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All
three partners came together to help South Piedmont Community College
receive their very own Workforce Development Mobile Unit, aka “The
Career Cruiser”.Inside the Mobile Unit there are state of the art computers that individuals can use to help touch up resumes or conduct job searches. |
Photo above article: The Workforce Development Mobile Unit features the logos of South Piedmont Community College partners the Centralina Workforce Development Board and the local JobLink Career Center. |
There’s No App for That
Business Viewpoint from Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Coordinator
Okay,
I’m still waiting for AT&T to develop an APP to fix the
economy. Wow, if it was only that simple, to dial the economy back
to about June of 2007. The workforce landscape has changed dramatically
since then as we’ve experienced globalization, downsizing,
and fallout from the housing bubble bursting and four generations
in the workplace.
The staff of the Centralina Workforce Development Board is constantly gathering intelligence from various sources including businesses and professionals in the communities we serve. Gathering this information and sorting it out gives us some clue as to how we might reassess our training strategies and align our services with corporate goals to best meet the needs of dislocated workers. Here are a few of those observations.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics noted a few days ago that the overall Unemployment rate was down to 10% nationally, with jobs in manufacturing and construction continuing to be weak. The counties serviced by the Centralina Workforce Development Board mirror this observation but our unemployment rate is at 12.2% (October 2009 N.C. Employment Security Commission data).
Employers tell us they will rely on temp services to fill jobs as they cautiously add to their work force. They also tell us they will be looking for workers who have the skills, knowledge and abilities to handle multiple tasks and ideally, have soft skills to work in a team environment consisting of a multigenerational workforce. They want problem solvers who can help grow their business as the economy improves.
Businesses cite access to capital as being a stumbling block to expansion while community banks say they have capital to lend if you can meet the credit underwriting.
The model for many businesses may be permanently changed by this recession as they refocus and retrain their workforce, worry about healthcare expenses and contemplate whether contract employees might be a good fit. 2010 will be a transition year. Using the analogy of a truck shifting gears, we are currently in neutral, 2010 will shift us in low gear but it will take awhile before we can shift up to 4th gear and begin cruising. To take it a step further, some local economies will get in high gear before others. A few have worked very diligently to build diversified economies so they will be able to handle economic downturns a little better. This diversification means they have a better transmission and they will be able to shift faster and get up to speed quicker.
Economists at the local, regional and national levels generally agree that the economy will take years (3-5) to recover from this “great recession”. One economist said the recovery could be graphed as a Nike Swoosh showing the steep decline we’ve experienced over the last two years and a gradual incline as we inch our way back, while another saw it more like a Verizon V. In any case, things tumbled from the peak in 2007 and now that we are bottoming out, they agree it will be a long slow climb back to where we were in the summer of 2007.
Consumer spending accounts for about 70% of the economy so gaining their confidence is critical to an improving economy. We’ve seen a lot of coupon clipping and folks are taking “staycations” to build savings and pay down debt. It’s too early to say if this “new frugality” will stick, but the recession has impacted the spending habits of all. Having a well paying job is the fast track to building consumer confidence and the Centralina Workforce Development Board is committed to building an exceptional workforce, preparing them for the workforce demands of tomorrow.
Which employment sectors will recover first? Here is the forecast for our area based on research conducted by Moody’s Economy.com:
1. Repair and Maintenance , Personal Care (deferred maintenance
will be the driver)
2. Education and Health Services (Stimulus funding for education
and elective surgeries is the key)
3. Utilities (green energy jobs and rate increases will give a boost)
4. Government (jobs will remain flat in 2010)
5. Wholesale Trade
6. Leisure and Hospitality (some growth if oil prices remain low)
7. Natural Resources and Mining (forestry products should see a
slight uptick)
8. Information (data processing and storage will lead the sector)
9. Retail trade (will struggle as consumer confidence builds)
10. Transportation and Warehousing (closely linked to retail trade)
11. Manufacturing (may see a turn in 4th quarter of 2010)
12. Financial Activities (expected to recover in 2011)
13. Professional and Business Services (Could take until 2012 to
see full recovery)
14. Construction (Industrial recovering first followed by commercial
and residential)
No matter what happens in the future, the Centralina Workforce Development Board will be there to guide job seekers and employers. Our JobLink Career Centers and their local workforce partners are constantly developing new services and strategies to help build the best workforce for the region. Let us know how we can help. Contact Vail Carter at (704) 348-2710 or vcarter@centralina.org.
Innovation in Centralina WDB Region Continues to Grow!
