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Mr.
Barry Goldstein is the President of Textile Tape Weavers,
Inc. in Statesville. He represents private sector business and Iredell
County. He can be contacted at 
Ms.
Susan Gentry is the Human Resource Manager of Lowe’s,
Inc. in Lincolnton. She represents private sector business and Lincoln
County. She can be contacted at 
Mr.
Justin Burr is the owner of Re/Max Town & Country Realty
in Albemarle. He represents private sector and Stanly County. He
can be contacted at 
Ms.
Sharon Scott is the Director of Stanly County Department
of Social Services in Albemarle. She represents social services
and Stanly County. She can be contacted at 
Recently
the Centralina Workforce Development Board went through a rebranding
process and created a new logo, as well as updating the mission
and vision statements. The goal of the rebranding was to get the
community more aware of the Centralina Workforce Development Board
and its partners and the services offered. 
The
Centralina Workforce Development Board is not the only organization
that has been going through the rebranding process. All of the JobLink
Career Centers in the Centralina region have been going through
their own rebranding process with the Board. 
In
particular, the Stanly County JobLink Career Center has recently
had all of their staff members to complete customer service training
and has designed their own customer service action plan.
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Business Credits Centralina With Their Success!The Amesbury Group Expands Statesville Facility with the Assistance from Centralina WDB Management is excited about the expansion and gives full credit to its dedicated workforce. The company recently completed an Incumbent Worker training contract with the Centralina Workforce Development Board. Over 80 employees were trained in Lean Manufacturing Techniques and Leadership Management. The additional skills training the employees received under the Incumbent Workforce Development Program grant helped pave the way for this expansion. The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with Amesbury Group to help their business continue to expand. It’s the great workforce in this region that continues to allow productive companies in the area to grow. A qualified workforce is job one for the Centralina Workforce Development Board. To find out how you can get the Incumbent Workforce Development Program grant for your business please contact Vail Carter at (704) 348-2710 or by email at vcarter@centralina.org. Now You’re Playing with Power!Power Curbers Moves into New Facility in Salisbury
President and CEO Dyke Messinger said the company’s first facility went up in 1965 and then an addition was put on in 1988. “Those two buildings suited us well for a long time. But just the change in our manufacturing strategy and the need for a training center and the need to bring everything under one roof drove us to look for another location,” he said. “It’s a major investment; it’s going to end up being close to $8 million. It’s really an investment not only in our company but in American manufacturing as well. We’re proud to have a manufacturing business in the United States and we’re proud to employ folks from Rowan County.” Craig Neuhardt, vice president of operations, said the new building actually has less square footage than the company’s old facility. But workers will be able to improve productivity even with less space because of better design. The new facility is designed to cut out waste in the process by eliminating excess employee movement among other things. Each part has a place and a color-coded system for quick access. Please check futures issues of the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-newsletter for more updates on this exciting development in the region.
Curious about Lean Training?Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to Hold Lean Focus Group in September
Ron Fite, an Rowan-Cabarrus instructor with more than 30 years of experience in quality and process improvement, will lead the focus group. Representatives from two prominent, local companies will discuss their experiences and the challenges and successes of introducing “lean manufacturing” practices in their organizations. The Lean Enterprise focus group is scheduled for September 28, 2007 at Rowan-Cabarrus’ Cabarrus Business and Technology Center in Concord. For more information about the half-day session contact DeAnn Basden, director of customized training and development at (704) 216-3530 or basdend@rowancabarus.edu. The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. The Board believes that continuous training will lead to a well training workforce, as well as successful businesses. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board, please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2732 or by email at dhollars@centralina.org. |
The
Amesbury Group’s
The
company’s textile division makes door and window weather
stripping. They currently have about 90 employees in their
plant located just off Interstate 40 West on Walker Road.
Power
Curbers
Rowan-Cabarrus
Community College
Rowan-Cabarrus’
Customized Training and Development Office, part of the
college’s Continuing Education Department, is offering
a Lean Enterprise focus group starting in late September.
