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Hendrick Automotive Group Receives Charlotte Chamber’s “Innovation in Education” Award
last modified
2008-09-29 11:38
The Hendrick Automotive Group (H.A.G.) has been recognized with the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce’s distinguished “Innovation in Education” Award for helping Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) become a leader in technical instruction through the creation of the Joe Hendrick Center for Automotive Technology at the College’s Levine Campus in south Charlotte. CPCC nominated H.A.G. for the award which recognizes local businesses that utilize creative or innovation solutions to improve the performance of local educational institutions or stimulate creative or innovative thinking in students.
“Our congratulations are extended to the Hendrick Automotive Group for receiving this much deserved recognition,” said Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of CPCC. “The Group’s vision, support and 20-plus year partnership have been invaluable assets to CPCC as the College strives to continue its tradition of serving the Charlotte community as the leader in workforce development.”
Launched in May 2007, the Joe Hendrick Center for Automotive Technology at CPCC helps the college meet the national demand for skilled automotive technicians as the industry faces the greatest labor shortage of its time. Thousands of CPCC students each year receive first class instruction at the 35,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility which boasts six classrooms and six labs equipped with the latest in electrical and diagnostic equipment and technology.
In addition to helping fund construction of the Center, H.A.G. provided equipment for the facility, established the Joe Hendrick Scholarship Program at CPCC and provided numerous internships for CPCC students. As a result of the company’s generosity, hundreds of students each year engage in internships with the second largest privately owned dealership group in the United States and are offered an affordable education option, learning auto trade applications from the best technicians in the industry.
The presence of the Center on CPCC’s south campus has significantly impacted the College, placing it on the map as the site to receive high quality, high-tech automotive training in the country. The Center is regularly used as a benchmark for automotive training facilities by other colleges, was selected by BMW as one of its two national associate degree curriculum colleges and will help CPCC become one of the nation’s first higher education institutions to offer fuel training regionally.
“Thanks to the Hendrick Automotive Group, CPCC will move forward in a dramatic way, leading an emerging trend on the national level in fuel technology and electrical training,” added Dr. Zeiss. “The Joe Hendrick Center for Automotive Technology is an outstanding facility and CPCC is extremely fortunate to count it among the many innovative programs it offers students in the Charlotte area and beyond.”
Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering 100 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing education, and special interest classes. CPCC is academically, financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers through innovative educational and training strategies.
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