Stanly Community College’s CAFÉ Program wins Innovation Award
Congratulations
goes out to Stanly Community
College. The college recently won the North
Carolina Community College Continuing Education Division Innovation
Award.
The Innovation Awards are the Association’s way of recognizing and rewarding creativity and innovation in course programming, management practice, communication, marketing, or customer service in Continuing Education programs.
Stanly Community College’s entry was the CAFÉ (Career Academy for Educators) Program. CAFÉ offered area educators a hands on way to become familiarized with the opportunities for further education offered by Stanly Community College and also the educational and social needs local employers felt potential employees needed to become successful within their company.
Providing key players in the three areas of public school education, post-secondary education, and business a vital network and a free exchange of ideas provided for improvement and innovation in all future endeavors for program participants and their students.
The Career Readiness Task Force of Stanly County, headed by Dr. Mike Taylor, President of Stanly Community College, Tom Ramseur, President and CEO, Stanly County Chamber of Commerce and Centralina Workforce Development Board member, and Dr. Samuel DePaul, Stanly County Schools were responsible for planning the event.
A
need for this type of program was identified as employers continually
stated the skill levels of high school graduates were not at the
standard companies required, and the educators were continually
faced with needing to know what were the employability issues, the
evolving skills levels, and where training for these skills could
be attained. In addition, no real network for providing industry
mentors and contacts had ever been developed between local educators
and industry.
The CAFÉ program offered participants a glimpse into some of the businesses that call Stanly County home. The Stanly County Chamber of Commerce provided a contact list of all the businesses and companies in Stanly County which would allow the educators to contact and set up tours for their students during the school year. The program was sponsored by the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce, Stanly Community College, Stanly County Schools and the Centralina Workforce Development Board.
Program participants indicated that the knowledge gained would be used in creative classroom planning, in referrals of students to college programs, and also in gaining partnerships and resources for their students in future educational endeavors or skills training. Of special interest to many of the educators was how the community college and local industry could jointly participate in assisting the students with graduation projects and subsequent plans following graduation.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a strong partner with Stanly Community College, Stanly County Schools, and the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce and is happy to assist its partners in creating programs that help the businesses in the community as well as the future of the workforce. For more information concerning the CAFÉ program or the Innovation Award, please contact Marion Kinley at Stanly CC at (704) 991-0234. Marion is a former Centralina WDB member and current Centralina WDB Youth Council member.
Marion Kinley (left) receiving the 2009 NCCCAEA Innovation Award from Kathy Gardner on behalf of the NCCCAEA. |
New Local Club Helps with Job Searches
Iredell JobLink Career Center Provides Another Resource for Job Seekers
A Job Club has been started by the Iredell County JobLink Career Center. The Club meets every Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:00 AM at the Mooresville Public Library and is focused on helping job-seekers improve their situations and meet others in the same boat. The Job Club is part of the JobLink Career Center’s host agency’s Re-Employment Services (RES) effort designed to provide more resources and services to help unemployed individuals return to workforce quicker. Michelle Beam is the RES coordinator for Iredell County.
Participant Jackie Carter said she is comforted to see others are struggling just like she is.
“While
I’m here, I try to find different websites and resources I
may not have heard of or be aware of. I also spoke with someone
from the JobLink Center about special training or new certifications
from local colleges that may help me in my field,” she said.
“It’s just nice to hear about something else I may not
have heard of so I don’t feel so helpless.”
Paul Chabedal, who also attended a recent meeting, agreed. “It’s a great opportunity to get feedback on your resume and critiques that you may not have ever thought of,” he said. “There’s nothing better than someone looking at your resume with fresh eyes and giving you unthreatening advice in a non-hostile environment. Candid feedback is exactly what people need in our situation.”
Carter, who formerly worked in human resources, said she is having a tough time because her field is being outsourced. “It might just be a field that this country is getting rid of and I’m wondering if I need to start over,” she said. She is pondering getting a different certification.
Chabedal said he’s open to any new ideas that might lead to a job. He has worked in many fields and is even open to trying something new. “I’ve never been in this position. It’s such a bad economy and may age is working against me,” he said. “I hope this club grows so we can make more connections and possibly get a job.”
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with the Iredell JobLink Career Center and is happy to see them reaching out to the community with the Job Club. For more information on the Job Club, please contact Michelle Beam at the Iredell County JobLink Career Center in Mooresville at (704) 664-4225.
