Continuing Educaton

Durham Technical Community College offers many educational training and personal enrichment programs, courses, and activities for lifelong learners. These offerings meet the needs of citizens and businesses in Durham and Orange counties through the Continuing Education Department.  Continuing Education courses contribute to the community’s overall cultural, civic, and intellectual growth.

One of the most important purposes of the Continuing Education Department is to provide opportunities for citizens who want to improve their job-related skills or prepare for entering and/or re-entering the work force. Occupation-related, noncredit courses and programs are conducted throughout the year in a wide variety of disciplines. The following is a sampling of those offerings:

• Allied Health
• Automotive
• Biopharmaceutical Technology
• Building Trades
• Computers
• Cosmetic Arts
• Culinary Arts
• Emergency Medical Services
• Fire Service Extension
• Foreign Language
• Real Estate
• Small Business

Health Care Training
The Nurse Aide I program prepares students to perform basic nursing skills under a registered nurse’s supervision through a 100-plus hour training program that includes lectures, labs, and rotations in a clinical setting. The Nurse Aide II program is also available for those with nursing experience who wish to enhance their patient care skills. This program prepares students to perform more advanced skills such as catheterizations, sterile dressings, tracheotomy care, and more.

Other courses, such as Emergency Medical Services, Activity Coordinator Training for Long-Term Care Facilities, Medical Office Procedures, Medical Coding, and Medical Transcription are also offered.

Human Resource Development (HRD)
The HRD program provides career development counseling, employability skills training, and skills assessment services to unemployed and underemployed adults. The HRD mission is "to prepare individuals for success in the workplace." Thus, the program is designed to improve the employability skills of individuals so they can be competitive in the ever-changing workplace. Components include Job Preparation, Job-Seeking Skills, Résumé and Interviewing Skills, Job-Keeping Skills, Lifelong Learning, and Life Skills.

HRD/Workplace Preparation Schedule

Public Safety Services Training
The college also offers noncredit educational opportunities for public safety service agencies and professionals. A wide range of public service training is available for volunteers and other public service personnel to maintain readiness in such areas as Fire Academy; First Responder; Emergency Medical Technician; EMT Basic, EMT Intermediate, and EMT Paramedic; arson detection; hazardous materials management; defensive driving; and firearms handling.

Through needs assessment and a consultative approach, the Corporate Education staff can identify, develop, and deliver training that meets corporate business requirements. Training tailored to meet the specific needs of the organization and its employees is available in such areas as supervision, quality improvement, management and leadership development, team building and communications, and various technical applications. The training may be conducted at the company site or on the college campus and may be scheduled at the employer’s convenience. More information can be found in the Corporate Education section.

Small Business Center
Located within Durham Tech’s downtown Continuing Education Center on the third floor of the SOUTHBank Building at 400 West Main Street, the Small Business Center (SBC) serves both existing and start-up companies with 100 or fewer employees. The SBC provides small business owners with information needed to be successful — from advice on basic business planning to marketing, legal, and technical assistance. Additional services include seminars, in-depth classes, computer-related courses, confidential counseling, and referrals to other agencies. The SBC also houses a small business resource library with internet access. Maps and course information can be found in the Small Business Center section.