WAY2WORK
powered by the Centralina Youth Council
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Maximizing Business Engagement the Centralina WDB Way
Business U, Inc., leads Centralina WDB Business Engagement Boot Camp
In today's society, companies spend an incredible amount of time in contention with one another, for services, clients, publicity gain, and much more. Think about it, the business world could be much stronger if organizations began engaging with one another to develop a healthier labor force.
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From L to R: Celina Shands Gradijan, Co-Founder of Business U, Inc., Vail Carter, Business Coordinator for the Centralina WDB, Christine Bosworth, Co-Founder of Business U, Inc., and David Hollars, Executive Director for the Centralina WDB.
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With this in mind,
David Hollars, Executive Director for the Centralina Workforce Development Board thought of the brilliant idea of bringing a strategic learning event for the Centralina WDB partners and business leaders. A while ago, he discovered Business U, Inc., a national training corporation who has a great track record of building the workforce, education, and economic development organizations across the globe. In efforts to building a comprehensive workforce system for employers regionally, the Centralina Workforce Development
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Celina Shands Gradijan, Co-Founder of Business U, Inc. speaking to business leaders in the Centralina region at the Business Engagement Boot Camp.
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Board brought
Business U, Inc., co-founded by, Celina Shands Gradijan and Christine Bosworth to the Centralina region. The strategic learning event, also referred as
Centralina WDB Business Engagement Boot Camp was offered on Tuesday, September 22nd and Thursday, September 24th, 2015 at the Union County Chamber of Commerce and the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis for over 50 individuals.
The highly interactive event showcased models, frameworks and best practices to engage, grow, and retain businesses in the region. The learning event provided workforce and education professionals, economic development agencies, staff from Centralina Workforce Services, community colleges, Vocational Rehabilitation, Goodwill Industries, chambers of commerce, and a host of other partners the opportunities to participate in a customer-centric and collaborative framework.
"This event was beyond my expectations. The delivery of the material was concise and to the point, and it was refreshing to hear that workforce intelligence is changing to include the employer prospective," said
Sylvia Jones, Center Leader at the
NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville.
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Celina Shands Gradijan and Solomon McAuley, Centralina WDB's Youth Specialist role playing during the Business Boot Camp event.
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The partners were very unified working in groups for much of the day and participated in a skit as if they were out in the field speaking with an employer. During the course of the day, the attendees were also provided with informational toolkits, training materials, and a host of informative topics.
Some of the Strategic Learning topics were:
- Identifying a regional network of assets to support and grow business and industry
- Implementing a Business Engagement Plan to support individual organizations and a collective regional network of business-facing organizations
- Long-term relationship building strategies for improving business engagement
- Establishing the right idea sets for business engagement and regional services
- Branding and packaging regional assets to grow and retain businesses
- Best practices from the region in business engagement
- Establishing a vision for collaborative business outreach, growth, and retention
"Through my attendance at the Business U Boot Camp, I was able to learn how to more effectively communicate with employers to establish and enhance a Trusted Advisor relationship with them," said
Kerry Motley, Business Services Team representative from
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.
Throughout the event on both days, all guest were fully engaged and interacting with each other. All attendance will continue the practices through an online tool called, eUniversity.
"I hope what we discussed will allow us to connect and share in ways that we have not been able to do in the past to serve our common clients in a more effective and timely manner, while eliminating duplication of services and multiple contacts with employers," Motley said.
It is evident that agencies have operated competitively for many years. With this new model presented in the Centralina region, it will change the mindsets of all individuals in the workforce world and create a collaborative movement while maximizing business engagement which will in turn allow North Carolina businesses to grow together.
For more information regarding the Centralina WDB Business Engagement Boot Camp, contact David Hollars, Executive Director of Centralina WDB at
[email protected].
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IT'S A MAGICAL MOMENT
Alex Devreaux's Life Changed in just Three Days after Visiting the New Location of the NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus
"I wanted to try and get a job fast and apply myself and I was able to do that here. It was really NCWorks here that helped me get a job," said
Alexander Devreaux a faithful job seeker at the
NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus who recently landed a career at Convergys.
