LILLINGTON - Central Carolina Community College showed off its newest facility, the Harnett Health Sciences Center, at an Oct. 23 open house.

"It is absolutely spectacular, beautiful from top to bottom," said Dr. Bud Marchant, CCCC president. "The education students gain here will benefit not only them, but also the health care institutions that employ them and all those who will receive better health care because of the training provided in this state-of-the-art facility. The college is proud to have partnered with Harnett County and the Harnett Forward Together Committee on this forward-thinking project."

The 50,200-square-foot concrete panel and steel Center is located on approximately five acres on Red Mulberry Way on the Brightwater Science and Technology Campus. The facility consists of a two-story main building connected by a vestibule to a one-story multipurpose building that seats 250.

The facility has 11 classrooms, seven simulation labs, two physical therapist assistant labs, biomedical lab, bed labs, hydrotherapy room, faculty offices, study areas, four examination rooms, multipurpose room, large Student Center, and other areas. Extensive use of glass walls, open space, and bright colors on the walls, floors and furnishings create an inviting atmosphere for the students who study here.

"I'm almost speechless," said Sandra Bass, CCCC Nurse Aide instructor. "We are so excited to get into this building. We went from a three-bed lab to three five-bed labs. The students will get a lot more hands-on training."

The Center houses CCCC continuing education and curriculum health care program in Harnett County, including Associate Degree Nursing, nurse aide, phlebotomy, EKG, pharmacy technician, medical assisting, and physical therapist assistant.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Dunn micropolitan area, including all of Harnett County, is the fastest growing micropolitan area in the nation. In the 15-month period ending July 2011, the population grew by 4,578, bringing the total to 119,256. With growth comes the need for education and health care providers to meet the population's needs.

Extensive construction of health care facilities in the Highway 421 area of Lillington and Dunn has caused it to be nicknamed the "Highway 421 medical corridor." Among the health care providers already located in or planned for the area are the new Central Harnett Hospital, Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine, East Carolina University Dental Center, First Choice Community Health Center, Good Hope Hospital's inpatient psychiatric facility, and Smith-Packett Nursing Home.

The Harnett Health Sciences Center is located near the hospital, also on the Brightwater Campus. Students from the college's Center will be able to do their clinical training at the hospital and other health care providers in the area. The Health Sciences Building has space to provide continuing education programs for hospital workers.

The increase in medical providers and support businesses in the area has already increased the need for workers with health care-related skills. Many of them will come out of the college's programs.

"We are so happy to have this building open and for the things we're going to be doing here," said Bill Tyson, CCCC Harnett County provost. "This is the beginning of better health care training for folks in Harnett County."

The development team for the project was Red Rock Developments, BBH Design architects, and Brasfield & Gorrie general contractors. The Harnett Forward Together Committee, a private, non-profit corporation that promotes the county and its development, owns the property on which the Harnett Health Sciences Center is located. Harnett County leases the property from the corporation.

For more information about continuing education and curriculum health care programs at CCCC, visit its web site, www.cccc.edu.