(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Nov. 9, 2011) - - - Columbia State's Center for Economic and Workforce Development is offering several non-credit courses throughout the month of December. Classes cover a variety of topics, including leadership and Microsoft Office applications.

Introduction to Word 2010 is a hands-on class in which students will learn how to add, move through and edit text; move words from one part of your document to another; work on two or more documents simultaneously; change the size or appearance of text; change margins and tab settings; run grammar and spelling checker; use the thesaurus; and save, retrieve, copy, organize and print documents. This class will be held on the Columbia campus on Friday, Dec. 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The $129 fee includes textbook.

LEAN Concepts teaches the student to understand the three conditions that can motivate a business to apply LEAN concepts as well as how LEAN principles and concepts apply in a manufacturing environment. In this class students learn how to apply LEAN tools such as 5S, 7 Waste, Value Streaming and Flow, and Standardization. The class takes place on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Thursday, Dec. 8 from 6- 9:00 p.m. The $69 fee includes all class materials.

Introduction to Excel 2010 teaches students how to sort and analyze data, design custom charts and graphs, and format worksheets using mathematical formulas. Get started with Excel 2010 by attending this class. The one-day course takes place Friday, Dec. 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The $129 fee includes textbook.

Reviewing Performance Progress is a class offered in conjunction with the Leadership Series. In this class students will use progress reviews as a business tool in guiding individuals, work groups, and their organization toward success. It also teaches the students how to sustain good performance and improve less-than-desirable results. The class will cover how to build people's responsibility in monitoring, collecting, and analyzing performance data and how to handle challenging situations that can arise during progress review discussions. The class will be Wednesday, Dec. 7 from 8:30- 11:30 a.m. The $149 fee includes textbook.

Managing Performance Problems is a class offered in conjunction with the Leadership Series. The class helps leaders provide to people with performance problems a clear understanding of what they must do to improve their situations and the consequences of failing to do so. This class will explain how to take appropriate action, based on the best practices, to effectively address ongoing performance and work-habit problems or serious misconduct problems.,It also covers how to impose formal consequences, such as probation or suspension, with the confidence that the person has been fully heard and fairly treated and minimize the impact of ongoing performance problems on the individual. This class will be offered Friday, Dec. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The $149 fee includes textbook.

Introduction to PowerPoint 2010 teaches students the basic functions and features of PowerPoint 2010. After an introduction to PowerPoint's window components and help system, students will learn to create, save and rearrange presentations. They will format text, use drawing objects, work with graphics and insert tables and charts. They will also learn to use templates and themes, slide masters and transition effects. Students will also learn to proof, run and print presentations. This class is Friday, Dec. 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The $129 fee includes textbook.

To register for Columbia State's non-credit continuing educations courses go to: http://registration.xenegrade.com/columbiastate. For additional information and classroom locations call (931) 540-2660.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.