The purpose is to learn more about the challenges local
companies face and to develop and provide training programs
to meet local needs. The meeting also will provide a forum
for information sharing and networking.
State
Commerce Secretary Jim Fain is encouraging North
Carolina’s foreign-owned companies that promote community
service to apply for the NC International Community
and Economic Development Awards program. The program
is sponsored by the 
Congratulations
to Holland Transportation Management Service! The Centralina
Workforce Development Board is proud to have one of the
fastest growing businesses in the nation in it’s region.
With continuous improvement in the workforce all businesses
in the region can be on the fast track to success! For more
information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board
please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by email
at 
Employment Statistics
Updated
Monthly on this E-Newsletter
| July
2007 (Source: NC Employment Security Commission) |
||
| County | Unemployment
Rate |
Persons
Employed |
| Anson | 7.0% |
10,500 |
| Cabarrus | 5.2% |
79,040 |
| Iredell | 5.2% |
75,793 |
| Lincoln | 6.0% |
36,606 |
| Rowan | 7.7% |
66,066 |
| Stanly | 5.5% |
28,477 |
| Union | 4.4% |
84,445 |
For more information on employment, click here
It’s Getting Hot in the Region!
Charlotte Regional Partnership Releases Latest Edition of Business Barometer
In
an effort to keep a finger on the pulse of what is happening in
the 16-county region, the Charlotte
Regional Partnership and UNC Charlotte’s Urban
Institute has produced the Charlotte Regional Business Barometer.
This is a regional snapshot of the Charlotte Region’s economy,
with combined data from North and South Carolina counties that provides
a glimpse of the economic metrics available for a variety of key
economic indicators for the Charlotte region.
The most recent Charlotte Regional Partnership Barometer can be viewed by visiting the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s website and clicking on the Charlotte Regional Partnership bar on the right side. The recent edition is the second to be produced and provides a look at the second quarter.
Economic news from the report includes continued downsizings in some of the Carolinas’ traditional industries, a slowing residential housing market, and a tightening of capital projects in general.
To view the most recent snapshot of the Charlotte Region’s economy please click here. The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with the Charlotte Regional Partnership, as well as all of the economic development commissions across the 16 county Charlotte Region. The Board believes that counties working together will improve the economy in every county in the region. For more information on the Charlotte Regional Partnership please visit their website at www.charlotteusa.com. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by email at dhollars@centralina.org.
You’re Invited!
Centralina Workforce Development Board and Youth Council hold First Annual State of the Region Youth Services Summit
The Centralina Workforce Development Board’s Youth Council is set to host their first annual Youth Summit in Concord, NC on Friday September 14, 2007 at The Speedway Club at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm.
The Youth Summit will inform, introduce, and educate individuals who work with youth, and create awareness of resources available to young people in their communities. The Summit will offer “peer to peer” training and networking opportunities.
One
of the highlights of the Summit will be speaker Thomas Barksdale
II; author of It’s All About You: A Young Adult’s
Guide to Positive Living. Attendees
will be able to participate in exciting workshops that suggest trips
for finding money to fund youth services; the power of partnerships;
and a representative from the Federal Reserve Bank will offer guidance
on successful money management.
There is no cost to attend the Youth Summit, however, pre-registration is required. For more information on the 2007 State of the Region Centralina Youth Services Summit please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org. To register for the event please click here. To view the agenda for the Summit please click here.
Centralina WDB Sets the Bar Again!
Board Nationally Recognized for Re-Branding Efforts
The Centralina Workforce Development Board recently has been going through a rebranding process, with the assistance of Full Capacity Marketing, Inc. The Centralina Workforce Development Board was recently recognized in the Net Assets Newsletter. Net Assets is a national newsletter produced by the Human Resources Management Services.
The
Board realized that to stay competitive and to help improve the
workforce in the region they needed to be more recognizable in the
community. A redesign of the Board’s logo, website and mission
and vision statements were completed. Also, an addition of up-to-date
technology was added to the newly designed website including podcasts
and a blog.
