New Year, New Decade
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Welcome
to the Centralina Workforce Development Board's first e-newsletter
of 2010. This is the start of our ninth year of keeping you informed
each month about workforce and economic development activities taking
place in the Centralina Workforce Development Board (WDB) region.
But,
WDBs know all too well that the economy is a constantly changing
entity always demanding change from individuals and businesses just
to survive. For that reason, we don't just develop education and
training programs that are a band-aid for a single situation. We
deliver programs that provide transferrable skills as well, so that
the next time the economy challenges us all -- and it will -- people
have the ability to take on new careers with solid skills and the
confidence to continue to adapt. The Career Readiness Certificate
is a good example of such an initiative.
Allied Health – A True Growth Industry for the RegionCompetitive Workforce Alliance Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership Leads the Way!The Competitive Workforce Alliance’s Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) held their first meeting of 2010 on Thursday January 21 at the Presbyterian School of Nursing at Queens University. Allied Health RSP members Susan Kennedy and Kirk Brittan and Presbyterian/Novant Health were the hosts for the meeting. The group received an update from Joann Spaleta on the recently held Allied Health Learning Exchange meeting in Raleigh that was sponsored by the NC Department of Commerce. The purpose of this learning exchange was to continue to develop our ability to sustain the partnership over time—with special emphasis on keeping employers engaged, producing system changes that enhance industry bottom lines and create opportunities for workers. Each of the four Allied Health Partnerships in North Carolina brought a team of participants representing employers, community colleges, workforce boards and intermediaries, and project managers. Joann Spaleta, Steering Committee Chair and AHEC representative, Susan Kennedy from Presbyterian Novant Health, David Hollars, wearing two hats as Workforce Intermediary and workforce board representative, Terry Chapman from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and The McLynn Group represented the Competitive Workforce Alliance Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership. During the two day event, RSPs worked on the following issues/topics:
After receiving the report about the Learning Exchange, RSP committee chairs updated the Partnership on the progress of their events and goals. The Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership is very active and is currently planning many Allied Health Career Connection events as well as working with employers on a possible career ladder for employees to move up in the workplace.
The Competitive Workforce Alliance formed the Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership, which is a consortium comprised of employers, economic, education, workforce development and economic development professionals and training providers that will meet regularly to create strategies and programs that will continually assess, prioritize, and respond to the workforce training needs of employers in the allied health industry. Its mission is “to assure that the region has the allied health resources necessary to meet the healthcare needs of its citizens”. Are you interested in joining the Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership? If you want to get involved or just find out more information about all the great things the Partnership is doing please visit the Competitive Workforce Alliance website at www.agreatworkforce.com or contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by email at eclamp@centralina.org. Want to know when the Allied Health Career Connection event will be in your county? Find the event in your county below:
New dates for events are constantly being added to the calendar and more Allied Health Career Connections are being scheduled for Catawba County, Alexander County, Iredell County, and Stanly County. Visit www.agreatworkforce.com to see the latest event dates. Want to know more about the Career Connections in your County?
Contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by email at eclamp@centralina.org
for more information! |
The
Allied Health RSP meeting brought together over 50 partners
from across the region that included employers, community
college, K-12 education, private schools, and economic development.
New representatives from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences,
Western Piedmont Community College, and Carolinas Rehabilitation
also participated in the meeting.
The
Career Connections are local events that will introduce the
public to Allied Health. Employers and educators will be on
hand to explain the field and all the wonderful career opportunities
available. There will be workshops that will go more in depth
as to what certain positions require and how one can obtain
the education and experience needed to find their ideal career
in Allied Health.
Centralina WDB Youth Service Provider To Use Grant Funds to Help With Job Searches and Training
A new grant will help I-CARE provide educational opportunities for people living below the poverty line. The agency has received $286,011 in funding through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program, which is funded by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. The funding will come in monthly increments through September.
The
funding will allow 50 individuals to enroll in Mitchell
Community College’s JobsNOW program, said Amanda
Graham, family support services director. The grant will
also support two case managers to work with the participants.
“One of the goals for self-sufficiency is to help (clients) find employment, and one of the ways we help them is through the JobsNOW program,” she said.
JobsNOW
is a program designed to create jobs and stimulate the economy.
It offers certification in various careers and is designed for those
who want to return to school or get training to be competitive in
the job market.
