Centralina WDB E-Newsletter July 2008

The Competitive Workforce Alliance’s Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership Allied Health Solutions Summit was a great success! The first annual Allied Health Solutions Summit was held in Concord, NC on Tuesday July 15, 2008 at The Embassy Suites, from 9:30 am to 3:45 pm.

The Allied Health Solutions Summit had over 100 attendees that included employers, educators and workforce development professionals from across the region and the state. It brought them together to hear from others who have successfully planned and implemented regional collaborations that have increased worker recruitment and developed allied health career pathways that have promoted worker retention and satisfaction.

The Summit opened with a welcome from David Hollars, Centralina Workforce Development Board Executive Director and Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership Workforce Intermediary. David outlined the purpose of the summit and introduced the guest speakers.

Patricia Fera from the Workforce Investment Board in Will County in Illinois and Jennifer Stasch from the Workforce Board of Northern Cook County in Illinois discussed their collaborative efforts in working with 9 workforce boards in the 11 county Chicago metropolitan region and how they succeeded in addressing workforce, training, and career development issues.

Joanne Pokaski from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston spoke to the group about how a major hospital created and implemented career ladder programs that worked. She also discussed the rewards and challenges of creating new training programs and why employers should invest time, resources, and dollars into workforce development.

For the afternoon sessions participants could choose between two sessions. The session titled “Systems Change: One Step at a Time,” took an inside look at some of the metropolitan Chicago region’s successful projects and showed how their challenges were resolved, how partnerships were forged, and the lessons they learned along the way.

The “Prescription Filled: A Cure for the Pharmacist Shortage” session allowed participants to hear from a panel of six business and workforce partners from the Winston-Salem area who discussed their newly created solution to address the pharmacist shortage.

The closing session allowed attendees to complete a survey to indicate what were the best lessons learned. Attendees also asked final questions of the presenters and were encouraged to sign up to participate in future meetings of the Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership.

The Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership Solutions Summit was generously sponsored by Carolinas HealthCare System, Novant Health, Integra Staffing, Bankston Partners, and the Competitive Workforce Alliance. Workshop, break, and lunch sponsors were Rowan Regional Medical Center, Charlotte Radiology, Stanly Regional Medical Center, Central Piedmont Community College, and Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

The Competitive Workforce Alliance would like to thank the wonderful guest speakers, the sponsors, and all of the individuals who participated in the First Annual Allied Health Solutions Summit. For more information on this groundbreaking initiative or to join the Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership, please contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by email at eclamp@centralina.org.

Lincoln JobLink Career Center Receives Highest Level of Certification

Commitment to Workforce Excellence

The North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development in partnership with the Centralina Workforce Development Board has established a framework to assess quality standards, performance accountability and continuous improvement in the region’s JobLink Career Centers. The procedure of chartering the state’s JobLink Career Centers is the tool for which each center maintains accreditation. The criteria evaluated are: Leadership, Information and Analysis, Strategic Planning, Human Resource Utilization, Process Management, Customer Satisfaction, and Results. The Statewide process requires more than a year of preparation and extensive documentation.

JobLink Career Center manager Judi Morton declared the recognition a “fitting tribute to the dedication of all the partners who make up our JobLink.” Judi will formally accept a plaque and monetary award on behalf of the Center at the Governors Awards for Excellence ceremony during the NC Workforce Development Partnership Conference in Greensboro in October.

Only 22 of the 105 JobLink Career Centers in North Carolina carry the Level III Chartering distinction. Two of those centers – the Cabarrus County JobLink Career Center and now the Lincoln County JobLink Career Center – are located in the Centralina WDB region. The other 6 centers in the region are Level II centers - the next to the highest level of certification. Through the network of JobLink Career Centers in each of the seven counties served, the Centralina Workforce Development Board is able to implement its mission to give the region, its workers, and its employers a competitive advantage.