Many workforce organizations have been slow to take advantage of many of the interactive features of podcasts and blogs. Because of the Board being one of the few in the nation to embrace this new form of communication, Net Assets recognized the Board for being focused on the future.
“We really wanted to refresh our website and include some interactive features like blogging, podcasts and polls,” said David Hollars, Executive Director of the Centralina Workforce Development Board. “But, we learned very quickly that we had to determine what our customers currently thought about our brand, before we even started the creative process on the look-and-feel of the website and its features.”
To read the full article and find out how the Centralina Workforce Development Board took their customers’ opinions and formed their brand with the newest in technology, please click here. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board, please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by email at dhollars@centralina.org.
New Training Available!
Looking to be trained for a new career? Now is the time! Three new skills training programs have been recently approved in the Centralina region.
South
Piedmont Community College (SPCC) has added a new Floor
Covering Institute program at their location in Anson County. This
course prepares students to become quality installers of ceramic,
resilient, and laminate flooring products. The curriculum used is
prepared by the World Floor Covering Association and presented by
veteran floor installer Richard Wilde of CMH Flooring Products,
Inc. Each flooring course is taught separately. The Centralina Workforce
Development Board has approved this program for Workforce Investment
Act funding. For more information on this great program please contact
Kathy Moore at (704) 272-5300, extension 6405.
Goodwill
Industries of the Southern Piedmont
and Central Piedmont
Community College have teamed up to offer Construction
Skills training. The program is a classroom format and has hands-on
workshop building activities, which utilize the National Center
for Construction Education and Research Curriculum. Some of the
benefits of the program include job placement assistance, OSHA State
Certification for Safety and fast turn around into the workforce.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board has approved this program
for Workforce Investment Act funding. For more information on this
great program please contact Marie Antoine at (704) 332-0355.
Gaston
College and Caldwell
Community College are co-sponsoring a Truck Driver
Training Program. The first 3 ½ weeks of the program will
focus on classroom instruction. The last 5 weeks will be hands on
training held at the former Carolina Freight site in Cherryville.
The 8-week program will involve extensive training to prepare participants
to operate tractor-trailer rigs, acquire a commercial driver license
and become a professional driver. For more information on this exciting
new program please contact Karen Jenkins at (704) 922-6263.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with South Piedmont Community College, Gaston College, and Goodwill Industries to offer the region’s career seekers services that assist them in reaching their goals. The Board promotes continuous improvement within the workforce. To find out more about approved training in the region, please contact Emily Barnes at (704) 348-2732 or by email at ebarnes@centralina.org.
What employees look for in a job and what motivates them to stay with an employer varies according to their generation. The trends and events that influence a 50-something empty nester have produced a person with different workplace wishes, values and needs that those of his 25-year-old co-worker. While demographers differ about the exact generational definitions, many experts agree on the following generalizations:
The
Silent Generation (born before 1946):
Defining events and trends: Great Depression, World War II, and
labor unions.
Generalizations:
- Believe in paying their dues through sacrifice and hard work
- Respect for authority, conformity, adherence to rules, and organizational structures
- Rely on tried, true, and tested ways of doing things
Baby Boomers (born between 1946 – 1964): Defining events and trends: Vietnam, Civil Rights, and prosperity.
Generalizations:
- Value hard work and peer competition – view hard work as necessary for career success
- Embrace teamwork – don’t favor “command and control” leadership
- Optimistic – thrive on possibilities and constant change
Generation
X (born between 1965-1977)
Defining events and trends: Watergate, computers, double-digit inflation,
latchkey kids, single parents, and dual career families.