“We’re trying to build the capacity of the individual to succeed after our services end,” Graham said.
Each participant’s experience in the program will vary, depending on their situation. Graham said it’s all about meeting people where they are and tailoring the assistance based upon their specific needs.
In addition to the great services that they provide to youth in Iredell and Lincoln counties through Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding from the Centralina WDB, I-CARE provides services that help individuals with anything from nutrition to housing to educational support. Graham said they also pay for vehicle repair if it’s the main barrier to finding employment.
“The key to everything we do is to help move someone above the poverty threshold, so our services have to be comprehensive,” she said.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a strong partner with I-CARE and congratulates them on receiving this grant! The Board is also a supporter of the JobsNOW program that is in effect throughout the region. For more information on the JobsNOW program and how you can get involved, please contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by e-mail at eclamp@centralina.org.
The Mouse is Back!
Disney Institute Returns to South Piedmont Community College
It’s
that time again! Disney time! That’s right; the
Disney Institute is coming back to South
Piedmont Community College for one day only on Thursday
April 29, 2010.
South
Piedmont Community College is bringing the region the premier one-day
program to energize your employees with leadership management and
service skills.
The program will cover 2 important and very relevant topics for today’s business climate - Leadership - Disney Style and Customer Service - Disney Style. In each of these sessions you will learn how to communicate a compelling vision, build involvement and ownership, develop a service philosophy and learn tools to support a service culture.
Don’t miss this great session! The event will start at 8:00 AM at the Old Charlotte Highway Campus in Monroe. To register or for more information please call Geri Duncan at (704) 290-5221.
Where Will the Future Jobs Be?
NC State University Economist Dr. Michael Walden Shares His Ideas
In a recent article, NC State University Economist Michael Walden stated that the biggest single issue in today's economy is jobs - or specifically - the lack of jobs. And it's easy to understand why. Nationally, 7 million jobs have been lost since the recession began, and here in North Carolina the count is 250,000. Unemployment rates are in double digits for both the nation and our state.
Yet,
according to Mr. Walden, there is some good news. Although job losses
are still occurring, the number has been getting smaller. Most economists
now think the job market will turn around early in 2010, and job
gains will become the norm.
But once new jobs begin to appear, other important questions arise. What industries and occupations will create the new jobs, and what kind of training will be required?
Fortunately we have some fresh answers to these questions. Every couple of years, the U.S. Department of Labor does a detailed analysis of job trends and gives projections for the next decade. Their latest report is hot off the press.
The forecasts show the national economy adding 15 million jobs over the next decade, roughly an 11 percent increase. North Carolina's share would be 400,000, although if North Carolina grows faster than the nation - as I expect it will - the number of new jobs in the state would be somewhat higher.
Labor
Department economists think the leading industries in job growth
will be construction, professional and business services, education
and health care. Also adding jobs but at a slower than average rate
will be wholesale and retail trade, transportation, information,
financial services, entertainment and leisure activities and government.
Manufacturing and utilities will cut jobs.
Of course, manufacturing is still an important industry in North Carolina. So what does the report say about leading North Carolina manufacturers? For three of our traditional manufacturing industries - tobacco, textiles and apparel - the outlook isn't good. Jobs will decline by 25 percent in tobacco, 40 percent in textiles and 50 percent in apparel. However, for the other North Carolina mainstay - furniture - employment is expected to increase modestly by 6 percent. This is in part because furniture production is forecast to jump by 50 percent over the course of the next decade.
The job outlook is mixed for North Carolina's newer manufacturing industries. Jobs are projected to increase in pharmaceuticals and technology, hold steady in food processing but drop in motor vehicle parts. This despite the fact that production is expected to rise in all four industries. The way a firm can increase production while reducing or keeping steady the number of jobs is to increase the productivity (output per hour) of the workforce. Companies are able to do this by matching workers with modern machinery and technology - something that has been a long-term trend in manufacturing.
Now, what about the outlook for jobs in terms of occupations; that is, what will workers actually be doing? The Labor Department expects a continuing shift away from occupations requiring brawn and muscles to occupations utilizing brains and reasoning. The fastest job growth will be in managerial, professional, service and construction occupations. Slower growth is expected for sales, administrative support, installation, maintenance, repair and transportation occupations. Job losses are forecast in farming and production occupations.