This was not his story three months ago. In fact, for the last three months Devreaux faithfully made it his mission to visit the NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus three to four times a week after being laid off from BB&T in Charlotte. After being employed with the company for four years, he was suddenly without work for six months of his life.
Prior to his employment at BB&T he was a long-time resident of Louisville, Kentucky and came to the Carolinas for a fresh start. Upon his arrival, he was unaware of the NCWorks Career Centers powered by Centralina. One day after consulting with his friends, he discovered the endless services offered at the NCWorks Career Centers in the area and decided to visit the NCWorks Career Center in Cabarrus County. Devreaux started out visiting the old location at the NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus and continued visitation when the Center relocated to its new venue.
 "The staff was always welcoming and that hasn't changed since Day 1," Devreaux said. "When you come in here, they talk to you, they treat you like a person, they listen to you, and at the same time they give you feedback and help. It's not like you come in here and nothing happens."
This proved to be very true. While Devreaux could have given up during the relocation phase of the Center, he remained steadfast and push even harder to fully utilize the services offered by the NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus. Within the first week of the NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus being opened, an unforeseen door opened for Devreaux.
"One day while filling out applications on a computer, I ran into Gary Mason, the new Center Leader here and he said he knew of a few people who were looking for new hires and he was able to call someone that same week and I was able to get an interview shortly afterwards," Devreaux said.
In the past, Devreaux waited months to hear back from employers but this happened in the course of three days.
"This happened so fast. The same week I talked to Mr. Mason, he got the interview lined up for me and I got hired on the spot," Devreaux said. "At first I thought this was too good to be true but this was all a blessing in disguise."
Today, he's enjoying his third week at Convergys handling accounts dealing with clients who have questions about their insurance policies.
When asked how he felt about the entire process he stated this, "There were many nights I wouldn't go to bed until four o'clock in the morning just because I had a hard time going to sleep thinking about employment but when Mr. Mason actually took time out of his day to come and talk to me, my life changed and that's when the door finally opened."
If you're interested in discovering your life changing moment and future career, contact Gary Mason, Center Leader for the NCWorks Career Center-Cabarrus at
[email protected].
Ushering in A New Era
The Annual Anson County Economic Summit Marks one for the Books
Local businesses and residents in Anson County were able to experience an Anson County Economic Summit once again, but there was something new about the summit this go around. For the first time, the summit was held in the Fall.
On September 16, 2015, over 100 individuals filled the Lockhart-Taylor Center in Wadesboro to hear how the County could move forward with economic development, workforce, government and education issues.
Alex Sewell, Town Manager, kicked the summit off by asking the audience how they felt the county was moving in the right direction. After receiving immediate negative responses, he challenged everyone in the community to take the discussion from the summit and move it into actions.
The summit was hosted in the Fall so local government officials could be in attendance. With the North Carolina budget in process, Senator Tom McInnis was unable to attend due to the Senate's vote on the budget the next day. With this in mind,
Representative Mark Brody who represents Anson and Union counties was there instead.
Brody gave a brief recap of the budget and what it means for Anson County. He also stated that North Carolina has the lowest tax rates in the southeast and the state government is dropping the personal income tax rate by one-quarter of a percent, with plans to get corporate tax down to three percent. Brody went in depth to talk about the sales tax reallocation.
He ended his presentation by saying, "If you take the initiative to do something, we will be behind you."
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Chris Carter, District Director for Congressman Richard Hudson's office addressing the audience during the summit.
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Chris Carter, District Director for
Congressman Richard Hudson's office, was also in attendance. He talked about the Highway Trust Fund, tax, transportation funding, and economic development answers to complex issues. In addition, Carter also talked about the resurgence of manufacturing and jobs in the Anson County area and filling those jobs.
"Congressman Hudson has been committed to helping the Centralina Workforce Development Board and David Hollars with getting people to work," Carter said.
