Hosting the CenterNet site on Union's campus supports ongoing cooperative efforts between the community and the College. The College is also committed to providing leadership and collaborating with local and area leaders to facilitate economic development opportunities. This Center is just one of many ways in which we can bring growth to our community. According to Pam Bridgman, CenterNet project manager, the Small Business Administration and the Center for Rural Development expect the technology to be used as a business recruitment and workforce development tool. Using the technology, a factory foreman can communicate with corporate headquarters in any part of the world,' Bridgman explained.
Employees can receive job-related training.
Teachers, doctors, lawyers and others can receive continuing education credits by attending courses offered through video-conferencing without leaving their communities. The number and type of applications possible using the technology are truly limited only by the imagination. There are currently 17 counties in the network, with one county under construction and another 10 approved for installation in the near future. Desktop videoconferencing is also scheduled for implementation. This feature will allow individuals at different locations to view and edit the same document.