This means more jobs will require some kind of formal schooling beyond high school. Indeed, the future job market will roughly be divided into thirds. One-third of the new jobs will require a community college or university degree. Another third won't need a formal college diploma but will necessitate the worker undertaking extensive on-the-job training. The final third will use inexperienced workers and provide them only short-term on-the-job training. Of course, these jobs will pay the least.
Let
me end with some specifics. The top 10 job positions generating
the most openings in the next 10 years are expected to be registered
nurses, home health aides, customer service reps, restaurant workers,
retail salespersons, office clerks, accountants, nursing aides,
college professors and construction workers. The full list
can be found at this
Web site.
Good news or bad news - I'll let you decide! But knowing what to expect in the job market will give job seekers an advantage in securing employment.
Note: Dr. Michael Walden is a William Neal Reynolds Professor and North Carolina Cooperative Extension economist in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics of N.C. State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
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Rowan County Company Announces Expansion and More Jobs!Harmony Labs Planning to Expand Operations in 2010Business is good at Harmony Labs. The pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturer in Kannapolis and Landis plans to add up to 40 jobs and expand operations in 2010, according to the company president. “Our plan is to add manufacturing quality and chemist opportunities to our current workforce,” said Mike Kane. Harmony Labs will add the jobs throughout the year as additional manufacturing requirements are scheduled, he said. The company, which specializes in making products like acne treatments and sunscreens, has three locations and about 225 employees in Kannapolis and Landis. To consolidate laboratory and raw-material operations in Kannapolis, the company will add up to 10,000 square feet at its headquarters in the former Wal-Mart on North Cannon Boulevard. The expansion is still in the initial planning phase, Kane said. Harmony Labs currently has about 200,000 square feet of manufacturing space in Kannapolis and Landis. Kannapolis City Council gave the company a three-year tax break totaling $43,732 in 2008 after it announced plans to invest $3.5 million to expand in Kannapolis. Harmony Labs develops and manufactures prescription, over-the-counter and cosmetic products in many forms, including liquid, gel, cream and powder. For more information about this exciting development, please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly newsletter. New Technology Can Put Region on the MapNC Commerce Secretary Praises CEM for Food Safety Technology in Union County The current technology measures nitrogen in food, which correlates to the level of protein. This new technology, developed by CEM, measures protein directly. According to Buck Lawrinmore, a spokesman for Union County Partnership for Progress, when Chinese baby food and baby formula was found tainted with melamine, a poisonous chemical that caused several infant deaths last year and has a high level of nitrogen, the Sprint Rapid Protein Analyzer would have shown there was not an increase of protein, suggesting that the food was tainted. He praised the company for earning a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, a distinction given to five companies in the nation that work in green technology. Lawrinmore said the amount of protein in food determines its market value, and CEM’s method could become the world’s standard for analyzing protein. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this exciting development in our region! |
CEM’s
Sprint Rapid Protein Analyzer analyzes protein in foods in
2 minutes, compared to the 6 hours the current method uses,
without producing any hazardous waste, Crisco said.
Celgard
Extend-A-Haul
Chris
Eales, president and chief executive, estimates he has spent
about $250,000 to get the business into production.
Employment Statistics
Updated
Monthly on this E-Newsletter
| December
2009 (Source: NC Employment Security Commission) |
||
| County | Unemployment
Rate |
Persons
Employed |
| Anson | 14.8% |
8,866 |
| Cabarrus | 12.1% |
73,372 |
| Iredell | 13.0% |
68,938 |
| Lincoln | 14.1% |
32,957 |
| Rowan | 13.2% |
61,202 |
| Stanly | 12.9% |
25,924 |
| Union | 10.5% |
81,768 |
| Centralina WDB Region | 12.4% |
353,027 |
| State of NC | 10.9% |
3,999,788 |
For more information on employment, click here
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is in YOUR Community!
During the month of January 2010, 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 Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership, local Chamber meetings, and the Job Resources Faith/Community Based event, here are some the activities of the Board members and WDB staff for January:
Centralina Workforce Development Board meeting - held on Tuesday January 12 at South Piedmont Community College in Monroe. Dr. John McKay and Stuart Wasilowski from South Piedmont Community College presented exciting information on several new initiatives. The college has received funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation for a Certificate in Aerospace Manufacturing program and for a Workforce Development Mobile Unit (“Career Cruiser”) for Anson County. Stuart also provided details of the Disney Institute training on April 29, 2010 that will be co-sponsored by SPCC and the Centralina WDB.