Centralina Workforce Development Board Executive Director, David Hollars is pleased by the accomplishments of the Lincoln County JobLink Management team, staff, and partners. Hollars says “the Level III recognition by the NC Department of Commerce validates that the Centralina Workforce Development Board and the JobLink Career Center system are doing the right things to ensure that we have the competitive workforce for our global economy.”

The Lincoln County JobLink Career Center is located at 529 North Aspen Street in Lincolnton, NC. For more information, contact the center at 704-735-8035 or visit www.lincolnjoblink.com. For additional information about the Centralina Workforce Development Board, please visit www.centralinaworks.com.

Federal Grant Offers Relief to Laid-Off Workers

US Department of Labor Awards $2.43 Million National Emergency Grant

Laid-off Freightliner workers in Cleveland and Jevic Transportation employees in Concord could benefit from a federal workforce investment grant helping them to train for and find new jobs.

The offices of US Senators Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr and Representative Robin Hayes, all NC Republicans, recently announced that the US Department of Labor has awarded the NC Department of Commerce with $2.43 million in grant funding to aid 1,620 workers affected by mass layoffs at Freightliner and Jevic Transportation.

Workers eligible for assistance are those laid off on or after April 22, 2007. Assistance will depend on the individual applying and may include employment counseling, help with writing a resume, relocation allowances, classroom training, income support, health coverage and other options.

The funding comes from the US Department of Labor’s National Emergency Grants Program, which is designed to supplement the resources and service capacity at the state and local levels by providing emergency funding in response to large dislocations and disasters.

“This grant will make it more possible for these workers to receive expanded assistance and job training to help them make a successful change in their career,” Robin Hayes said.

To see if you are eligible for services available through these funds, please contact your local JobLink Career Center. Locations and contact information can be found at www.centralinaworks.com/joblink.

Cyber Criminals Have No Where to Hide

Stanly Community College Offers New Associate Degree

Stanly Community College (SCC) is offering a new associate degree in cyber crime technology completely online. This curriculum combines the fields of criminal justice, accounting and computer information systems. Students will receive hands on training in the procedures of collection, preservation, interpretation and documentation of technical and financial evidence.

In completing this program, students should enter the field of computer crime investigations and be capable of investigating computer crimes, properly seize and recover computer evidence, and aid in the prosecution of cyber criminals.

SCC has purchased high-tech tools in which to teach data recovery for the Cyber Crime Program. Encase Enterprise is a powerful software that enables analysts to proactively investigate issues of fraud and to perform network and software audits. Other equipment for this program includes device seizure and toolbox and a mobile phone examiners kit.

The Cyber Crimes program is offered online and has related certificates such as Computer Forensics, Computer Crime Investigation and Forensic Accounting in addition to the associate degree.

For more information, contact Dennis Souther, Dean of Stanly Community College’s Online Programs at (704) 991-0280 or visit www.stanly.edu.

A New Logo-
A New Focus

City of Monroe Focuses on its Heritage of Progress

The City of Monroe is proud to unveil a new logo that will represent the city, its services, its ideals and its motto of “a heritage of progress.” The logo represents the city’s journey through time with the three flags representing the moving from the past to the present and into the future.

“I am very proud of the new logo and know the residents of Monroe and those people visiting Monroe will look at it and recognize Monroe as a progressive city with deep roots and deep connection to its past as well as having a strong vision for its future,” said Monroe Mayor Bobby Kilgore.

The city will phase in the use of the logo with regards to its use on vehicles and other signs and materials and will slowly replace the old city of Monroe Seal. The city Seal will still be used on official proclamations and resolutions and other official city business, but the new logo will be used on vehicles and other city promotional material.

Monroe Economic Development and Airport Director Chris Plate designed the logo.

For more information on the new logo for the city of Monroe please visit their website at www.monroenc.org.

German Firm Coming to Lincoln County

Sennebogen North America Plans for Facility and More Jobs

A German company has announced that it plans to open a 48,000-square foot parts distribution, training and technical support center in eastern Lincoln County.

