Vance-Granville Community College, in partnership with a Wake Forest company, has opened up a computer hub at its Franklin Campus to improve the community’s access to technology.
Not only will DigitalBridge provide classes to help individuals learn how to use technology, but the hub is a place where people can come in a get a document printed, for example.
Stephanie Tolbert, VGCC dean of Business, Applied Technologies and Public Services, said the training hub addresses three challenges underserved communities face when it comes to using technology: connectivitiy, affordability and workforce skills training.
The hub is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at the Franklin Campus, located at 8100 Hwy 56 just outside of Louisburg. Additional times and days are available by appointment, Tolbert noted during Monday’s TownTalk.
They had a ribbon-cutting recently and have placed signs outside and in to direct people to the hub.
“We are ready, willing and able to help,” Tolbert said. “Just come to Franklin Campus and walk right into the lab.”
Let’s say you received a document via email, but you need help printing it, Tolbert said. Stop by the hub and get help making a copy. Or say you want to add a certain technology certification to boost your resume – there are more than 130 courses available in a self-paced format, Erica Hixon said.
And it’s all provided at no cost to the participant, Hixon, DigitalBridge’s project lead, said.
The information is all tailored to the individual, depending on goals and skill levels, Hixon said.
“Training is offered in-person or remote,” she added, with career coaches available to guide their efforts.
Whether it’s learning how to print a document, complete an online application all the way up to learning to write computer code, there’s something for everyone. A simple assessment will help target skill levels, so students won’t have to sit through learning information they already know.
It’s all about helping people get jobs, or get better jobs, while they’re gaining confidence with using technology.
“DigitalBridge is an initiative that serves to meet people where they are,” said VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.
The idea for the training hub began when VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais was at a national community college conference on entrepreneurship, Tolbert said. Once Desmarais learned about the Wake Forest group, the links were established and the training hub is the result.
“We had to go all the way to a conference to be introduced to someone in our own backyard,” Tolbert said. Desmarais recognized the need for the community, she said, adding that it’s not just a good partnership for the institution, but also for the community.
Learn about all the services the hub can provide by visiting https://mydigitalbridge.org/ or by calling 919.246.5700.