Patrick McKemie with the NC Employment Security Commission Labor Market Information division presented timely information on labor market trends for our region. Patrick also presented the www.ncesc.com website and how to better access LMI information. Board members heard from Emily Clamp on the launch of several social media tools (Twitter, LinkedIn, Type Pad) for the Board. Board members also discussed the state proposed changes to the Incumbent Worker program, received an update on the Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership, dates for upcoming WDB committee and regional meetings, the latest local labor market information, and updates on other key workforce issues and recent presentations in the region.
Centralina WDB Executive Planning Committee meeting
– held on Tuesday January 19 at The Floor Pavilion in Concord.
Centralina WDB Chair Bob VanGorden conducted the meeting. David
Hollars attended this meeting and provide staff support. Committee
worked on Board best practices, social networking, business intelligence
reporting, and retreat planning.
Centralina WDB Youth Council meeting – held on Thursday January
28 at the Boys & Girls Club in Concord. The meeting was conducted
by Centralina WDB member and Youth Council chair Carol Johnson.
Natasha Pender, Centralina WDB Program Assistant and David Hollars,
Centralina WDB Executive Director participated in provided staff
support. Trishana Jones of the Youth Advocacy & Involvement
Office presented information on how youth can advocate for themselves
and on behalf of their communities.
Centralina WDB Community Relations Committee meeting – held on Thursday January 28 at the Boys & Girls Club in Concord. Centralina WDB member and committee chair Tom Ramseur conducted the meeting. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, Natasha Pender, Centralina WDB Program Assistant, and Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Coordinator participated in provided staff support. Michelle Peifer from Stanly CC attended the meeting provided guidance on brochure and marketing development and ideas for better press releases.
Cabarrus County Schools – Graduation project student review – held on Tuesday January 5 in Concord. Natasha Pender, Centralina WDB Program Assistant, participated and served as a judge/reviewer for the graduation projects presented by J.M. Robinson High School seniors.
Career & Technical Education – Marketing Committee meeting – held on Friday January 8 at Rowan-Cabarrus CC in Salisbury. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director participated in this meeting. The committee is developing marketing materials and a promotion schedule for making more people aware of the importance of career and technical education.
Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce Annual meeting – held on Monday January 11 at the Embassy Suites in Concord. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director and Bob VanGorden, WDB chair, attended this event along with many JobLink partners from throughout Cabarrus County.
Mooresville- South Iredell Chamber of Commerce Annual meeting – held on Friday January 15 at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director participated in this event along with many JobLink partners from throughout Iredell County.
NC Workforce Leadership Academy – Learning Network meeting – held on Wednesday January 20 at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director participated in this meeting designed to develop a learning network for workforce professionals who are graduates of the NC Workforce Leadership Academy.
JobLink Coordinators Forum – held on Thursday January 28 at McDowell Technical Community College in Marion. Centralina WDB member Judi Morton and other JobLink managers from the Centralina WDB region participated in this learning exchange sponsored by the NC Department of Commerce – Division of Workforce Development.
Charlotte Regional Economic & Workforce Recovery Initiative Team meeting – held on Wednesday January 6 at CPCC Harris Conference 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 David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director also participated in this meeting.
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 I Care, Inc. – Youth services contractor for Iredell and Lincoln counties on January 14 and 15 in Statesville and Lincolnton.
