Starting July 1, the Centerstone Career Resource Center will operate from offices in Tullahoma and Columbia, Tenn. The center is funded with a $5 million federal stimulus grant.

The center is expected to create nearly 300 new jobs through offering health care education opportunities, job training, employment placement assistance and support services to 600 people in five Middle Tennessee counties: Bedford, Coffee, Lawrence, Marshall and Maury.

Centerstone is partnering with the local schools and hospitals and government entities such as the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development to offer the training and to create jobs. The center also will offer participants assistance such as help with child-care and interview preparation training.

The center will begin reviewing potential participants on June 15. More information about the center is available at www.centerstone.org/careerresourcecenter or 1-888-519-5190.

The College designed its Continuing Education program for learners of all ages, whether they want to update their professional skills, earn a certificate to help launch a new career, or just enjoy the chance to explore something exciting and new. From website design to wedding planning, from income tax preparation to positive parenting, there’s a class for every interest.

“Our online courses open doors to personal, professional, and civic growth,” says CCDC Continuing Education Director Neil Richardson. “We’ve placed special emphasis on skills for work in the region’s hottest industries, but we cover the full range of subjects for both personal and professional development.”The Continuing Education program is just one component of CCDC’s focus on educational opportunities tailored to the needs of D.C. residents. The College’s entire curriculum is the product of Washington’s collective vision for delivering access to high-quality, affordable postsecondary education, including pathways to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, workforce development programs, and enrichment courses for lifelong learning.

In addition to Continuing Education, the College offers 23 degree programs, from automotive technology to health care professions; certificate-driven programs that qualify students for careers in high-growth fields such as nursing and HVAC technology; and a Workforce Development and Lifelong Learning program to hone knowledge and skills in administrative technology, construction trades, health care, hospitality, office technology and green (environmental) technology.

General program areas in the Continuing Education program include accounting, business, healthcare and fitness, hospitality and gaming, green building and sustainability, green/renewable energy, media and design, and skilled trades and industrial. CCDC also plans to add new courses and areas of study based on community interest. For students planning to apply to college or graduate school, CCDC also offers classes to prepare for the SAT/ACT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT exams.

CCDC works with respected partners in online education to bring the D.C. community the most valuable and interesting classes offered anywhere. Intensive career and professional development classes help hone skills in areas such as computers and technology or writing and publishing. Courses with an emphasis on green industries provide valuable certifications in cutting-edge professions. And students in short-term legal studies courses can develop a specialization in the legal field—from alternative dispute resolution to victim advocacy.

The latest Continuing Education addition is the EdCafe, a virtual and real “third place” where visitors can link to an exciting array of D.C. cultural, educational, and research institutions that offer cutting-edge lectures, workshops, and events. EdCafe visitors discover great ways to explore their interests all over town, whether it’s attending a special tour of a Smithsonian exhibition or joining in a literary discussion at a neighborhood bookstore.

Continuing Education soon will be offering instructor-led classes in a variety of fields, including public service and nonprofit management, languages, liberal arts, website development, and project management training.

Best of all, CCDC’s online courses are affordable, convenient, and accessible any time of day or night. Students can choose from comprehensive, certificate-driven courses lasting 6 to 12 months, or opt for an intensive, short-term course of just six to eight weeks.