clark, Comanche, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Meade, Morton, Ness, Scott, Seward, Stanton, Stevens and Wichita counties.
Veesart said the center helps people whether they're aspiring to create a business or expand an existing business. The center provides free and confidential business counseling, Veesart said, and is a non-judgemental, non-reporting agency. Fees may be charged for costs associated with training courses, but the courses aren't required.
Veesart said the center's services are especially important now in a slower economy. Building stronger businesses builds a stronger economy, Veesart said.
Changes at KSBDC include the center starting an outreach center at Seward County Community College/Area Technical School, as well as bringing on a new assistant director for KSBDC, Cheryl Schmale.
Services provided by KSBDC include the business consulting and counseling, training and workshops and resources that can be found online at KSBDC's Web site, swksbdc.com.
For more information on KSBDC, contact Veesart at 276-9622. For Warta and the Business and Industry Institute, call 276-9532 or visit gcccb-i.com.
On the Web:
Listen to a podcast of Steve Quakenbush, information services director with Garden City Community College, discussing the history of the college and Sunday's 90th anniversary celebration at GCTelegram.com/podcasts.
Garden City Community College: www.gcccks.edu
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