Generalizations:
- Believe in working hard, but quickly, efficiently – more time for work/life balance
- Cautious about investing in relationships with employers – invest in their own development
- Entrepreneurial, independent, creative, flexible
Generation
Y or Millennials (born after 1978):
Defining events and trends: Expansive economy, high-tech revolution
(cell phones, pagers, laptops, Internet, video games, speed dial)
Generalizations:
- Highly energetic – want to be continuously challenged and do something significant
- View boss as a coach – want clear expectations, input into how to do their jobs, and independence to do them
- Optimistic, multi-taskers, socially conscious
Look for more fun regional trivia in the upcoming issues of the Centralina Workforce Development Board monthly E-Newsletter.
Open Roads and Open Minds: NC’s Workforce Journey… Is upon us today. It is that time of year again as workforce professionals across North Carolina gear up for the Workforce Development Partnership Conference 2007. The conference will be held October 17-19 at the Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel and Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. Several featured presenters have been highlighted. They include, Steve Uzzell, Connie Pritchard, Eric Rowles, Bob Knight, John Metcalf and Beth and Frank Lengel. Also, many excellent featured workshops have been outlined. A few titles include, From Case Manager to Workforce Coach, Before You Plan the Youth Summit, The Promise of Biotechnology in NC, and Do All Roads Lead to Kannapolis?
Registration and preliminary agenda information can be found at the NC Commerce website. The early registration deadline is September 17, 2007. So don’t delay and sign up today! For more information about the NC Workforce Development Partnership Conference please contact Robbin Davis Broome, Conference Coordinator at (919) 329.5588 or rbroome@nccommerce.com.
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The LINK Program and the SaySo (Strong Able Youth Speaking Out) Program coordinated the 2007 LINK-UP Conference held at the Mitchell Community College Continuing Education campus in Statesville, NC on July 26, 2007.
A total of 118 foster youth from around the region attended the LINK-UP conference. The Centralina Workforce Development Board, Iredell County JobLink Career, Iredell County Health Department, Mitchell Community College staff, and the NC Department of Commerce JobLink Mobile Unit partnered to assist with the LINK-UP conference. The highlight of the LINK-UP conference was the JobLink Mobile Unit. The JobLink Mobile Unit, with newly appointed coordinator Reid DuBose and mobile unit driver Steven Finger, was the center of attention in the campus parking lot. Mr. DuBose and Centralina WDB staff member Patricia White teamed up to provide youth a tour of the mobile unit and assisted with the use of the mobile unit computers to research careers, find jobs, and develop resumes. At each session, youth were lined up at the door eager for the tour. Jean Manall, Iredell County JobLink Manager dropped in to lend a hand with the tours. Jean commented that “the JobLink Mobile Unit is unique and provides much need access to services. The youth were able to take advantage of the Internet access and look up jobs, work on resumes, and type letters. This event shows that the mobile unit can be used in remote areas and/or special events”.
The Centralina WDB is proud to partner with LINK Program and the SaySO Program to help youth in our area. For more information on these programs, please call (919) 384-1457. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board Youth Council, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org.
* * * *
* * * Number One Masonry Student in the U.S. is from Stanly County! Marcus Hefner of West Stanly High School and his masonry instructor, Tim Kidd, traveled to Kansas City, Mo. June 28 to represent North Carolina in the National Masonry Competition. Hefner was awarded the first place gold medal as being the number one masonry student in the nation. Along with his gold medal, he will receive various other awards from businesses and industries which he will receive at a later date. The National Masonry Competition relied on a written test and a project. Participants had six hours to construct the project with only a 30 minute break. Projects were scored in categories including measurements, level, plumb, square/range, correct design, tooling and neatness, Full and uniform joints, and tool manipulation. Penalty points were deducted for safety and improper uniform. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and Youth Council are proud partners with Stanly County Schools. The Board and Council believe that well prepared youth lead to a well prepared workforce, as well as a nationally recognized workforce. For more information on the Centralina Youth Council, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org. * * * *
* * * Research Campus Could House a Non-Traditional High School
“It’s another way of looking at high school,” said Peggy Wagstaff, assistant superintendent for Kannapolis City Schools. “It’s another option to bring high school education into the 21st century and beyond.”
