ANAHEIM : Education Center Targets Businesses
It’s not quite the University of Anaheim, but one of Orange County’s largest cities now has a higher education center of its own.
In a 9,511-square-foot facility in downtown Anaheim, city leaders and education officials recently opened the Anaheim Higher Education Center. The facility is part of Fullerton College’s efforts to work more closely with the business community.
“The target is providing direct services to businesses at a low cost,” said Ronald Krimper, vice president of the office of institutional advancement at Fullerton College and head of the new center. “We’re really excited about what we’re doing. We think it can make a difference.”
The center now offers specialized seminars and workshops to about 20 companies. In one venture, the institute has joined with the Orange County Vector Control District to provide training for technicians. In another, it has teamed with Pacific Bell to offer on-site degree programs in business administration.
The facility also houses a technology center, which will establish the model for a “factory of the future” to find ways for small businesses to adapt to new technology at a low cost, Krimper said.
Another program, to be launched in January, will help small companies comply with air quality and other environmental standards. Krimper said the center is working with the state Department of Commerce and the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The center will operate on a $2.5-million budget in its first year and be supported by contracts, grants, fees and services, Krimper said. It receives no state funding and has just 15 full-time employees. The center is expected to serve 6,000 clients and 500 businesses during the next year, Krimper added.
Anaheim Councilman William D. Ehrle said that such an educational facility has been long overdue in the city. “We’ve missed the boat so many times for being considered for (North Orange County Community College District’s) expansion,” Ehrle said. “This is a great asset.”
The center, now housed on the main floor of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce building at 100 S. Anaheim Blvd., includes seminar rooms, computer labs and offices. But within two years, Fullerton College officials plan to move into a 30,000-square-foot facility that is expected to be built nearby. Fullerton College officials are working to build the facility on land owned by the Anaheim Redevelopment Agency between Olive and Philadelphia streets on Broadway.
