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from our experience in reinventing and strengthening our not charged with attaining short-term fnancial self-sufciency,
college’s Corporate & Continuing Education Center. Five years this freed us to innovate for our community by developing a
ago EvCC’s continuing education department was a struggling grant-subsidized small business accelerator program serving
operation focused on personal interest. Today, although still hundreds of business owners. Tis success ultimately became
a work in progress, its 15-member team operates one of the an important part of the college’s community engagement
largest continuing education centers of its kind in Washington and outreach eforts. However, in my current position just 20
State, playing a signifcant role in elevating our community’s minutes north, there are about 170 large aerospace suppliers
perceptions of EvCC. and a global aerospace manufacturer with more than 15,000
Delegates who visit from other colleges are eager to learn the employees in our backyard. Although we have a small business
tools and techniques that have helped our business grow, and acceleration program, our primary focus is large employers;
we in turn learn from them. Afer spending some time with us, and fnancial self-sufciency and proft generation are
our visitors appear energized and equipped with new ideas they expected. Efective leaders recognize that expectations for and
cannot wait to implement. Tese capable leaders, however, will investments in a CCE center must be shaped by the unique
still require the high level college support needed to develop a circumstances of a college’s community, not by what the college
thriving center. A capable corporate and continuing education next door or across the country has accomplished.
(CCE) leader equipped with ideas is of course a critical step in Creating a shared ‘company’ vision and a plan to get there
growing a successful center, but it is not the most signifcant Once broad expectations are set, the CCE leader should work
step. Creating a fnancially proftable CCE center, or righting with staf, college leaders, and stakeholders to develop a
the ship on a struggling one, is a function of leadership at many compelling, vivid description of the end in mind — a shared
levels of the institution committing to work together to reshape vision that will be articulated and revisited by the college and
assumptions and practices to the beneft of the entire college. community as the CCE center is built and refned. Te vision
‘Begin with the end in mind’ should include anticipated outcomes of the CCE initiative,
Anchoring the initiative in community including the return on investment for your institution over
the life of a fve year business plan. As the business grows, the
Te community, with its inherent opportunities and challenges, CCE leader and staf should demonstrate and communicate
must drive how success is defned for your CCE center, not achievement of key milestones. Tis is a critical component
the college’s fnance department or other factors. Before needed to maintain institutional support and momentum,
expectations are set, or investments made, the size and scope keeping the college and the CCE team focused on the end goal.
of the opportunity must be determined based on the demand A workable business plan is also essential, particularly one that
in your community for the education and training services includes the voice of future potential customers. Te document
you hope to deliver. I have operated a continuing education should include standard business analyses, a request for start-up
center in a community in which the college itself was the funding, and other content typically found in a business plan.
largest employer, with no other organization in our service It should also include the resources and conditions required to
area with more than 100 employees. Because our center was achieve the vision.

Everett Community College’s CCE Team

LEADERSHIP Vol. 19.3 Winter 2014 33

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