Workforce Business Development and Assistance – provided by Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Representative for the following area companies:
> Met with Beth Abernathy, Human Resources Manager at Zimmer Orthopedic in Statesville (Iredell County) – Business Development visit – January 5
> Met with Ms. Hillary Nicholson of Concord Housing Authority and delivered resource materials for their Job Support Group – (Cabarrus County) – January 6
> Met with Ms. Dana Eure, Administrator for the Concord Public Library and delivered job support materials for their resource area – (Cabarrus County) – January 6
> Delivered promotional items for Veterans Event to Ms. Wanda Weeks, Director of the Concord Job Connection SHARE Network site in Concord (Cabarrus County) – January 6
> Delivered presentation on the Incumbent Workforce Development Program at the monthly meeting of the Mooresville/South Iredell Human Resource Managers Association group in Mooresville (Iredell County) – January 12
> Attended Business Roundtable meeting at Central Piedmont Community College and submitted a brief report on activities of the Centralina WDB – January 14
> Participated in an interview and photo opportunity with the Charlotte Observer promoting the upcoming Job Support Group event for the faith-based community – January 15
> Met with Mr. Greg Hensley, Human Resource Manager at Cardinal FG Company in Statesville (Iredell County) - Business Development visit – January 20
> Conducted Monitoring of Incumbent Workforce Development Program contract with Pinnacle Corrugated in Landis (Rowan County) – January 21
> Met with Mr. Scott Shelton, Project Manager at Rowan Economic Development Commission in Salisbury (Rowan County) – Business Development visit – January 21
> Met with Mr. Alvin Borders of the Winston-Salem Urban League to deliver computers for their SHARE Network site.
> Met with Mr. Chris Martinez, Production Engineer and Ms. Daphne Babay of Greiner Bio-One in Monroe to discuss the Incumbent Workforce Development Program and their training priorities in Monroe (Union County) – January 25
> Attended Rowan-Cabarrus Business Roundtable meeting at the N.C. Research Campus Nutrition Building. Submitted an update report on IWDP grant activity and information on the Link-Up Resources event scheduled for February 9 in Mooresville. Following the meeting, attended a Press Conference and announcement for Monsanto Corporations intent to have a presence at the NCRC Core Lab in Kannapolis (Cabarrus County) – January 28
> Met with Mr. Keith Reavis, Consultant with Structured Medical in Mooresville to discuss details for the Incumbent Workforce Development Program grant application submission – Mooresville (Iredell County) – January 29
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.
Faith Based Organizations Come Together to Learn How to Reach the Workforce
On
Wednesday January 27, 2010 Mecklenburg
Ministries, a nonprofit that builds relationships among
clergy and tackles social issues, hosted a free lunch workshop for
the leaders of some 50 faith-based job support groups. With financial
support from North Carolina SHARE Network, the group was able to
reach maximum capacity as over 150 people from five counties came
to find out about resources and network.
“My goal is simply just to try to help every person who is unemployed in Charlotte,” Maria Hanlin, executive director of Mecklenburg Ministries said. “And the best way to do that is to help those who minister to them.”
Faith-based groups are particularly popular lately as job support groups, because the throngs of white-collar job-seekers, many unemployed for the first time, are seeking solace in the sense of community that their places of worship offer.
And while some faith-based groups offer sophisticated help with resumes and other skills, others have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of workers in need and ill-equipped to offer much beyond the clergy’s expert emotional and spiritual counseling.
“They’re on the front lines, responding to people who are becoming desperate,” Hanlin said. “I think they need to be encouraged and given hope.”
That’s where the Mecklenburg Ministries luncheon came into play. It’s goal to coach support-group leaders on topics from social networking to navigating unemployment benefits and offer a chance for networking and partnership building.
Vail
Carter, Business Services Coordinator for the Centralina
Workforce Development Board chaired the committee that
pulled the event together. He said the event allowed the faith-based
groups to connect with the workforce community in an effort to better
manage their Job Support Groups and tap resources being offered
by local workforce agencies.
The program included an address by Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx. He gave an overview of the local economy and briefed attendees on the jobs situation in the Charlotte Region. The program also featured a panel of experts who shared “best practices” for the support groups. Debby Millhouse, President of CEO, Inc. closed the program with words of hope.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board was proud to be included in this wonderful event and will continue to assist with community events just like this one. Want to find out how you can start a conversation in your community? Contact Vail Carter for more information at (704) 348-2710 or by email at vcarter@centralina.org.
Mayor Anthony Foxx speaks with a participant at the Job
Resources luncheon. |
Centralina WDB Jumps into Social Networking
Want to keep up more with the Centralina Workforce Development Board? Want to get helpful information, updates about the region and workforce development? Well come follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and on our blog!
That’s right the Centralina Workforce Development Board is now on Twitter, and LinkedIn! Also the Centralina WDB blog is updated weekly with information relevant to all workforce development professionals as well as to the whole community! Start reading the blog right now and find out if it’s better to mind your manners or mind your blackberry!
So please join these communities and start a conversation with us! You’d be surprised who is talking already! Come find out what you are missing!
