Cengage Learning Partners with NorthWest Arkansas Community College to Educate and Strengthen the Local Workforce

STAMFORD, Conn., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cengage Learning, a leading global provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions, today announced it is working with NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) to develop a series of workforce development courses for professionals in the Bentonville, Arkansas area.

The courses being developed are a part of the $2.15 million 'Acceleration, Resources, Knowledge' (ARK) Grant, which was awarded to the region based on a proposal that was submitted to the Obama Administration's Innovation Accelerator Challenge. The challenge, which was launched last May to support the advancement of 20 high-growth regional industry clusters, awarded grants to the regions who outlined superior proposed projects and best identified the economic strengths of their areas. As one of the winning regions, the ARK Grant will provide innovation, training and professional development to companies and professionals residing in Northwestern Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma and Southern Missouri.

"We are excited to partner with NWACC on this exciting initiative," said David Garza, Vice President, Career and Computing, Cengage Learning. "Cengage Learning is known industry-wide for providing a wide range of high-quality training solutions, and we understand the importance of lifelong learning to keep up with today's ever-changing technologies. These courses will help area professionals to remain an asset to their employers and expand their knowledge-base to stay employable during these tough economic times."

"Our collaboration and partnership with Cengage Learning makes it possible for us to provide innovative and technologically advanced training and certification services to not only our community in Northwest Arkansas but also our neighbors in Eastern Oklahoma and Southern Missouri," said Teresa Whitmire, Executive Director, Business Development, NorthWest Arkansas Community College. "Through a combination of the ARK grant and partnerships, such as that with Cengage Learning, we are excited to be building a brighter and more prosperous future for individuals and businesses in our region."

The grant allows for the creation of courses that will benefit both the local community and its workforce. In-person and online classes will be hosted by NWACC to train professionals on new technologies, software and other topics of interest to today's workers. Among those to be offered, the first courses to be rolled out from this new partnership include:

• Mobile Applications Programming—Author:  Corinne Hoisington—Fifty percent of the world's mobile market is ANDROID, and as mobile devices become ubiquitous, many technology departments are adding mobile computing courses to their curriculum. Google's Android OS is a freely available and popular Smartphone platform with applications programmed in Java using Eclipse and the Android SDK. This hands-on workshop allows participants to learn how to make their first Android app and beyond.
• Microsoft Office –Author:  Shelley Cashman –The Shelly Cashman Series has effectively introduced computer skills to millions of students and adult learners for over 30 years.  The Microsoft Office 2010 series introduces features that are specifically designed to engage participants, improve retention and prepare them for future success. With step-by-step, screen-by-screen approaches, students are able to expand their understanding of Office 2010 software.  Using proven reinforcement exercises, learners use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to create real-life documents, allowing them to become more capable software users.

For more information about this new partnership, please visit www.cengage.com or www.nwacc.edu.

About Cengage Learning

Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. The company's products and services are designed to foster academic excellence and professional development, increase student engagement, improve learning outcomes and deliver authoritative information to people whenever and wherever they need it. Through the company's unique position within both the library and academic markets, Cengage Learning is providing integrated learning solutions that bridge from the library to the classroom.  Cengage Learning's brands include National Geographic Learning, Brooks/Cole, Course Technology, Delmar, Gale, Heinle, South-Western and Wadsworth, among others. Cengage Learning is headquartered in Stamford, CT.  For more information on Cengage Learning please visit www.cengage.com.

About NorthWest Arkansas Community College

NorthWest Arkansas Community College is a comprehensive, public two-year college that serves and strengthens the community through learning for living. NWACC's service area is defined by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education as Benton and Washington counties in extreme northwest Arkansas. The commitment of NWACC to life-long learning can be seen in the quality of instruction it offers, and the variety of programs it has designed to move students into the job market in a minimum amount of time, enrich people's lives, and prepare them to further their education. For more information, visit www.nwacc.edu

SOURCE Cengage Learning