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$3.5 Million Investment and 150 Jobs Coming to Iredell CountyTalon Systems Inc. Announces New Facility in StatesvilleA Canadian furniture manufacturer is bringing 90 jobs to Statesville over the next three years to operate its first U.S. plant in the old Canac building on Meacham Road. Talon Systems Inc. plans to invest $5.9 million in the facility, and will receive assistance from the N.C. Rural Center with a building restoration and reuse grant to renovate the 309,000-square-foot facility. The grant's monetary value is still pending. "Trained workforce, proximity to customer market and raw material made North Carolina the obvious choice," company President Derek Okada said in a news release. The international manufacturer makes household storage cabinets and furniture for companies, like Lowe's, Ikea, Home Depot and Costco. Production is slated to begin at the plant in March or April 2010.
The company plans to employ 150 workers within the next five years. The average salary is $26,520. Smith said Statesville and Iredell County awarded cumulative industrial grants totaling $91,000 based on $3.5 million in new investments over the next five years. Smith said these grants are performance based, which means the governmental bodies will only return a portion of the manufacturer's taxes if it makes the promised investment. Smith said Gov. Beverly Perdue's office helped pave the way to a $46,590 One North Carolina Fund grant. This fund provides financial assistance to attract business projects and create new jobs, according to a news release from Perdue's office. "Our relationship with the Department of Commerce was key in this project," Smith said. For more information about this exciting development, please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly newsletter.
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S&D
Construction Company, Inc.
S&D
Construction is run by brothers Sherrill and Mitchell
Smith and has also been named one of the region’s
top 25 residential remodelers for the past three years.
Cyril
Bath
With
the second production line of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
to be in Charleston, SC, Zimmer said the demand for aircraft
parts will grow. To address that need, the company will
create aircraft parts in addition to building machines for
other companies, eventually creating more jobs in Monroe.
The
designation goes to companies in North Carolina that have
met standards for safety set by OSHA and the NC Department
of Labor, and in addition, have an accident rate 50% below
the national average or better.
After
more than a year of stops and starts, construction will
soon begin on the long-awaited Providencia USA facility
in West Statesville.
"We
haven't changed course," Freitas said. "We needed
to see recovery in all the markets we are serving. Our commitment
is still the same. We are going to be on the fast track
again."
The
Statesville location suited Providencia's needs because
of the site's railroad access and proximity to the interstate,
Freitas said.
Organizations
selected as Stewards undergo a rigorous review by DENR staff
and an ESI Advisory Board composed of representatives from
large and small businesses, nongovernmental organizations,
public agencies, military organizations and academia. 
Employment Statistics
Updated
Monthly on this E-Newsletter
| October
2009 (Source: NC Employment Security Commission) |
||
| County | Unemployment
Rate |
Persons
Employed |
| Anson | 15.6% |
9,003 |
| Cabarrus | 11.7% |
74,509 |
| Iredell | 12.7% |
69,835 |
| Lincoln | 13.9% |
33,628 |
| Rowan |
13.3% |
61,851 |
| Stanly | 12.7% |
26,398 |
| Union | 10.2% |
83,034 |
| Centralina WDB Region | 12.2% |
358,258 |
| State of NC | 10.6% |
4,059,630 |
For more information on employment, click here
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is in YOUR Community!
During the month of December 2009, the Centralina Workforce Development Board has been actively involved with events, seminars, training sessions, and other meetings all designed to help build a better workforce for our region. Beyond our involvement with the JOBS Commission, Southwest Career & Technical Education Directors presentation, and CAFÉ program detailed in this e-newsletter, here are some the activities of the Board members and WDB staff for December:
Centralina Workforce Development Board meeting - held on Tuesday December 8 at the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce in Kannapolis. Dick Storm of Storm Technologies offered his perspective on operating a small, family owned business and surviving during the recession. Storm Technologies, Inc., a privately owned company founded in 1992 and located in Albemarle (Stanly County), received the 2009 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development as an “Outstanding Employer” at the NC Workforce Development Partnership conference in October. The company has also been named NC Small Business of the Year by NC Business Magazine and BB&T. Nick Gennett with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College’s R3 Center presented timely information on the Board sponsored Re-Employment Bridge Institute (RBI). The RBI was designed to help workforce and education professionals to learn how to assist displaced workers more effectively by offering a day-and-a-half professional workshop. Workshop and registration information was distributed. Board members heard progress reports from committee chairs, accepted the NC Department of Commerce’s approval of 8 new Incumbent Worker grants, received Board and JobLink Managers meeting schedules for 2010, and discussed the recently held Workforce/Economic Development Summit. Board members also received the 2009 State of the Workforce Study update, the latest local labor market information, and updates on other key workforce issues and recent presentations in the region.