Immediately after Carter's address,
David Hollars, the
Executive Director for the
Centralina Workforce Development Board talked about key components employers are looking for when hiring skilled workers. One of the major things Hollars talked about was the NCWorks Career Centers commitment to help individuals receive employment, STEM jobs, recognized certifications, skilled degrees, and much more.
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David Hollars, Centralina WDB's Executive Director
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"One of the key things we've done in the past few years is through the NCWorks Career Centers," said Hollars. "We're no longer called the "unemployment office." We want people to think of a long-term career not just a job. "
Hollars also talked about Centralina Career Headlight, a career tool to help individuals decide an appropriate career pathway.
"The foundation of a strong workforce is the community," Hollars said. "There is nothing more vital to a community than its providing employment opportunities for its citizens."
Education was also a key factor in the Anson County Economic Summit.
Michael Freeman, Anson County Schools Superintendent talked about the Board of Education and their commitment to the citizens of Anson County along with South Piedmont Community College who hosted the summit. During his presentation he shared a video that explained the Youth Career Connect Academy (YCC) program and major success. He also discussed an internship planned for YCC.
"We need to stay the course but we also need to know the importance of education in this community," Freeman said.
During the lunch break, the education component of the summit continued as
Dr. Stan Sidor, President of South Piedmont Community College greeted the audience. Sidor talked about the community college system and the urgent need to get students to attend school and prepare them for the workforce.
Wrapping up the day, Dan Parks, Associate Executive Director of Industry Expansion Solutions at NC State University, talked about the economic drivers, how to grow the existing businesses and industries already in Anson County and much more.
"Economic development doesn't have to be a mission impossible," Parks said. "It's important for individuals to develop skills for the workforce."
Don Scarborough, Chairman of Anson County Economic Development, ended the summit by reading a story that summed up the day. In his closing remarks he looks to the audience and says, "Let's stop pretending like we have an economic plan in place. It is my hope 12 months from now, to have a true plan in place."
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with
South Piedmont Community College for the annual event. For more information regarding the Anson County Economic Summit, contact Jennifer Joyner-Talbot, Executive Director of Apprenticeships, Professional Programs and Marketing for South Piedmont Community College at
[email protected].
Sixty Employers, 800 Jobs, Endless Opportunities for Residents of Iredell County
Partner Agencies Hosted Major Job Fair in Mooresville
"I think God bought me here today, and I thank God for this Job Fair," said
Debbie Sarver, a career seeker in attendance at the
Mooresville Job Fair.
Sarver wasn't the only one who felt this way on Tuesday, September 22, 2015. In fact, hundreds of career seekers filled the Charles Mack Citizen Center in downtown Mooresville feeling the same gratitude and excitement. After working in law offices for over 28 years, Sarver recently moved to the Statesville, NC area about a month ago to be closer to her son and daughter. She wanted to attended the Job Fair in hopes to receive employment in an office position.
This workforce development initiative started three years ago to address the employer's needs of not being able to find qualified candidates. The Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Corporation, along with The Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber, NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville, Mitchell Community College, and the Town of Mooresville all collaborated together to put the Job Fair on for the residents of Iredell County.
"I'm really excited because as the Mayor of the town of Mooresville, we've been wanting to have a jobs fair and I think this is our third year doing a jobs fair and we're excited to be able to have it here to help connect potential employees with employers who are looking for a skilled workforce," said
Mayor of Mooresville, Miles Atkins.
Individuals who were not employed or underemployed was able to bring their resumes and professional wear to meet face-to-face with employers. Some of the positions employers were looking to fill from the Job Fair include jobs in healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, retail, customer service, detention officers, sheriff, insurance sales, maintenance, CDL truck drivers, and administration.
"We are meeting with people who are looking for jobs because we are always looking to bring more people into our doors," said
Fiona Key, Business Development Representative at
Mancan Staffing. We are also talking to other employers here today to find out what their needs are and what they are looking for so we can be a dot connector trying to get people with a company so it's a win win for everyone."
Mancan Staffing was one of the many staffing agencies in attendance at the Job Fair. They are currently looking to hire numerous of individuals in Statesville, Salisbury, and Mooresville area.