Based in Straubing, Germany, Sennebogen North America is a 50-year old family owned firm that makes specialized equipment for handling such bulk materials as scrap, logs and coal. The project on NC 16 represents a capital investment of $5.1 million and will bring 25 new jobs within two years to Lincoln County. The Sennebogen North America facility is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009.

Barry Matherly, executive director of the Lincoln Economic Development Association, said the company has long-range plans for an expansion that will bring “millions more in investment and hundreds of jobs.” “This is just the beginning of a multi-phased project,” he said.

A total of 10 international companies have either moved to or expanded operations in Lincoln County over the last six years. The companies make everything from cranes to auto parts.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with Lincoln County Economic Development Association in the continued growth of businesses and the workforce. We appreciate LEDA’s hard work and efforts to build a diverse and dynamic economy in Lincoln County. For more information on LEDA, please visit their website at www.lincolneda.org.

Ground Breaking Raceway Prepares to Open

High Rock Raceway Comes to Rowan County

A new kind of racing has made its way into North Carolina. High Rock Raceway will be the first and only dedicated road course in North Carolina and will be located in Spencer.

This world-class road course, designed by legendary road race Elliott Forbes-Robinson, will feature 14 turns and span 2.15 miles. The Raceway will host both amateur and professional car and motorcycle race events.

High Rock Raceway is the only “green” track in the nation. Its design includes consumption-reducing materials and renewable energies and will feature alternative fuels. The track also will be made available for free to companies and researches working to develop alternative fuels and vehicles. High rock Raceway is expected to be completed by 2009.

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this developing story.

Carolinas Medical Center-Union Begins $22.2 Million Expansion

Plans to Add More Emergency Room Space and Technology in Monroe by 2010

Carolinas Medical Center–Union (CMC-Union) began a $22.2 million renovation and expansion of its emergency department in Monroe on July 21. Once the construction is complete, the size of the department will increase to 34,700 square feet from 11,500 square feet, and the number of treatment rooms will grow to 34 from 19.

It will be equipped with advanced cardiac-monitoring equipment and electronic medical records. Treatment rooms will also be large enough to accommodate a family, and glass doors will replace curtain entrances. Work on the project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2010.

The CMC-Union emergency department treats more than 45,000 patients per year. By 2015, the number of patient visits is projected to exceed 65,000.

Carolinas Medical Center-Union is a 247 bed facility with more than 125 physicians and 24 medical specialties. It is part of Charlotte-based Carolinas HealthCare System, the largest healthcare system in the Carolinas and the third-largest public system in the nation.

CMC-Union is also an active business partner in the Competitive Workforce Alliance’s Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership.

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this developing story.

Effective July 24, 2008 the minimum wage will increase from $6.15 per hour to $6.55 per hour. This is the second phase of a three stepped increase enacted by Congress.

The North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) has updated the Wage and Hour Notice to Employees to reflect the minimum wage change. You can contact the NCDOL for your free set.

If you have questions about the new posters or the poster law, or you would like to order the new posters, please visit their website at www.nclabor.com/posters/posters.htm or call them at 1-800-625-2267.

N.C. Ranks Among Top States for Business Climate

Texas, North Carolina and Georgia have the best business climates among the 50 states, according to a recent survey of executives by Development Counsellors International.

North Carolina ranked second among the 281 respondents, with 30 percent saying the state has the best business climate.

Texas was No. 1 among 41 percent of survey participants, while Georgia was third (20 percent). They were followed by Tennessee and Florida (15 percent each) and Nevada (14 percent).

Executives frequently cited a strong labor market and low operating costs in selecting the top states.

The poll placed California, New York and Michigan at the bottom.

Development Counsellors’ “Winning Strategies in Economic Development Marketing” survey has tracked development trends since 1996. The New York-based organization specializes in economic development and tourism marketing.

Partnering Together for a Healthier Region

Carolinas HealthCare System and Stanly Regional Medical Center Propose New Rehab Hospital

Carolinas HealthCare System and Stanly Regional Medical Center have jointly sought approval from the State of North Carolina to build a 40-bed rehabilitation hospital on the campus of Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast in Concord.