Centralina WDB JobLink Career Center Managers meeting – held on Tuesday December 8 at the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce in Kannapolis. Managers discussed staff development training needs and the use of social networking sites to reach customers.
Centralina WDB Executive Planning Committee meeting – held on Tuesday December 1 at The Floor Pavilion in Concord. Centralina WDB Chair Bob VanGorden conducted the meeting. David Hollars attended this meeting and provided staff support. The committee worked on IMPACT 2010 Strategic Plan.
Centralina WDB Workforce Readiness Committee meeting – held on Thursday December 3 at Smart Start offices in Monroe. Centralina WDB member Mary Ann Rasberry chaired the meeting. David Hollars attended this meeting and provide staff support. The committee worked on IMPACT 2010 Strategic Plan.
Monroe Economic Development Commission meeting - held on Thursday December 17 at Goodrich in Monroe. Centralina WDB Executive Director David Hollars attended this strategic planning meeting for the EDC and presented copies of the State of the Workforce Study update for 2009.
Rowan Biz-Ed Connect meeting - held on Friday December 4 at Rowan-Salisbury Schools in Salisbury. Natasha Pender, Centralina WDB Program Associate participated in this meeting which included a presentation entitled “When I Grow Up, I Want to Be A…” from Kathleen Miller.
Union County JobReady Partnership meeting – held on Thursday December 10 at the Coca-Cola facility in Monroe. David Hollars attended this meeting and presented copies of the State of the Workforce Study update for 2009.
Salisbury Kiwanis Club presentation – on Friday December 18 at the Salisbury Country Club. Centralina WDB Executive Director David Hollars presented the State of the Workforce Study update for 2009 and the role of the Centralina WDB in building a competitive workforce for Rowan County and the region.
Monroe Rotary Club presentation - on Tuesday December 22 at Rolling Hills Country Club in Monroe. Centralina WDB Executive Director David Hollars presented the State of the Workforce Study update for 2009 and the role of the Centralina WDB in building a competitive workforce for Union County and the region.
Lincoln County Communities in Schools meeting – held on Thursday December 3 at Communities in Schools office in Lincolnton. State CIS Director Linda Harrill, Lincoln County CIS Director Billy Marsh, and Centralina WDB Executive Director David Hollars participated in this meeting to examine ways the Centralina WDB can help keep kids in schools.
Charlotte Regional Economic & Workforce Recovery Initiative Team meeting – held on Wednesday December 9 at the Professional Career Center. This group is implementing plans and strategies to address the current and anticipated layoffs from the financial service sector businesses in the Charlotte region, as requested by Governor Beverly Perdue. Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Representative participated in this meeting and provided an update on specific solutions for the faith-based/community-based connections.
PY 2009 Annual Workforce Investment Act (WIA) monitoring of Adult and Dislocated Worker and Youth services – conducted by Patricia White, Centralina WDB Operations Manager with Resource Development Center, Inc. (RDC) – Youth services contractor for Stanly County on December 1 and 2 in Albemarle. Additionally, the Centralina WDB staff assisted NC Department of Commerce – Division of Workforce Development officials in their Data Validation review of Workforce Investment Act participant case files on December 14-16.
Workforce Business Development and Assistance – provided by Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Representative for the following area companies:
› Conducted Incumbent Workforce Development
Program Grant Application Workshops for businesses and training
providers – in Mooresville (Mitchell CC) on December 10 and
the Centralina WDB offices on December 11.
› Conducted Incumbent Worker grant orientation
session with Deals Auto Glass (Kannapolis – Rowan County)
– December 2
› Conducted Incumbent Worker grant orientation
session with Accuma Corporation (Statesville-Iredell County) –
December 3
› Conducted Incumbent Worker grant orientation
session with Piedmont Healthcare (Mooresville-Iredell County) –
December 3
› Conducted Incumbent Worker grant orientation
session with Square D Company (Salisbury-Rowan County) – December
4
› Conducted Incumbent Worker grant orientation
session with Statesville Roofing (Statesville-Iredell County) –
December 8
› Held Businesswise software training session
with Veronica Grantham (new JobLink manager) at JobLink Career Center
in Statesville – December 3
› Conducted end of Incumbent Worker contract
monitoring visit at Carolina Beer & Beverage (Mooresville-Iredell
County) - December 14
› Conducted end of Incumbent Worker contract
monitoring visit at Hersey Meters (Cleveland-Rowan County) - December
18
These are only a few examples of how your Centralina Workforce Development Board is actively involved with our partners in our counties every month. To find out more about getting involved with the Centralina Workforce Development Board, please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by e-mail at dhollars@centralina.org or visit our website at www.centralinaworks.com. The Centralina Workforce Development – The Competitive Force in Our Global Economy.