"We have locations in South Carolina, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio, so I can't tell you how many people we are looking to hire without a computer because it's just that many," Key added.
Last year, 800 people came to check out 40 employers. This year, the number of employers doubled and the number of positions also increased.
"My hope is, with over a possible 800 jobs that could be filled today, we get citizens who live in Mooresville and the surrounding areas jobs and that's so important to me," said Atkins, who was also attending the Job Fair to inform the community about Iredell Health System.
Prior to the Job Fair, the NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville held two workshops for individuals to learn how to market themselves and plan for the interviews.
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Sylvia Jones, Center Leader for the NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville, helping individuals with their attire as they enter the Job Fair.
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"NCWorks is a great organization and I'm really proud to serve and work with them in both capacities as the Mayor of Mooresville and also with Iredell Health System," Atkins said. He ended by sending a very special message to the Centralina Workforce Development Board and the NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville.
"Thanks for all the work that you do to provide great opportunities for our citizens and residents of Mooresville-South Iredell and Iredell County."
The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville is proud to partner with The
Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Corporation
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The Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber
,
Mitchell Community College
, and the
Town of Mooresville. For assistance with your future career in Iredell County, contact Sylvia Jones, Center Leader for the NCWorks Career Center-Mooresville at
[email protected] or Karen Adams, Center Leader for the NCWorks Career Center-Statesville at
[email protected].
Employer Spotlight
Car-Mel Products Utilizes Full benefits of the Centralina Workforce Development Board's On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program
Car-Mel Products, a company who specializes in the creation of apparel labels, the development of hot stamping foil, and ink coding, was formed in 2009. With majority of the cliental being out of the country and the hot stamping business also expanding in the U.S., the Mooresville based company was looking at growing internally as well.
In order to produce more products and triple the size of their business, the company realized they needed to hire more skilled individuals to meet those demands. With this in mind, they turned to the Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development (MSIED) to see if they could help their organization grow.
After the company's initial meeting with MSIED, they were immediately directed to
Vail Carter, Centralina Workforce Development Board's Business Services Coordinator. After a series of meetings, Carter introduced the company to Centralina WDB's On-the-Job training (OJT) program.
"I think the OJT program was a good fit for us because it was easy to use and easy to get started and it was really effortless for us," said
Greg Glasby, General Manager of
Car-Mel Products.
In 2013, the company hired their first OJT candidate and he is still employed with the company today.
"He has been superb for us! I tell
Denisha Torrence-Nesbit, the
Employer Services Consultant for
Centralina Workforce Services, to give me a dozen more employees just like him because he has been great," Glasby stated.
As a result to his wonderful experience hiring the candidate in 2013, he decided to bring on a new candidate as well. Glasby recently added Freddie Garrett, a 50 year old gentlemen with a great background but no experience in this capacity.
"Freddie picked up his job duty very quickly and I was pleasantly surprised," Glasby said. "He finished the training the first week in April 2015 and began training in December of 2014," Glasby added.
In fact, Glasby said the program was very easy to use and a lot of support was given through the employer services team at Centralina Workforce Services.
"I like the fact that we have a good applicant pool of what I consider to be qualified workers," Glasby said. "The quality of workers has been exceptional and we haven't had any work issues with anybody who went through the OJT program."
As a result of the good employees produced through Centralina WDB's OJT program, the company plans to continue utilizing the services.
Glasby ended by saying, "if I had to recommend an OJT program to a company, it would be this one. It's easy, financial friendly to your company, and a good opportunity to tab into a trained workforce."
For more information regarding the Centralina WDB's OJT program, contact Vail Carter, Centralina WDB's Business Services Coordinator at
[email protected].
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INDUSTRY-SUPPORTED TRAINING PROGRAM GRADUATES AND EMPLOYS FIRST GRADUATING CLASS
Fastest growing industry in the area offers good jobs with emphasis on critical thinking and teamwork
CONCORD, N.C. - The first class of Certified Production Technicians recently graduated. The 12 graduates of this rigorous eight-week training program, part of the
North Carolina Manufacturing Institute initiative, have gained knowledge and skills in safety, quality assurance, manufacturing processes and maintenance awareness.
