“The Rapid Response Team creates a five-member team of Amarillo College personnel to provide a quick response to inquiries and requests of local and regional business and industry,” said Dr. Paul Matney, AC president.
“The team was created to ensure that an AC team could quickly and efficiently respond to these requests.”
The new system steps up the effort already in place. “There were no inefficiencies in the past, because various individuals on campus served as responders,” Matney said. “However, the new team creates an official response group.”
The AEDC is an organization whose mission is to recruit new businesses and industries to the area. Companies that have located in the area with assistance from the AEDC include Bell Helicopter, Hilmar Cheese and Alstom Power Inc.
The AEDC submits inquiries to the college, typically requesting that the college provide job training for current and prospective employees of companies in the area.
“The new Rapid Response Team will be involved in developing the curriculum to provide that training,” Matney said. “Students affected by the team will be new or future students who attend classes which AC agrees to provide for a company which requests training.”
AC has received several grants from the Texas Workforce Commission Skill and Development Fund, “which provides funding for the college to train employees of Bell Helicopter and Northwest Texas Healthcare System,” Matney said. “Both AC and the community will benefit from the new response team.”
After inquiries have been made and the proper response has been assessed, responsibilities may extend beyond the team to other personnel to help build the curriculum to serve the client in need of trained professionals.
The team, headed by Dr. Shawn Fouts, dean of career and technical education, is comprised of five faculty members, including Damaris Schlong, dean of continuing education; Ron Faulkner, coordinator of technical training solutions; Danita McAnally, dean of assessment and development; and LuLu Cowan, special assistant to Matney.
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