Centralina WDB Director Speaks to Career and Technical Education Directors
On
Friday December 4, 2009, Centralina Workforce Development
Board’s Executive Director, David Hollars, spoke
to the Southwest Career and Technical Education Directors at their
meeting held at the Stanly County Schools offices in Albemarle.
David’s presentation – “The Competitive Advantage in a Changing Economy - Our Workforce is Our Greatest Asset” - highlighted key findings from the recently released State of the Workforce Study Update for 2009. David noted the key skills that the emerging workforce needed. These include cross-sector core skills, core employability skills, core technical curriculum, a business global context, entrepreneurial spirit, use of technology driven communications, and job retention skills. Also discussed were the Board’s work with JobLink Career Centers, the Incumbent Worker program, and the Board’s Life-Long Learning Campaign.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is honored to be invited to come and speak to the area Career and Technical Education Directors. This was one of many opportunities that WDB staff have had during the past few months to reach out to the community and provide the findings from the State of the Workforce Study Update for 2009. You can access the Study as well as the presentation to the Career and Technical Education Directors at the Centralina WDB website. For more information, please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or dhollars@centralina.org.
Education and Commerce Merge for the Community
NC JOBS Study Commission Returns to the Site of Pillowtex But With the Research Campus in Sight
In the dark days after Pillowtex closed in 2003, N.C. Senator Fletcher Hartsell convened a meeting of business leaders and legislators in Kannapolis to deal with the aftermath of the largest layoff in state history.
More than 4,300 people in Rowan and Cabarrus counties had lost their jobs, and Hartsell, who represents Cabarrus County, wanted his committee to figure out how to prevent it from happening again.
"We learned lessons, but we never really finished the job," said Hartsell, who co-chaired the N.C. Joint Select Committee on Economic Growth and Development. This time, they're going to complete the task, Hartsell said.
Six
years later, Hartsell came back to Kannapolis with a new group also
focused on jobs, the N.C. JOBS Study Commission. The JOBS commission
met Friday December 11, 2009 at the N.C. Research Campus, which
rises from the ruins of the old Pillowtex plant. Centralina
WDB Chairman Bob VanGorden, WDB members Phil Geissinger and Pat
Woods, and WDB Executive Director David Hollars as well
as other workforce partners from throughout the region participated
in the meeting.
The commission, led by N.C. Lt. Governor Walter Dalton, is studying how education and business can dovetail to produce a well-trained workforce that can compete in the global economy, while filling employment needs for each region of the state. Named the Joining Our Businesses and Schools Commission, the group is on a listening tour of the state, bringing together business leaders and educators to hear about each region's unique workforce requirements.
"The important thing is merging education, research, entrepreneurism, development and commerce," said Hartsell, a member of the commission. "We want to know, what are the models for doing that." They could start making recommendations to the General Assembly as soon as May, Hartsell said. Eventually, the commission will develop pilot education programs.
Again
and again, speakers told the commission that North Carolina's public
school systems must work more closely with industry. This collaboration
will result in fewer high school dropouts, more college graduates
and a better trained workforce.
Schools should not react to business, Dalton said, they should interact.
Speakers advocated putting high school students in the workplace through internships and apprenticeships. They said teachers from different disciplines should teach together, combining their curriculums.
They praised early college high schools and career academies, where students can focus on career goals and earn college credit before they graduate.
Early college high schools have become so popular, they're turning students away.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools has an early college high school at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. A.L. Brown High School has one in Kannapolis.
Early college high schools often graduate students who would not have made it through a traditional high school, said Dr. Tony Habit, with the state's Early College Program. "That is a springboard to life's success that you can't even imagine," he said.
Speakers lamented the state's high dropout rate, which is 50 percent in some places, and state budget cuts for community colleges, even as enrollment soars. High schools need to raise expectation and rigor and incorporate real-world problems into the classroom, commission members heard.
All solutions suggested were based on close partnerships between industry and schools.
"Our education system has lagged, but the potential is there to move very quickly now," Hartsell said. "We are asking the right questions."
Speakers included Centralina WDB Youth Council members Linda Smith (Union County Schools) and Lisa Conger (Cabarrus County Schools).
Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this exciting development in our region!
It’s a Golden Holiday Season for One Local Community
Anson County Receives $1.7 Million in Grants
Christmas came a few weeks early for several Anson County organizations, who received a combined total of more than $1.7 million during a ceremony Monday, December 14, 2009 at the Anson County Government Center.