"This group of students was outstanding and all will be dependable, reliable, and exemplary employees," said
Stan Honeycutt, instructor for the first class with over 25 years of manufacturing and business experience. "I admire them for their punctuality, dedication for the full eight-week training period, and their teamwork. They all helped and supported each other when preparing for the four individual Manufacturing Skill Standards Council assessments that they are required to pass in order to become a fully certified production technician."
 At this point, 8 of the first 12 graduates have secured employment, four of which had landed jobs immediately; the others found employment within just a few weeks.
No industry in this area is creating jobs in larger numbers and growing faster than manufacturing. Local manufacturers like
Perdue Foods, S&D Coffee and
Agility Fuel Systems have partnered with the
Rowan and Cabarrus chambers of commerce and economic development leaders, the
Centralina Workforce Development Board, NC Works Career Centers and
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to build a training program designed to prepare applicants for jobs in the high-tech and growing field of manufacturing.
"Manufacturing jobs are among the fastest growing in the nation. In fact, 13.7 percent of private-sector jobs are in manufacturing," said
Robert Van Geons,
Executive Director for
RowanWORKS, Economic Development. "These are also well-paying jobs with benefits, with an average annual salary of $68,887."
The growth and popularity of these clean, high-tech jobs has led to a high demand for a qualified workforce.
"It's very exciting. The instructor provided examples of real-life experiences and has instilled common sense information about workplace safety," said Monica Barbee, a program graduate who had secured employment before graduation.
Selected participants enroll in the program for free, thanks to support from local manufacturers.
"Our scholarship fund, financed by local employers, ensures that we can offer this training at no cost to the individual. They also plan to hire many of the graduates," said
Craig Lamb,
Vice President of
Corporate and Continuing Education at
Rowan-Cabarrus. "Individuals will train 20 hours per week for a total of eight weeks. Upon completion, they will be qualified for 90 percent of manufacturing jobs in our area."
This coveted certification is validation to manufacturers that this individual has the skills and problem-solving abilities to be successful. The employers will still provide training on the actual equipment they use and will acclimate the new employee to the company's culture, but the screening process has already been taken care of through the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute.
There are several skills that all manufacturers wish to see when they hire a new employee. These companies and workforce development partners that include the chambers of commerce, economic development leaders and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College have come together to develop a short-term training program that prepares students to work in a high-tech manufacturing environment.
The 12 graduates are:
- Monica Barbee
- Elvira Boger
- Charlotte Alexander
- Barry Shoemaker
- William "Frank" Hargett
- James Goodnight
- Patrick Swercewski
- Sebastian Bowden
- Jerome Jennings
- Darren Custer
- Derrick Crook
- John Caldwell
The next eight-week training program begins October 19, with another following in January 2016. Anyone interested in the training program is required to attend an orientation or Discovery Session:
- Monday, Oct. 5 at 5:30 p.m., Rowan-Cabarrus North Campus, Salisbury, Room 4133
- Thursday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m., Rowan-Cabarrus NC Research Campus building, Kannapolis, Room 115
- Thursday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m., Rowan-Cabarrus NC Research Campus building, Kannapolis, Room 115
- Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 5:30 p.m., Rowan-Cabarrus NC Research Campus building, Kannapolis, Room 115
Get details, including how to register for the session at
www.ncmanufacturinginstitute.com. Dates, times, and locations of the Discovery Sessions are subject to change.
The Certified Production Technician program is part of a larger effort called the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute, which aims to build a clear and achievable pathway for people to acquire skills in order to access good manufacturing jobs in our local community, as it is specifically designed to link and leverage the existing assets of Rowan and Cabarrus counties to solve a growing gap between regional job seekers and available positions.
Partner organizations in the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute had first "dibs" on the graduates and met them at a personalized interview fair. In preparation for that, graduates had mock interviews with Rowan-Cabarrus interviewers.