If you are interested in joining Twitter or LinkedIn but have questions or need assistance please contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by email at eclamp@centralina.org.
Racing Meets Research in Kannapolis
NASCAR Teams Sharpen Competitive Edge at NC Research Campus
Two NASCAR teams have turned to the N.C. Research Campus to improve pit crew performance through exercise science and nutrition.
Hendrick
Motorsports is sending pit crews for the No. 5 and
No. 88 teams to the Research Campus in Kannapolis, a $1.5 billion
life sciences complex where eight universities study health, nutrition
and agriculture.
Hendrick has entered what the company calls a "long-term relationship" with Appalachian State University's Human Performance Lab, directed by Dr. David Nieman.
"We are always looking for an edge of opportunity to improve the performance of our pit crews," said Mark Mauldin, pit crew coordinator for Hendrick Motorsports who lives in Salisbury.
Dr. Nieman has expertise in overall fitness and cardiovascular health, and that's an area we don't pursue heavily in our sport."
Back when pit crews were doing 20-second pit stops, it wasn't as crucial for them to be in excellent physical condition.
Today, crews are expected to change four tires, add 22 gallons of gasoline and make adjustments to a 3,400-pound race car in 13.5 seconds. That requires speed, strength, agility and hand-eye coordination.
"Finding tenths and hundredths of seconds was not really that important five or six years ago," said Mauldin, who operates Twin Creek cattle farm near Spencer with his wife Corinne, a teacher at North Rowan High School, when he's not working at Hendrick in Charlotte.
Now, with the Cars of Tomorrow racing side-by-side, teams rely on their pit crews to find the advantage. Every second lost on pit road can equate to 100 feet on the track.
"A premium is put on gaining a spot in the pits," Mauldin said. "It's sometimes easier to gain a spot on pit road than on the track."
All Hendrick pit crewmen are former standout high school or Division I college athletes, and some have played in the NFL.
They train year-round and put in 14 to 16 hours on race day. At Hendrick Motorsports, they have coaches, certified strength trainers, a dietician and even a sports psychologist.
Experts spend hours studying film of pit stops and even pit stop practices to find mistakes and develop ways to keep them from happening again.
"Along with building engines and shocks and suspension parts, pit crew building has become a specialty part of racing," Mauldin said.
While Hendrick has a state-of-the-art training facility, the company lacked the specialized equipment at the Research Campus, which provides data that Mauldin can't generate on his own.
And Hendrick lacked the expertise of Nieman, a renowned scientist and researcher.
When pit crew members were undergoing testing last week in Kannapolis, Rick Hendrick's personal trainer Matt Skeen thought Nieman's name sounded familiar.
Skeen later realized that Nieman wrote one of his college textbooks, "Exercise Testing and Prescription: A Health Related Approach."
So, one cutting-edge industry turns to another as Hendrick looks to the Research Campus to get the edge on the competition. And Nieman said he relishes the chance to work with pit crews, a little-studied segment of the athletic population.
The arrangement is free. Mauldin first learned about the Research Campus last year when he attended a meeting at the biotechnology complex in downtown Kannapolis.
As a cattle farmer, Mauldin serves on the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Board. When state Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler gave a tour of the campus, Mauldin started asking about a human performance lab.
Clyde Higgs, campus vice president for business development, put him in touch with Nieman.
As NASCAR prepares to open its season on Valentine's Day at the Daytona 500, two pit crews from Hendrick Motorsports are meeting with scientists in Kannapolis to improve their performance by even a tenth of a second.
"The premium is now put on human performance that was always put on car performance," Mauldin said. "You need to build great pit crews, as well as great cars, to win races."
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.
Kip Wolfmeier, the rear tire changer for Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team, sits in the Bod Pod while his body composition is tested. Photo courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports. |
Dion Williams, a rear tire changer for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 5 team, has his mask adjusted by an intern at the ASU Human Performance Lab in Kannapolis. Photo courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports. |
A New Partner Joins the Research Campus
Monsanto Plans to Open a Lab and Create More Jobs
The
North Carolina
Research Campus (NCRC) is landing crop giant Monsanto
as a tenant for the $1.5 billion project that is being built by
billionaire David Murdock.
The company has signed a long-term lease for research facilities at the campus.
In
an announcement, the company and Murdock said the Monsanto lab will
focus on "taste and nutritional composition of vegetables,
and enhanced nutrition in food-focused row crops such as soybeans."
