June 23. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has received a two-acre donation of land from David H. Murdock, founder of Castle & Cooke and NC Research Campus, for a 60,000 square foot Advanced Technology Center.

The building in Kannapolis will be adjacent to the college’s existing building on the research campus. The donation allows the two organizations to strengthen their workforce development partnership at the NC Research Campus and throughout the region.

Carl M. Short, chair of the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees, said the location will leverage the resources of the North Carolina Research Campus with the College’s history of workforce development “to bring wonderful new opportunities to our region.”

The ATC will offer industry-recognized certifications, hands-on skills and customized training and support services to address the educational needs of companies with high technology demands and in emerging fields.

Advanced technology is constantly evolving. The new facility will allow RCCC “to ensure that the local workforce remains qualified and current, key components of economic development,”

Funding for the ATC was approved by Cabarrus County residents in the 2014 Rowan-Cabarrus bond referendum with over 64 percent of the vote. The concept for the ATC originated from interviews with experts in information technology, energy, manufacturing, construction and healthcare fields, along with conversations with other local colleges, economic development leaders and futurists from the local service region.

“We are proud to provide the additional funding for the state-of-the-art educational space,” said Steve Morris, chair of the Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners and member of the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees. “The community’s overwhelming support verified that our community values the educational opportunities that the center brings. It is a game-changer for our region as we strive to strengthen our economic and workforce development.”