This interview opportunity and preparation, combined with the knowledge and skills they have gained, have prepared them to be excellent employees for any of our local manufacturing companies," said
Donna Ludwig,
Program Coordinator for the
Certified Production Technician classes and a business services account manager for the College.
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Frontier Communications Presented Union County Chamber with Funds for Manufacturing Awareness Initiative
 The
Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to congratulate our wonderful partners at the
Union County Chamber of Commerce, Monroe-Union County Economic Development, and the
Union County Manufacturing Awareness Initiative in recently receiving $5,000 from Frontier Communications.
Jake Thomas, General Manager of
Frontier Communication presented the check to
Pat Kahle, President of the
Union County Chamber of Commerce,
Ron Mahle, Assistant Director of Monroe-Union County Economic Development and
Fred Edwards, President and
COO of Goulston Technologies and
Chairman of Make It Union County Manufacturing Awareness Initiative.
 The organizations received the contribution as a result of a grant initiative by Frontier Communications to support economic development in the communities they serve. The contribution was also used for the Make It in Union County Manufacturing Awareness Week held on September 28th through October 2nd.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with the Union County Chamber of Commerce, the Monroe-Union County Economic Development, and Make It in Union County Manufacturing Awareness Initiative. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board e-newsletter for more exciting stories in the Centralina region.
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Industry Expansion Solutions Celebrates 60 Years of Growth with a New Name
RALEIGH, NC
- NC State Industry Expansion Solutions (IES) marks the 60th anniversary of its founding. To mark the occasion, IES hosted an open house and celebration at its headquarters on the NC State Centennial Campus and at its satellite offices in Greensboro, Kannapolis and Wrightsville Beach in September, in honor of six decades of service and ongoing commitment to the prosperity of North Carolina businesses, industries and institutions.
Formerly named the "Industrial Extension Service," IES recently adopted a new name and brand identity, one that more closely aligns with the growing breadth of services the organization offers its clients.
The history of IES can be seen as a succession of key milestones. When the organization was established in 1955, its mission was to promote the growth of industries statewide; its team of extension agents focused their efforts on helping manufacturers become more efficient and profitable.
Since then, IES has grown dramatically in size and scope. Today, the organization serves clients in healthcare, government and education in addition to manufacturing, and its vast portfolio of services addresses the concerns of the modern marketplace, delivering solutions to make its clients more technologically savvy, globally competitive and environmentally sustainable, as well as more successful and profitable.
IES Executive Director Dr. Terri Helmlinger Ratcliff says that in its 60th year, IES is more agile than ever.
"Our track record of helping clients positively impact their bottom-line results in business growth and profitability gives them the confidence needed to implement our proven high-performance solutions," said Ratcliff. "Our world-leading experts and experienced industry specialists engineer solutions to increase productivity, promote growth, and enhance performance."
IES has also grown stronger, serving the state with multiple regional offices, numerous public-private partnerships and long-standing university connections.
"IES manages the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership and has demonstrated a $2.9 billion impact on North Carolina manufacturing firms since 2000," said Phil Mintz, Associate Director of IES and Director of the NC Manufacturing Extension Partnership, referring to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's national manufacturing-focused program. "Our strength is demonstrated through the ongoing success of engaging, assessing, and improving the competitiveness of the state's small- and mid-sized manufacturing facilities, in addition to applying leading-edge methods that help improve efficiency in healthcare systems and government programs."
Additionally, IES is home to the NC Minerals Research Laboratory, a world leader in research, development and implementation of mineral processing techniques, as well as the NC State University Technology Incubator, a home base for tech-related start-ups and entrepreneurs. IES also manages the Southeastern OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center, Manufacturing Makes It Real Network and the Manufactured in North Carolina supply chain database.
ABOUT IES
Industry Expansion Solutions (IES)
is the engineering-based, solutions-driven, client-focused unit of NC State University. Our broad portfolio of solutions and deep industry expertise help organizations grow, innovate and prosper. Our extensive partnerships with business, industry, education and government generate a unique culture of collaboration that provides access to cutting-edge expertise, research and technology.