Jeanie Moore, RCCC’s vice president of continuing education, said it made sense to explore the idea collectively and leverage resources to see what type of opportunities exist. RCCC already offers courses to juniors and seniors in each system to earn college credit through the Huskins program. “I think it’s very farsighted of all three superintendents to recognize this opportunity and work collectively toward something that could be such a great benefit to the community,” Moore said. “We’re not quite sure how it’s all going to work, but we’re committed to exploring alternatives and seeing how we can create an education continuum that benefits our students and employers.”
The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are proud to have outstanding youth in the region that set high goals and achieve them. The Centralina Youth Council believes that strong and determined youth today lead to a strong and determined workforce tomorrow. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board Youth Council, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or at npender@centralina.org. * * * *
* * * Hamburger Helper Offers Grants For Community Improvement Projects
Hamburger Helper is currently accepting applications for community projects as part of its Hometown Helper program. Grant awards will range from $500 to $15,000 and can be used for a wide variety of purposes – from tutoring or job training initiatives to playground equipment. Past award recipients have included Bismarck, Missouri, where funds were used for firefighter safety gear, and Calico Rock, Arkansas, where funds helped with a Main Street makeover. For more information, go to http://www.myhometownhelper.com.
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The
LINK-UP conference provided a wealth of activities and information
to foster youth. Sessions focused on life skills for youth
including “Getting the 411 on gangs & drugs”,
“You Have the Power (HIV/AIDS/STDs prevention)",
“The College Experience”, and “Moving
on Up to Explore Careers with Big Impact and Big Bucks”.
The
State LINK Program assists foster youth age 13+ with life
skills needs. The State LINKS program receives federal funds
called Chafee funding to assist with youth driven programs
such as SaySo for foster youth. SaySo is a non-profit youth
driven advocacy group comprised of youth age 14-23 that
are in or has been in foster care.
Sponsored
by SkillsUSA, more than 5,000 students from across the nation
competed in various high school and post secondary vocational
competitions. Each one of these students placed first in
their state’s competition as pertaining to their vocational
training.
Such
schools, known as “Early College High Schools,”
are typically based within community college or university
campuses. The NC Research Campus in Kannapolis has been
suggested as a potential site since RCCC will open a biotechnology
training facility there in early 2009.
Need
a helping hand for a project in your hometown? 
There's
a JobLink Near You!
For
more information on Centralina region JobLink Career Centers, click
here.
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CaShaun
Garrett has been promoted to the director
of membership and communications position at the
Stanly County Chamber of Commerce.
She succeeds Ashley Smith. We welcome CaShaun
to her new position! 
Dr.
Robert Knott, Catawba College
President announced his plans to retire
at the end of the academic year. Dr. Knott is
the college’s 20th president and this will
be his sixth year in the top position there. We
wish Dr. Knott the best of luck in his retirement!
Ashley
Smith has joined the staff at Stanly
Community College as Assistant to the
President. She was formerly vice president of
memberships and communications for the Stanly
County Chamber of Commerce. Congratulations Ashley!
Uconda
Duggins joined the NC Department
of Commerce Charlotte office as of August
1, 2007. Uconda was previously the Business Services
Coordinator for the Turning Point Workforce Development
Board in Rocky Mount. We welcome Uconda to the
region and look forward to working with her!