The presentation of seven checks— ranging from $55,000 to more than $500,000— was the culmination of more than a year's work on project requests and meetings for various organizations that help improve education, infrastructure and the arts, and provide more job opportunities and economic development for the people of Anson County.
"These
are things that you, your county, made priorities," said Dan
Gerlach, president of the Golden
LEAF Foundation. "And they are very diverse projects."
The Golden LEAF Community Assistance Initiative assists economically distressed counties with projects that will help to stimulate economic activity or provide assistance in overcoming barriers to economic transition or community progress, according to a press release provided by the Golden LEAF Foundation. The Golden LEAF Foundation, a nonprofit corporation, was created in 1999 to receive one-half of the funds coming to North Carolina from the master settlement agreement with cigarette manufacturers.
Last year, a series of public meetings began to help prioritize which organizations or projects should try for Golden LEAF funding.
The seven projects were:
• South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) — $556,380 to assist with the increasing number of qualified workers in Anson County through a targeted workforce outreach strategy. Fred Sparger, vice president of college and community relations, accepted the check on behalf of SPCC, pointing out that the college is already putting the funding to good use, in the form of the new Workforce Development Mobile Unit which was parked outside for Golden LEAF and other officials to see firsthand. (See related story, this page.)
• New Ventures Business Development — $55,000 to complete the upfit and conversion of an existing kitchen into a commercial kitchen at SPCC's Lockhart-Taylor Center in Wadesboro, to be used by caterers and local growers. Chester Caulder accepted the check on behalf of New Ventures Executive Director Dr. Don Altieri (also a Centralina WDB member).
• HOLLA! (Helping Our Loved ones Learn and Achieve) — $250,000 to renovate the Community Resource and Recreation Center in Morven. Leon Gatewood and Subrina Hough accepted the check on behalf of HOLLA!, which Gerlach joked was his "favorite name for a project, ever."
• Hands of Hope — $130,000 to provide support for the Circles program, which helps communities and individuals address poverty. Rev. Rob Rollins and Wilma Dunbar, who works with the Methodist Church, accepted the check. County Commissioners Chair Anna Baucom reported that the Methodist Church had sent Dunbar to the county to help get the Circles initiative going, and added that she hopes Anson County will become a training site for similar programs all over the state.
• Anson County Arts Council — $150,000 to assist with the renovations to the Ansonia Theatre. Catherine Crandell, secretary/treasurer, and Leslie Capell, arts council president, accepted the check on behalf of the Arts Council.
• Anson County — $80,000 to assist with the Richmond Street sewer project, which should eliminate failed and failing septic tank systems. The project will assist 50 homes with public sewer and make sewer available to three tracts of undeveloped property for future economic development. County Commission Chair Anna Baucom reported that businesses are already looking at two of the sites in question.
• Anson County Schools — $501,788 to help provide enhanced learning activities for high school students. Superintendent Greg Firn said that the funding will go specifically toward Fast ForWord, a computer-based program which helps students better develop academic skills. "The quickest growth we've seen so far is three months," Firn said. "It's a pretty robust program and this [grant funding] has really gotten us under way."
"There is a challenge facing rural counties— are they going to build infrastructure?" Gerlach said. "You've answered that with your investment in the school system, your investment in the sewer system, your investment in the community college, and I think with HOLLA! and with the commercial kitchen, and the Circles program, you're showing your commitment to your community."
Baucom assured the small audience that the funding from Golden LEAF was only the beginning. "I'm so proud to live in a community that has invested over half a million dollars in education," she said. "And I want you to know that other projects are under way."
The Centralina Workforce Development Board congratulates all of these outstanding community organizations and can’t wait to see all the positive impacts in the community from their hard work. For more information on grants provided by the Golden LEAF Foundation, please contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by e-mail at eclamp@centralina.org.
William Clarke, chair of the Golden LEAF programs committee, left, and Dan Gerlach, president of the Golden LEAF Foundation, presented a check to Chester Caulder of New Ventures Business Development, Inc. The grant money will be used for the Lockhart-Taylor Center s commercial kitchen. |
More Resources Open for Green Jobs in NC
NC Employment Security Commission Receives $1 Million+ in Grants
Grants totaling more than $1 million are headed to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission’s (ESC) Labor Market Information Division to allow the agency to collect, analyze and disseminate labor market information focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, along with the associated Green Jobs.
“Obviously, we are excited to receive these grants, which will allow us to identify Green Jobs, and the potential for more of those types of jobs – and industry – throughout North Carolina,” ESC Chairman Moses Carey Jr. said. “We can then use this information to enhance our labor exchange function and let our partners know about changes, if any, which may be needed in our state’s job training programs to better equip our labor force and speed the establishment of these kinds of opportunities for the state’s employers.”
