The Business Division at Pitt Community College currently assists students in reaching their educational goals in Business Administration, Administrative and Medical Office Technology, and Information Systems Technology. With the addition of a new department titled Entrepreneurship, Marketing, and Economics, they will be creating even greater opportunities for students.
Over the years, the Business Division has grown tremendously, and the program offerings have expanded to the point that in order to better serve the students, this new department was created. Currently within the new department, Associate in Applied Science degrees are being offered in Marketing and Retailing as well as a new program – Entrepreneurship. Future plans to expand the department include the addition of a Customer Service program in 2014 and the addition of an Economics program in 2015.
The grouping of these programs ties together very well. There are commonalities that exist between the areas of study that will provide opportunities for shared collaboration across program lines.
These programs are ideal for individuals who are creative, motivated, and self-starters who have an interest in learning best business practices. The programs will focus on the actual skills needed to plan, fund, and launch a new business. Small businesses employ over 50% of employees in the private sector and account for 45% of private payrolls. Over the past decade, small businesses have generated 60-80% of net new jobs.
“The new department will emphasize the importance of entrepreneurship as an engine for economic recovery and sustainability. We grouped entrepreneurship with marketing and economics in order to offer a collaborative, integrative approach to these 3 disciplines,” says Department Chair Chuck Griffin. “We hope to form a unique partnership with Continuing Education’s Small Business Center and provide both existing and potential business owners with student assistance in the form of research or forecasting for example. Our students will also benefit from some of the services that the Small Business Center currently provides. It’s a win-win for both of us.”
According to Business Division Dean Donnie Lee, “The combining of entrepreneurship, marketing, and economics into one department will enable students to gain a comprehensive understanding in seeing the bigger economic picture with respect to developing fresh and innovative ideas in taking the first step to owning their own business.
Jane Power