Public Relations

Trustees to be asked Jan. 14 to OK
specified asset purchase of RealPlanIT, Inc.

            BENTONVILLE (Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008) – NorthWest Arkansas Community College Corporate Learning Division could begin operating a site Jan. 16 in Fayetteville if the College’s Board of Trustees approves at its Jan. 14 meeting a proposed specified asset purchase of RealPlanIT, Inc.

            “The NWACC Corporate Learning business development team has been making a concentrated effort to attract more business from Washington County since spring of 2007,” said Dr. Derek Crews, NWACC Vice President for Workforce Development.

            Potential clients have indicated a reluctance to travel to Bentonville, he said.

            “The proposed specified asset purchase is in response to the potential for increased Corporate Learning (CL) revenue by opening a corporate training facility in Fayetteville,” Crews said.

            The specified asset purchase would lead to NWACC CL becoming a Microsoft IT Academy, among other advantages.

            NWACC CL traditionally serves business and industry clients though customized classes, and serves individuals desiring to upgrade their job skills through open-enrollment courses at the Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies in Bentonville.

            Most of NWACC’s customized training clients and open-enrollment students either live or are based in Bentonville and Rogers.

            Both College President Dr. Becky Paneitz and Crews cited numerous advantages and benefits to both entities of the proposed specified asset purchase.

ABOUT RealPlanIT

• RealPlanIT was established in March 2004 as a private Fayetteville computer training company.
• It has trained 3,185 individuals from 78 different companies.
• RealPlanIT is a certified Microsoft IT Academy.
• Classes are taught by MS certified instructors.
• Courses include MS Office, Flash, Crystal Reports, DreamWeaver, Adobe, MS Project, Photoshop, and other specialized IT classes.

ABOUT NWACC CL

            NWACC Corporate Learning develops talent that creates competitive advantage for individuals, organizations, and communities. It seeks to become an internationally recognized provider of strategic learning solutions to create and develop talent from entry-level workers to executive leadership.

BACKGROUND AND COLLABORATION ON THE PROPOSAL

• NWACC Corporate Learning and RealPlanIT began discussions on collaborative course offerings in June, 2007.

            “As the discussions progressed, it became apparent that the owner of RealPlanIT was interested in becoming part of NWACC, as NWACC Corporate Learning’s site in Fayetteville,” Crews said.

BENEFITS AND ADVANTAGES

• RealPlanIT: Would become part of a regional community college with access to NWACC resources, such as employee benefits, IT support, marketing, and enrollment management.
• NWACC: Would gain an ongoing corporate training operation with 78 current clients rather than having to create a corporate training account base from scratch.

FAYETTEVILLE FACILITY

• RealPlanIT is conveniently located in the Northwest Center, at the intersection of College Ave. and Joyce Blvd. in Fayetteville, directly across from the Northwest Arkansas Mall.
• The 5,474 SF-facility is attractive and professional. It includes six classrooms, a testing facility, an open lab, reception area, three offices, IT equipment room, restrooms, and a break area.
• RealPlanIT’s lease expires January 15, 2008. If approved by Trustees, NWACC would lease the space effective January 16, 2008, at $10 per square foot per year.

EQUIPMENT

• RealPlanIT owns 76 computers. NWACC would replace 26 of these computers after approval. All remaining computers would be replaced in NWACC’s next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008.
• NWACC CL would purchase RealPlanIT’s 4 servers, phone system, and furniture.

PERSONNEL

• NWACC CL would place two full-time people there to operate the facility, a director and a receptionist.
• Instructors would be either adjuncts or independent contractors.
• RealPlanIT’s current director teaches course offerings. As an NWACC employee, this person’s primary role would be new business development.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• NWACC CL would gain all existing RealPlanIT clients.
• Course offerings would be expanded beyond computer training.
• NWACC existing programs would be offered – training/development including leadership, customer service, team building, Six Sigma, and other classes.
• The Director of NWACC CL/Fayetteville would become NWACC’s point person with local business and civic organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Commission.
• NWACC anticipates revenues would grow substantially by offering a broad range of training classes, instead of only computer training, and by having a full-time, on-site person dedicated to business development in Washington County

EXPANDING NWACC’S CAPACITY

• Microsoft IT Academy: NWACC CL would assume RealPlanIT’s Microsoft IT Academy designation, which requires that at least two instructors be Microsoft Certified Trainers. These instructors have indicated a desire to teach at NWACC CL/Fayetteville.
• The IT Academy designation would apply to all non-credit IT classes offered at NWACC locations including Shewmaker Center.
• This approach would allow NWACC Corporate Learning to take advantage of Microsoft IT Academy branding for all of its Microsoft training classes.
• NWACC anticipates the Fayetteville site would continue to play host to the local DOT NET Users Group, the same as NWACC plays host to the Retail Link Users Group.
• Prometric Testing Center: RealPlanIT is currently an authorized Prometric Testing Center, which provides a wide variety of testing for IT applications and professional licensure and certification across many industries.
• NWACC CL would apply to become a fully authorized Prometric Center, providing the region additional testing services. The nearest site currently is in Fort Smith.
• VUE Testing Center: NWACC CL is an authorized VUE testing center. It is expected that the affiliations with both Prometric and VUE would be continued, allowing NWACC Corporate Learning to offer Prometric and VUE testing at both locations.

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