“One of Governor Beverly Perdue’s goals is to grow the number of Green Jobs and related employers as quickly as possible. The information generated by these studies will speed that process,” Moses continued.
“We will use the larger grant - $946,000 to conduct Green Jobs survey and to perform research to determine state and local as well as real-time, Green employment demand. Another $71,000 grant was awarded to the ESC as part of a multi-state consortium and our LMI division will use that money to assist in modernization of the methodology used to estimate future Green Job demand,” Carey said.
The
two efforts will play as important role in the ESC’s ability
to provide the state’s workforce development and educational
partners with the foundational information necessary to implement
and enhance effective workforce development strategies that address
the needs of the state’s Green employers.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a strong partner with the Employment Security Commission and is happy to see more avenues of research and development open up for them and the region. The Employment Security Commission already provides helpful information on workforce development and this grant will allow for more information to be made available in the region. For more information, contact Andy James or Larry Parker at NCESC at (919) 733-4329.
NC Research Campus Update
Find Out What’s the Latest With This World Renowned Biotech Development
Research Firm’s Partnership with Harvard Could
Lead to Jobs
A biomedical research company with an office at the NC Research
Campus has started collaboration with Harvard Medical School that
could help win grants and create jobs in Kannapolis.
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute works to prevent and cure diseases like asthma and cystic fibrosis. The nonprofit institute based in New Mexico has a center at the Research Campus run by a graduate of East Rowan High School, Dr. Chris Blanchette. Lovelace partnered with Harvard two months ago to find new treatments for respiratory disease.
“The collaboration with Harvard is going to increase our capacity to bring in more funding,” Blanchette said. “The funding potential is substantial because of the expertise between us.”
lanchette said he expects Lovelace to win grants in the $10 million to $20 million range, and most of the money would be used to hire personnel.
Kannapolis Explores Incubator
Kannapolis city staff have suggested launching a business incubator
for start-up companies to the NC Research Campus.
The campus is designed to house well-established companies, and a business incubator would provide an environment for new firms. A business incubator is a facility that provides shared space for start-up companies and entrepreneurs, including technical support and business guidance. The goal would be to help young biotechnology companies become self-sufficient so they will stay in the community and create jobs, said Irene Sacks, the city’s director of business and community affairs.
Staff recommended conducting a feasibility study, which would cost about $70,000. The city can apply for a grant from the NC Biotechnology Center to pay for half of the study.
Business is Good at Research Campus
Officials at the N.C. Research Campus say business continues to
improve, with service contracts worth $1 million at the Core Lab
and an effort underway to fund the continent's biggest cyclotron.
Research Campus leaders touted their life sciences hub Wednesday during a meeting with economic developers from the Research Triangle Park. The RTP, located near Raleigh, is the largest research park in the country.
In the past three or four months, the Murdock Research Institute in Kannapolis has booked $1 million in business, said Dr. Michael Luther, president of the institute that owns and operates the Core Lab. Universities and companies must pay a fee to use the world-class instruments in the Core Lab, the campus centerpiece.
The institute also intends to build a cyclotron in Kannapolis. A particle accelerator that produces radionuclides, the cyclotron would attract medical companies to the Research Campus, Luther said.
"We are well on our way," he said, with a number of grant proposals in the works and a funding commitment from campus founder and Dole Food Co. owner David Murdock. The public-private project would cost tens of millions of dollars and could generate hundreds of jobs.
Please stay tuned to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s
monthly E-Newsletter for more developments on these exciting stories.
For more information on what is going on at the NC Research Campus
please visit the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s
website at www.centralinaworks.com.
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A Golden Opportunity for YouthRowan-Salisbury School System Receives $199,605 Grant from Golden LEAF Foundation
“At a time when our school system is experiencing a very tough budget year and where funds for technology were drastically cut by our state, we have managed to secure funding to continue to move our system forward by providing our students with the technology that they must have to compete in the job market,” Rowan-Salisbury School System Superintendent Dr. Judy Grissom stated. “As a school system, we owe our students the opportunity to learn from and about technology so they will be prepared for their future.” Since implementing the iPod touch project at North Rowan High last year, staff has noticed that student engagement and student attendance has increased while student discipline has decreased. The iPod touch digital learning environment was introduced to North’s 9th grade students in the spring of 2009, with plans to provide each new 9th grade class with the iPod touch until the entire school was involved in this project.