Contact:
IES Marketing Director Teresa Bradford at
[email protected]
or (919) 515-7885.
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Ta'Dedra Allen from UCCA in Anson County Finds a Career and a Future
Ta'Dedra Allen came into the
Centralina WDB's NEXGEN Services as a high school graduate who had not yet figured out her life's direction. She wanted to develop her soft skills and gain work experience because she never had unsubsidized employment before.
Allen participated in summer and paid work experiences through the NEXGEN services. During her work experiences she mainly work at the Anson County Domestic Violence Coalition, Inc. in Wadesboro, NC as a receptionist. Allen valued her time there working with clients who needed help. She was able to attend court cases with the staff and received a valuable look into what they did on a daily basis.
During the end of a paid work experience the receptionist position became available and she was strongly considered. Mrs. Karen Baucom, Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Coalition, Inc. called me
Garrett Malone, Career Development Specialist at the
Union County Community Action, Inc. (UCCA) informing him that they wanted to hire Allen. They felt like she always did a wonderful job being reliable, showing initiative and overall great soft skills during her work experiences.
Today, Allen is now hired with the organization and started on July 20, 2015. She has retained her employment for several months now. Allen is currently working 32 hours a week making over minimum wage.
Overall, Allen has taken full advantage of the NEXGEN's great services during her duration in the program. She obtained her license, a Bronze Career Readiness Certificate, and now employed part-time.
"I would like to thank Union County Community Action, Mr. Malone and the Centralina Workforce Development Board for all they done for me."
The
Centralina Workforce Development Board and the
NEXGEN Council are proud partners with the
Union County Community Action Agency, Inc. The Board and the NEXGEN Council are extremely pleased with Allen's accomplishments. For more information regarding Centralina WDB NEXGEN services, contact Centralina WDB's Youth Specialist, Solomon McAuley at
[email protected].
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Connecting Individuals to Education and Employment through Apprenticeship 321
"Saying you're in an apprentice program is so outside the normal paradigm of going into the military or getting a bachelor's degree," said
John Skvarla, N.C. Commerce Secretary.
"But this is a great move, a courageous move, for these people. They'll graduate with an associates with no debt and get paid to learn, and they've got a great job at the end of the day."
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David Hollars, Centralina WDB's Executive Director, pictured with John Skvarla, N.C. Commerce Secretary, Dr. Patricia Skinner, Gaston College President, Maureen Little, and Don Honeycutt from the NC Community College System, and James Smith Gaston College Board of Trustees Chair.
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The N.C. Commerce Secretary joined
Gaston College as a speaker at their
Apprenticeship 321 kickoff on Thursday, September 3, 2015. Gaston College celebrated a new career-training advanced manufacturing apprenticeship program that will allow graduates to earn nationally recognized technical occupations. Apprenticeship 321, the new apprenticeship program offered by the college, is the first state-recognized apprenticeship program registered with the North Carolina Department of Commerce's NCWorks Apprenticeship Office.
In June, the College was awarded nearly $200,000 by the National Science Foundation to create an innovative, multi-employer manufacturing apprenticeship consortium. The Promoting Apprenticeship Consortia for Technology Project (PACT) was built upon a single program established for STEAG Energy Services.
Gaston College formed a collaborative partnership with nine local industry partners who will sponsor skilled trade apprentices in on-the-job training assignments and company-funded community college courses this fall.
The Gaston County and Lincoln County companies participating in Apprenticeship 321 are:
STEAG Energy Services (Kings Mountain), Rockwood Lithium (Kings Mountain), CTL Packaging USA (Dallas), Firestone Fibers & Textile (Gastonia), LanXess (Dallas), Wix Fibers (Gastonia). Kaco (Lincolnton), Aptar (Lincolnton), and
Daimler Trucks North America (Gastonia).
As of the beginning of September, 23 apprentices enrolled in fall semester courses. 12 as new apprentices and 11 students are in their second year with STEAG and Daimler Trucks.
"Through Apprenticeship 321, our students will receive the customized education and training required to develop the skilled talent in high-tech manufacturing jobs or other technical fields our company partners desire," said
Dr. Patricia Skinner, Gaston College President.