•
Centralina State of the Region Youth Services Summit
Friday September 14, 2007 – 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
The Speedway Club – Lowe’s Motor Speedway - Concord
Contact: Natasha Pender at 704.348.2725 or at npender@centralina.org
•
Centralina Workforce Development Board meeting
Tuesday October 9, 2007 – 4:30 PM
Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce – Kannapolis
•
Centralina WDB Workforce Readiness Committee Meeting
Friday September 7, 2007 – 12:00 PM
Union Smart Start offices - Monroe
•
Centralina WDB Community Relations Committee Meeting
Thursday September 27, 2007 – Time to Be Announced
Location to Be Announced
•
Up to Speed: The Business of Motorsports
Wednesday September 5, 2007
7:45am - 1:00pm
Lowe's Motor Speedway - Infield Media Center
Cost: $50 Chamber members $65 non-Chamber members
Contact: Deborah Carter email dcarter@cabarrus.biz
704-782-2000 ext 26
•
Blood Donation for Troops
Wednesday September 5, 2007 – 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
W.G. Hefner VA medical Center – Salisbury
Contact: Tom Kopetzky (336) 284-4117 or Ann Arbeleaz (704) 633-8171
•
Real Course 2007: Steps in Starting and Running a Small Business
Monday September 10, 2007 - Monday November 12, 2007 (classes
are held every Monday)
6:00pm - 9:00pm
Cabarrus Business and Technology Center in Concord
Cost: $55.00
Register: Contact the Continuing Education Department of Rowan-Cabarrus
Community College at (704) 216 – 3512 or Heidi Whitesell
at whitesellh@rowancabarrus.edu.
•
Being the CEO of Your Own Company
Tuesday September 11, 2007 – 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Queens University of Charlotte, Withers House – Charlotte
Register: (704) 337-2537 or www.queens.edu/lifelong/CLL_entrepreneurs.asp
•
North Carolina Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education
Friday September 28, 2007 – 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Elon University – Elon
Cost: $25.00 (includes lunch)
Contact: Barry Ryan at (919) 250-4314 or Barry@ncruralcenter.org
•
Employer Appreciation Day – Hosted by Stanly County Vocational
Rehabilitation and Stanly County JobLink Career Center
Thursday October 25, 2007 – 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Albemarle Vocational Rehabilitation Services Office – Albemarle
Contact: Mary Walls (704) 982-8124 or mary.walls@ncmail.net
•
The Basics of e-Business – Minus the Confusion
Wednesday October 24, 2007 – Time to be Announced
Hilton North Raleigh – Rural Partners Forum –3415
Wake Forest Road – Raleigh
Contact: 919.250.4314
To Register: www.e-nc.org/calendar.asp
and click on “Register” – questions: Angie Bailey
1.866.627.8725
•
Junior Achievement is looking for volunteers and sponsors
in Cabarrus & Rowan Counties:
Opportunities:
-Volunteer
-Sponsor a class or child
-Help lead the success of Junior Achievement in Cabarrus County
Contact: Stacey Richards, Junior Achievement District Manager
704.563.4858
or srichards@jacarolinas.org
NC Workforce Development Training Center Training Announcements
eTrain
Course: Customer Service in Continuous Improvement Environment
Open enrollment from May 1, 2007 – December 31, 2007
Time: Anytime
Location: www.ncwdtc.com
Fee: $90.00
Contact: email Martha Barefoot at mbarefoot@nccommerce.com
eTrain
Course: Planning and Documentation
Open enrollment from May 1, 2007 – December 31, 2007
Time: Anytime
Location: www.ncwdtc.com
Fee: $90.00
Contact: email Martha Barefoot at mbarefoot@nccommerce.com
Assessment
& Planning/Older Youth
September 10, 2007
AB Tech – Enka – Asheville
Fee: $45.00
Train-the-Trainer:
Customer Service Skills
September 25, 2007
Workforce Development Training Center – Raleigh
Fee: $95.00
For
more information about these and other training offerings or to
register for training, please visit: www.ncwdtc.com
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Visit
our website at www.centralinaworks.com
to learn more about the Centralina WDB |
|
To
learn more about the Centralina Council of Governments please visit
www.centralina.org
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| CentralinaWORKS is a publication of the Centralina Workforce Development Board. If you do not wish to receive this E-Newsletter in the future, please send a return e-mail and type "REMOVE" in the Subject Line and you will be removed from our distribution list. The CWDB does not share its distribution list with other organizations. Please feel free to share this E-Newsletter with co-workers and other business associates. |