Dr. Grissom stated that, “A project that began less than a year ago, with an expectancy of taking several years to fully implement, will now realize completion in just one year. I am very very proud of our administrators, excited for the staff and students and grateful for the support and funds received in making this project a reality for our students.” The mission of the Rowan-Salisbury School System is to develop globally competitive schools that will inspire, challenge and empower students to meet high academic standards. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council would like to congratulate North Rowan High School! The Board and the Youth Council are proud to see their partners achieving goals that help the youth in the region grow and prepare for the workforce. For more information on this Golden LEAF Foundation grant or on the Centralina Youth Council, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by e-mail at npender@centralina.org. * * * * * * *
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The
Now,
this grant, along with two additional funding sources received
from the “Stimulus” grant and the “Enhancing
Education Technology Teaching” grant, will allow all
students at North Rowan High to be using an iPod touch this
current school year.
The
John Locke Foundation came up with its grades through Teacher
Working Conditions Survey results, teacher turnover and
vacancy numbers and state test scores, SAT scores and No
Child Left Behind targets.
“We’ve
waited a long time and now it’s actually here. It’s
exciting,” ISS spokesperson Dawn Creason
said. “It’s an honor and truly a testament to
the work teachers, students and everyone in this district
does.”
Paid
summer internships are available in locations across the
state. They provide North Carolina students with a compensated
professional work experience that integrates education,
career development and public service. |
What's Happening in the Region?Comings, Goings, Kudos…
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• Centralina Workforce Development
Board meeting • Centralina WDB Executive Planning
Committee meeting • Centralina WDB Youth Council meeting • Centralina WDB Community Relations
Committee meeting • Charlotte Region Workforce Development
Partnership meeting • Allied Health Regional Skills
Partnership Learning Exchange • Competitive Workforce Alliance
– Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership meeting • Mooresville Schools Career Bridge
meeting • NC Department of Commerce –
JobLink Coordinators Forum • Best Business to Start Now • Business Start Up • Daily Operations • Developing Your Business Plan • How Do I Market My Small Business
The North Carolina Workforce Development Training Center Training offers many great training sessions for every workforce development professional. The Center can even do online trainings for you and your colleagues. Some of the great training sessions include: Keeping Your Cool (When Others are HOT!), Assessment: The Foundation of Case Management, Delivering Excellent Customer Service, and Youth Services: A Variety of Topics. These are just some of the great training sessions they can put together for your team. So give them a call and see what they can do for you! Contact Robin Broome at (919) 306-1819 or visit their website for more information at www.ncwdtc.com. Career Development Facilitator Code-Switching: Making the Mental Shift
from Corrections to Community |
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Dr.
Don Altieri, Executive Director of the New
Ventures Business Ventures, Inc. and Centralina
Workforce Development Board member, has been
awarded the Henry W. Little III Community Leadership
Award from the Anson County Chamber
of Commerce.
Kannapolis
City Schools Superintendent Jo Anne Byerly has
announced her retirement at the end of this school year,
after a 40-year career in education. Her final day will
be June 30, 2010. 
Pat
Stewart is retiring as the executive director
at the United Way of Iredell County.
Her last day is January 31, 2010. This will end a 25-year
run with the agency. 
Nathan Sanges, manager of the Stanly
County JobLink Career Center has announced
his retirement effective April 1, 2010. He has served
with the Employment Security Commission/JobLink Career
Center for over 38 years. We will miss your leadership
and your friendship. 
Jeanie
Moore, vice president of corporate and continuing
education at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College,
has been selected as one the 2009 "Women Extraordinaire"
by the "Charlotte Business Leader" magazine.
She played a lead role in the creation of the college's
R3 Career Center in Kannapolis and has been a member
of RCCC's senior leadership team since 1996. Moore is
a past president of the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development
Commission and a member since 2003. She serves as a
member of the Centralina Council of Governments Economic
Development Board, the N.C. BioNetwork BioBusiness Advisory
Committee, and the Advisory Committee for Biotechnology
in the Charlotte Region - North Carolina Biotechnology
Center. She also is active with multiple chamber of
commerce committees in Rowan and Cabarrus counties.
The
Lincoln Economic Development Association (LEDA)
announced Thursday during the Board of Director's Executive
Committee meeting Crystal Gettys has
been promoted to Assistant Director of the organization.
Gettys serves on several boards including the Lincolnton
Downtown Development Association; Junior Achievement
of Lincoln County; Lincoln County Transportation Advisory
Board and the Lincoln County JobLink Management Team.
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Visit
our website at www.centralinaworks.com
to learn more about the Centralina WDB |
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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. |