The proposed new facility will be called Carolinas Rehabilitation-NorthEast and would be built on the current site of the Pathways building, which will be demolished. Carolinas Rehabilitation-NorthEast would employ approximately 90 people, have 40 beds, comprise 55,400 square feet and cost an estimated $25 million.

“Our goal with Carolinas Rehabilitation-NorthEast is to duplicate the tremendous success of Carolinas Rehabilitation-Mount Holly, a similar inpatient rehabilitation hospital that opened last year,” said Michael Tarwater, CEO of Carolinas HealthCare System.

In May 2007, Carolinas HealthCare System and Stanly Regional Medical Center signed a strategic alliance enabling them to jointly introduce new and expanded services to the area. They are currently working on plans to expand services available at the Stanly Regional West campus in Locust.

“Our partnership with Stanly Regional allows us to provide specialized rehabilitation services at a central location easily accessible to the residents of Rowan, Stanly and Cabarrus counties. Placing the facility on the campus of CMC-NorthEast also provides easy access to other medical specialties should patients need those services,” Tarwater stated.

The request to build, called a certificate of need, was filed on July 15, with a final determination to be made by the NC Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Health Service Regulation by the end of 2008. If it is approved the groundbreaking will occur in the summer of 2009 with a grand opening estimated for January 2011.

Carolinas HealthCare System and Stanly Regional Medical Center are both very active business partners in the Competitive Workforce Alliance’s Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership.

Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for updates on this exciting development. Can’t wait for the E-Newsletter each month to get your up to date information on businesses in the region? Check out our website at www.centralinaworks.com for daily updates!

July's Business Survey Prize Winner is…

Each month, the Centralina Workforce Development Board holds a drawing from Business Surveys that area businesses have completed and posted on our website.

Centralina is pleased to announce that the winner of this month’s drawing is Preformed Line Products in Albemarle, NC. Ron Lutwiller of Preformed Line Products completed and submitted the survey. We thank Ron for helping us with our continuous improvement feedback process! For more information about Preformed Line Products please visit their website www.preformed.com.

If you haven't completed the survey, you can do so now by going to our website. It only takes a couple of minutes and by completing the survey, it will guarantee your entry into our next drawing.

For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Employer Survey and the business services available through the Board and our local JobLink Career Centers, please contact Vail Carter at (704) 348-2710 or by email at vcarter@centralina.org.

Sherman Rankin is a true success story. Sherman has overcome many obstacles and has turned his life around. In turn, he has won the 2008 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development for Outstanding Younger Youth. Sherman will be awarded this honor at a banquet on Thursday October 23, 2008 at the Sheraton Four Seasons Hotel in Greensboro. The banquet is the highlight of the annual North Carolina Workforce Development Partnership Conference.

Sherman Rankin was a troubled youth. He was repeating the 7th grade due to poor performance the previous year and he had ten discipline incidents on his behavior report. Some of them included: bus rule violations, being disrespectful, undisciplined classroom and out-of-class violations that included disrupting other classrooms and talking back to his teachers.

Some may have lost their faith in Sherman but thanks to a supportive grandmother, reinforcement from two consistent and positive role models, a structured school environment which strengthened his independent decision making and a no-nonsense Workforce Investment Act (WIA) staff always willing to provide guidance, he turned his life around.

After entering into the WIA program at Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency, Inc. Sherman set goals with realistic expectations and outcomes for himself. He took Leadership Development classes and was able remain in middle school in order to complete his school career.

Sherman acquired skills that enabled him to obtain and maintain future employment as he successfully completed many Summer Employment Opportunities. He continued to increase his future competitive economic advantage by participating in Tutoring, Study Skills Training and Instruction Element classes. On June 12, 2008 Sherman Rankin graduated from Henderson Independent High School and is doing nothing but looking to the future.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are extremely proud of Sherman and his accomplishments, as they are of all youth who participate in WIA funded services. The Board and Youth Council believe that the youth of today are the workforce of tomorrow. For more information on the Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency, please contact Joann Diggs at (704) 633-6633.

