December 18, 2009

Educational services provider moves into the Purdue Research Park at AmeriPlex-Indianapolis

James Bartek
Download photo

180Skills LLC is developing interactive online courseware for academic institutions and agencies that provide programs for "on demand" learning.

Joe Kitterman, founder of 180Skills, is a pioneer in the online skills education industry.

"Collectively, we have more than nine years of experience in developing online educational programs for academic institutions and professional development programs for businesses," Kitterman said. "Through those years, we've talked to a lot of people and realized that there is a critical need for providing flexible learning programs that are interactive for participants."

For example, company researchers are developing an aviation curriculum for the National Center for Aviation Training located at Wichita Area Technical College in Wichita, Kan.

"Most of our clients are two-year institutions of higher education, and we focus on the topics that are fairly new to an academic curriculum such as fuel cell technology, solar energy or how to build and maintain a wind turbine," Kitterman said. "The online programs provide a resource to teach people about these topics without the school having to build an entire curriculum around the subject. This saves time and money for the school and it provides expanded educational opportunities."

The learning process of 180Skills uses an interactive program that focuses on "technology application" rather than "technical knowledge."

"We are believers in learning by doing, and we have created most of our programs around that concept," Kitterman said.

180Skills, which will employ about 10-15 professionals by the end of 2010, is one of five companies in the Purdue Research Park at AmeriPlex-Indianapolis. Other companies are Scale Computing Inc., CoreTech Revolution Inc., FlamencoNets LLC and Terra Site Development Inc. Also, there are five other companies affiliated with the Purdue Research Park at AmeriPlex-Indianapolis.

The park is being developed in partnership with Purdue Research Foundation and Holladay Properties, a South Bend-based national real estate development company. The Purdue Technology Center in Indianapolis is located at 5225 Exploration Drive along the I-70 corridor and near the midfield terminal of the Indianapolis International Airport. The Purdue Research Park at AmeriPlex-Indianapolis is the centerpiece of the latest 400-acre phase of AmeriPlex-Indianapolis, a nearly 1,500-acre development.

"The Indianapolis park is taking off with several new startups and expanding businesses moving into the Purdue Technology Center of Indianapolis, which is our incubator facility," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation, which manages the Purdue Research Park system.

The hiring of James Bartek as the Purdue Technology Center of Indianapolis' business development manager also was announced. Bartek is a founder of Seyet LLC, a successful visual communications company that was created in 2003.

As business development manager, Bartek will work with entrepreneurs and owners of growing companies interested in moving into the Purdue Research Park at AmeriPlex-Indianapolis.

"I'm excited to begin working with entrepreneurs and helping them to develop their businesses in the park," Bartek said. "Some of the biggest advantages about moving into this facility include amenities such as human resources, marketing, office supplies and the support system with other entrepreneurs in the facility."

The Purdue Research Park offers Purdue Portals (https://www.purdueresearchpark.com/services/purdue_portals.asp)  as well. The program is a business development program created by the Purdue Research Foundation to assist Purdue Research Park-based companies interested in forming ties with Purdue University. The program provides:

* Business planning, development and assistance.

* Research and development.

* Funding and commercialization activity.

The Purdue Research Park at AmeriPlex-Indianapolis is one of four Purdue Research Park centers around the state that serve as incubators for startup or expanding companies. The other centers are in West Lafayette, New Albany and Merrillville.  

About Purdue Research Park

The 725-acre Purdue Research Park (https://www.purdueresearchpark.com/) has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park network is home to nearly 200 companies. About 100 of these firms are technology-related, and another 39 are incubator businesses. The Purdue Research Park is part of the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to assist Purdue University in the area of economic development.

To the Purdue Research Park, https://www.purdueresearchpark.com

Purdue Research Park contact: Cynthia Sequin, (765) 588-3340 (office), casequin@prf.org

Sources:

Joe Kitterman, 317-735-3367, joek@180skills.com

Brenda Cooley, 317-735-3368, brendaac@180skills.com

Joseph B. Hornett, 765-588-1039, jbhornett@prf.org

James Bartek, 317-614-0792, jabartek@prf.org