from VCCA Journal, Volume 3, Number 1, Spring/Summer 1988, 28-29
© Copyright 1988 VCCA Journal
The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) and the Virginia Community College System established a three-year pilot Technology Transfer Program to apply innovative technology to improve the economic performance of Virginia businesses. Nine sites have been selected throughout the Commonwealth: Central Virginia Community College, New River Community College, Northern Virginia Community College , Paul D. Camp Community College (in conjunction with Tidewater), Southwest Virginia Community College, Thomas Nelson Community College, Tidewater Community College, Virginia Western Community College, Wytheville Community College, and Halifax County/South Boston Continuing Education Center. Each program is administered by a Director who helps small to medium-sized businesses become more competitive, productive, and profitable.
The Directors work one-on-one with local businesses to bring together unfamiliar or under-utilized technological resources with the specific needs of business. In addition to their roles as technology brokers, the directors also refer businesses to training, education, and business-development services available through community colleges and other resources such as public institutions of higher education, local and state economic development programs, federal agencies, and the private sector.
While the process is similar for all sites, the actual services provided vary from location to location and reflect the local economy. To initiate the technology transfer process, the director arranges a meeting with the owners or managers of the business to discuss a potential need for assistance. After defining and analyzing the specific business problem, the director identifies and contacts the appropriate providers. Then, the direct determines the relationship between the business need and the available resources, and arranges to bring the business and the resource together. Following the match up, the director consults with the business to determine how helpful the suggested resources were in meeting the specific needs of the business.
John Jerke, Northern Virginia Community College; Dan Mills, Wytheville Community College; and Steve Cooper, Thomas Nelson Community College provided specific examples of the Technology Transfer Program at their respective colleges.