The Center for Business and Industry (CBI) at Northampton Community College is rolling out several new professional development programs this spring.

Computer “Boot Camps” will give men and women the chance to hone their skills in popular PC office applications such as Word, Excel and Access. Participants may choose to focus on one application for four consecutive mornings or may enroll in “Boot Camp-Office” which covers all three applications in half-day sessions spread over three weeks. Classes will begin in February at Northampton Community College’s Main Campus in Bethlehem Township.

The College’s Leadership Development Institute is offering three new professional certificate programs. By taking a series of 5 or 6 one-day classes individuals can build their skills and become certified in customer service, management or as administrative professionals. Classes can be taken at the College or offered on-site by employers.

Employers who prefer to provide employees with high quality training online can take advantage of Northampton Community College’s partnership with Ed2Go, the nation’s largest provider of online courses for adults. Classes run for 6 weeks and focus on a wide variety of topics ranging from accounting to business writing to sales and supervision. All are taught by professional instructors. Employers can select the classes that will be most beneficial to their employees.

In response to increased concern about the safety of employees and corporate property, in April and May the College ’s Corporate & Public Safety Department will offer one-day sessions on workplace “Fire & Life Safety,” “Employee Safety & Extinguisher Training,” and “Community & Worker Right-to-Know” as it applies to public sector employees.

These new classes will supplement many other public courses, customized training programs, and consulting services offered by Northampton’s Center for Business and Industry, Center for Healthcare Education, Corporate & Public Safety Department, National Training Center for Microelectronics, and Electrotechnology Applications Center. The College is one of the largest providers of workforce training and consulting in the region, working with more than 300 employers each year. Clients include Arm & Hammer, B. Braun, Crayola, D&B, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, C.F. Martin & Co., Inc., and Mittal Steel.

For additional information, contact Jennifer Kszak, assistant director of business training resources, at 610-332-6590.