“I commend David for his vision in pulling together such diverse institutions that are leaders in their fields” said Robb Fraley, chief technology officer for Monsanto, in a statement.
“The research center holds great promise and the potential to make a significant contribution to human health, nutrition and agriculture. The synergy that exists at a campus like this could lead to truly innovative research and products with long-term benefits for consumers.”
“Monsanto’s presence on the NCRC constitutes yet another critical piece in ensuring the success of the campus,” Murdock said in a statement. “I am proud to have a company with the outstanding reputation of Monsanto, a leader in the field of agricultural biotechnology, as our newest partner. I look forward to great collaboration and scientific breakthroughs between Monsanto and our other academic and industry partners on the campus.”
Last year, Monsanto struck a five-year development agreement with Dole Food, which Murdock owns.
Earlier
this month, NCRC dropped several hints about its future new client
in announcing a press conference at the campus.
“It’s a company with vast numbers of employees,” a spokesperson for the NCRC told Local Tech Wire and WRAL.com. “This is a company that is coming to do new research.
“They will open a research operation on the campus,” LTW was told.
According to the Salisbury Post, the company will create initially between 20 and 25 jobs.
However, the new tenant eventually could employ hundreds of people, Phyllis Beaver, marketing director for Castle & Cooke, which is developing the campus, told the newspaper.
"This is a great step forward," Beaver said. "They have the potential to create to many jobs."
According to Beaver, the proteomics lab at NCRC helped draw the company.
In a media advisory, the new tenant was described as being a “Fortune
100 company.”
“The NC Research Campus takes a giant step forward with the
addition of a significant new tenant, a global company that will
speed the development of breakthrough science at the Kannapolis
campus,” the advisory said.
The announcement will also include a tour of the proteomics lab at the main building.
UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State already have buildings at the campus. Duke University is a partner in the NCRC as well as are several other state universities.
Private sector partners include Labcorp and Red Hat.
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.
Adjusting to College LifeCabarrus-Kannapolis Early College Program Kicks Off Second Semester
Several students were worried about being identified as high school students among classmates who are years older. Now that all of them have survived their first class with college students, they said they feel more relaxed. “We are with college people now,” Angie Vasquez, 14, said. “They talked to me. I don’t think they knew we were in Early College.”
In November, the students moved to RCCC while they were concluding their first college class, health and physical education, which they all passed. This semester, students enrolled in a class with the college students, choosing one from music appreciation, mythology, art appreciation, world religions and technology.
The new school allows ninth graders to earn a high school diploma and associate’s degree or up to two years of college transfer credit in the four or five year program. Currently, students are enrolled in their second semester and are taking Biology, Algebra II and English II, taught by Early College High School Faculty. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina WDB Youth Council are strong supporters of all of the Early College programs in the Centralina WDB region. The Board and the Youth Council congratulate the youth who are enrolled and wish them great success! For more information on Early College programs, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by e-mail at npender@centralina.org.
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Before
they stepped into their first classes with college students
in January, the youth enrolled in the 
“Now
that they know what a college course is, they are interacting
with college students and getting the full experience,”
said Early College Principal Vance Fishback.
South
Stanly High School
The
program’s goal is to increase the engagement of families
of at-risk youth so they can “better help their children
stay in and successfully graduate from school,” she
said.
“We’re
trying to connect and engage children in different ways,”
she said. “We’re targeting unmotivated students
who have become disengaged from school and we’re trying
to create a sense of excitement, of learning,” she added.
Concord
High School
What's Happening in the Region?
Comings, Goings, Kudos…
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Chiquita
Miller has been named the new Chief Professional
Officer for the Boys & Girls Club of the Piedmont.
Miller was previously the Executive Director for Teen
Health Inc., which is now housed in the Boys & Girls
Club. Chiquita is also a member of the Centralina WDB
Youth Council. 
Christy
Bogle has been named the new Executive Director
of United Way of Stanly County. She is
a native of Stanly County and was the NC Wise Date Manager
at Aquadale Elementary.
• Centralina Workforce Development
Board meeting • Centralina WDB JobLink Managers
meeting • Centralina WDB Workforce Readiness
Committee meeting • Competitive Workforce Alliance -
Allied Health Career Connections • 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. |
| 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 |
| 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. |