Business incubator opens at SCCTC

BY STACI WILSON

The Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center is looking for come entrepreneurs to take advantage of the new Business Development Incubator that opened for business earlier this month.

A grand opening celebration was held Thursday, Sept. 20, at the Career Center.  SCCTC Executive Director Dr. Alice Davis said, “The success of the Susquehanna County Career and Technology Center is directly related to the support of business and industry. The mission of the Business Development Incubator is to strengthen our bond with business and industry, thus strengthening SCCTC.”

SCCTC secured a grant through the USDA Rural Business Development Grant Program  to develop the business incubator which will provided training and technical assistance, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, professional/technical reports and product/service improvements.

“Economic growth is our main priority and goal,” Davis said.

She offered her thanks on behalf of the career center to Jason Cali, USDA Area Specialist for Business Programs; and Tom Wellington, USDA Rural Development Coordinator, for their work to help bring the service offering to SCCTC.

Dan McGrath will serve as the BDI coordinator.

“The (business development incubator) will try to help businesses in their infancy,” McGrath said.

The site, located in SCCTC Building B, has cubicles set up for business owners to work in and space available for them to meet with clients, he said.

Business related classes will also be offered on Monday mornings, 9-11 a.m., such as setting up Quickbooks for business use.

Davis said there has also been interest in establishing evening classes. She said they are looking into that. “It’s truly a work in progress,” she said.

Cali, of the USDA, said, “It’s been a pleasure working with the district on this grant.” He said that in a visit to SCCTC, he could tell funds were well spent and used wisely to “spread as far as they can go.”

He also said the USDA grant is adaptable and can change to meet needs throughout the growth of the BDI.

Elk Lake Superintendent Kenneth Cuomo said, “In a rural area, the community looks to school districts to provide services others might not do,” citing the addition of the BDI in the district as one such example.

Davis said SCCTC really tries to listen to business and industry when developing programs. She said they are currently exploring the possibility of starting a CDL driver training program.

“With our partners, we work together to make things happen,” Davis said. “We’re all on the same mission to make the local economy stronger.”

Business Development Incubator information can be found via a link located on the SCCTC website, www.scctc-school.org. Services will be offered without fees in 2018-2019. For more information call: 570-278-9229.