The Apprenticeship 321 program office will be located in the Engineering and Industrial Technologies Division at Gaston College. A part-time Success Coach will be hired to assist students throughout their two or three-year apprenticeship.
The
Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with
Gaston College. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board's e-newletter, for more exciting developments in the Centralina region and surrounding areas.
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Southern Distilling Company Moves to Statesville
Bringing 40 Jobs and Invest up to $4 Million for Iredell County Residents
Southern Distilling Company recently announced plans to locate a new craft distillery on Jennings Road in northeast Statesville, investing up to $4 million and creating 40 new jobs over five years. The distillery will be one of the largest in the Southeast and will be a participating site on the #VisitNCSpirits Craft Distillers Trail, a partnership between the Distillers Association of North Carolina and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
Southern Distilling will provide high quality Carolina spirits to both the local region and customers worldwide. The company will produce and sell their craft distilled spirits from a 25,000-square-foot glass-fronted distillery, which will be one of the largest in the Southeast. Southern Distilling is owned and operated by local entrepreneurs,
Pete and Vienna Barger, and will be the first distillery to open in Statesville since 1903, and the first "craft distillery" ever to open in the city.
The company has worked closely with the City of Statesville and Iredell County in the development of its business plan.
"It has been a pleasure to work with Pete and Vienna Barger in selecting Statesville for our county's first distillery. Their total dedication to the project and the process makes me confident they will be successful community partners for years to come," said
Statesville Mayor Costi Kutteh.
Southern Distilling will also serve as a partner for wineries and other craft distillers in contract distilling, warehousing, and bottling/packaging services.
"Craft distilleries, like craft breweries, are an offshoot of the larger 'local' movement in food and beverage," said
Michael Smith, Statesville Regional Development Executive Director.
The company which will be housed on 20-acres, includes old growth hardwood trees and agricultural farmland which will be developed into an outdoor walking trail and a demonstration orchard and grain fields. The grand opening is set for the summer of 2016 and further information will be available at SoDistilling.com.
Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board e-newsletter for more developments in the Centralina region.
ROWAN-CABARRUS COMMUNITY COLLEGE OPENS NEW ONE-STOP SHOP FOR STUDENT NEEDS
Navigation Station is the new central location at the College's South Campus for visitors, future students and current students
CONCORD, N.C. - A few years ago, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College began conceptualizing a one-stop space for its campuses to support all of the primary "Getting Started" activities and information services for the entire campus.
The College opened the North Campus Navigation Station in 2013 following two years of designing and planning, and six months of renovations, technology enhancements, staff training, and multiple moves.
Since that time, the College has implemented the same system at the South Campus in Concord and has officially opened a newly renovated, functional and welcoming version of the South Campus Navigation Station.
"We call it the Navigation Station because it's the central location where visitors, future students and current students can get what they need to navigate their way forward," said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus. "Its purpose is to be an exemplary college services resource that facilitates access to and participation in college learning opportunities."
The new space contains computers for students and future students to use in completing college applications, financial aid and scholarship applications, class registrations (continuing education or curriculum), tuition payments and fees online, college email access, and testing appointments.
The Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Navigation Station is a welcome point where an individual can receive information, easily access student services and complete any necessary paperwork related to enrollment. The area consists of two components: a walk-up front desk and a call center. Whether a person walks in or calls in for services, customer service representatives provide information and support including step-by-step assistance with online applications and forms. The in-person Navigation Station includes a kiosk check-in system which allows the College to deliver services to guests and students in a systematic and timely fashion.
"Whether you need academic or career advising, help with financial aid, admissions support, or personal counseling, you can access these services through the Navigation Station," said Gaye McConnell, vice president of student services and the student experience.
Future enhancements include expansion of testing center services to meet community needs for certification in business and industry and computer-based testing for GED completion.
For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, please visit
www.rccc.edu. The College is currently accepting applications for classes beginning in October and January.
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to learn more about the Centralina WDB.
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email [email protected]
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