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2nd Annual Centralina Youth Council Youth Summit

The Centralina Workforce Development Board’s Youth Council is happy to announce that the 2nd Annual Youth Services Summit “Turning Barriers into Bridges” will be held on Friday September 19, 2008 at the Charles Mack Citizen Center in Mooresville. The Summit will be held from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

The keynote speaker for the event is Adonis “Sporty” Jeralds who is the author of “The Campion in You.” Featured workshops include understanding millennial youth culture, music/video literacy, and many more!

Last year the Summit had a great turn out and this year’s event is guaranteed to be even bigger and better! Be sure to add this save the date to your calendar so you don’t miss this great event!

For more information on the 2nd Annual Youth Services Summit, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org or visit www.way2work.org.

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Union County Middle School Students Participate in FastTrack Camp

In July, 20 Union County Public Schools students from Parkwood, Monroe, East Union and Sun Valley middle schools met at the Central Academy of Technology and Arts in Monroe for FastTrack camp. FastTrack camp is a five day camp that has hands-on technology training using pint sized race cars.

The students teamed up in five sets of four, practiced putting weights and fins on cars a fraction the size of a real race car to see what would make them faster, more powerful or have more control.

Teachers and Engineers from Ten80 Education were on hand to help advise and stand back and laugh. Ten80 Education runs the FastTrack camp for the schools.

As for the camp, Adrina Smith says she hopes it will give her a leg-up in school. “It stretches my math skills and makes them better. And, it is better than sitting at home,” Smith stated.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are strong supporters of creative teaching to reach our youth. For more information on the FastTrack camp, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by email at npender@centralina.org or visit www.way2work.org.

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SPCC Students Demonstrate Importance of Community College System to NC General Assembly

South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) students, instructors and alumni brought expertise to the NC General Assembly in Raleigh in June to help fight two of the state’s major health threats – vascular disease and diabetes.

On Wednesday June 25, 2008 from 9 am until 3 pm, SPCC representatives set up in the Legislative Building in downtown Raleigh to offer screening for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and glucose screening for diabetes. Participants came from South Piedmont’s programs in medical sonography and medical assisting.

Their goal was to demonstrate for legislators the scale and importance of health sciences programs in North Carolina’s 58 community colleges.

“The training these students receive at South Piedmont is invaluable for the county and helps to fill a need for qualified medical staff for Union and surrounding counties,” Representative Curtis Blackwood R-Union, said as he had his blood pressure checked.

To meet looming health care workforce shortages, NC will need to produce an additional 2,400 more health care graduates annually, a particular challenge for NC community colleges given that crowded community college programs already produce the majority of NC health workers.

SPCC President John McKay praised the efforts of all involved in the demonstration and added that by conducting the demonstration in such a visible and powerful setting, it lets the lawmakers see the high caliber of students enrolled at South Piedmont Community College.

This is just one of a series of demonstrations that will be offered at the General Assembly to illustrate the variety of community college program offerings. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board for monthly updates on these demonstrations. For more information on South Piedmont Community College please call (704) 290-5100 in Union County and (704) 272-5300 in Anson Count or visit www.spcc.edu.

Allied Health Solutions Summit a Great Success!

Competitive Workforce Alliance to Build on Groundbreaking Efforts

Patricia Fera from the Workforce Investment Board in Will County, Illinois gave a presentation to the group about successful collaborations in the field of allied health.

Above: Attendees to the Allied Health Solutions Summit take time to network and make new connections.

Photo at top of article: Over 90 individuals attended the first Allied Health Solutions Summit that was held in Concord.

Lincoln JobLink Career Center Receives Highest Level of Certification

Commitment to Workforce Excellence

Federal Grant Offers Relief to Laid-Off Workers

US Department of Labor Awards $2.43 Million National Emergency Grant