3rd Annual Workforce and Economic Development Summit a Great Success!

The Competitive Workforce Alliance and the Charlotte Regional Partnership held the 3rd Annual Regional Workforce/Economic Development Summit: Building a Better Workforce at the Harris Conference Center on Wednesday November 19, 2008. The Summit had over 150 attendees from public and private sector businesses, workforce organizations, non-profits, and educational institutions from across the 16 county region.

Tony Almeida, Chair of the Charlotte Regional Partnership, kicked off the Summit. Donovan Marks, director of Benefits & Compensation at Nucor Corporation was the keynote speaker and spoke on “How Cold Steel Can Create Burning Loyalty.” Donovan explained how Nucor retains its current workforce and how they attracted new qualified workers in the region. He also informed the audience about the many programs that Nucor offers their employees, from self-improvement to having company money ready for employee’s children to enter into higher education after high school.

Terry Plumb, host of South Carolina’s ETV’s “Piedmont Politics,” moderated a panel discussion featuring Barry Baker from Abitibi Bowater (Rock Hill, SC), Jan Comer from Engineered Sintered Components (Troutman, NC), Karol Dewitt from Dole Fresh Vegetables (Bessemer City, NC), Steve Smith from Curtiss Wright Flight Systems (Shelby, NC) and Tim Ballard from Blum, Inc. (Lowesville, NC). The panelists each spoke on a certain workforce resource that they had found in the region that helped their business be successful. Barry discussed WorkKeys and job profiling, Jan discussed the Incumbent Worker Program, Karol discussed WorkKeys and the Career Readiness Certification, Steve talked about LEAN training, and Tim discussed Blum’s apprenticeship program. After their presentations the panelists took questions from the audience and discussed how their companies have used available resources and have maintained and even expanded their workforce, reduced employee turnover, and found the right employees for their jobs.

David Hollars, Executive Director of the Centralina Workforce Development Board, provided specific examples about what is being done in the Charlotte USA region to continue to bring partners together to provide resources to employers to improve their current workforce and to have qualified workers in the region.

Those attending the Summit agreed that it was a success and helped further open the doors of dialogue between economic development, workforce development, and businesses.

“The Workforce/Economic Summit truly highlighted how our workforce system meets and exceeds the expectations of local employers”, said David Hollars. “Workforce development boards continue to engage our local JobLink and One-Stop Career Centers and their partners to ensure that local economic developers and the Charlotte Regional Partnership have their most important ingredient for success – a job ready and skilled workforce."

The Charlotte Regional Partnership and the Competitive Workforce Alliance would like to thank all of those who attended the 3rd Annual Regional Workforce/Economic Development Summit. Please visit the Competitive Workforce Alliance website for presentations from the Summit and also the audio from the event. You can access it at www.agreatworkforce.com.

If you are interested in participating in future Workforce/Economic Development Summits, please contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by e-mail at eclamp@centralina.org. For more information on the Competitive Workforce Alliance, please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by e-mail at dhollars@centralina.org.

Keynote speaker Donovan Marks from Nucor spoke on the company’s policy and practices to keep happy employees.

Speakers on the panel informed the audience of successful resources they found in the community that helped their business to thrive.

During the month of November 2008, 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 Competitive Workforce Alliance Workforce/Economic Summit and Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership implementation plan detailed in this e-newsletter, here are some the activities of the Board members and WDB staff for November:

Central Piedmont Community College/Competitive Workforce Alliance meeting on Energy issues – held on Wednesday November 5 at Harris Conference Center. Jason Hoyle from Appalachian State University presented relevant information to the group working on addressing the workforce issues for the growing energy sector in this region. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, participated in this meeting.

Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) meeting - held on Wednesday Friday November 7 at the CPCC Harris Conference Center. This meeting, facilitated by David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, showcased the RSP Implementation Plan that was submitted to the NC Department of Commerce for review and approval. The meeting also featured reports from RSP committees and the announcement of funding that would be available on a competitive basis for the execution of the RSP implementation plan. Emily Clamp, Centralina WDB Program Assistant and Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Representative also participated in the meeting. The RSP implementation plan is available at www.agreatworkforce.com.

Charlotte Regional Workforce Development Partnership meeting – held on Tuesday November 12 at Cleveland Community College in Shelby. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, participated in this quarterly meeting of community college, university, economic, and workforce professionals. The group finalized plans to move ahead with an energy consortium to meet the increased demand for labor in the energy industry sector.

Regional Collaboration Planning Grant Learning Exchange – held on Thursday November 13 at the RBC Center in Raleigh. The six planning grantees from around North Carolina made presentations to the NC Department of Commerce and members of the NC Commission on Workforce Development. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, presented on behalf of the Competitive Workforce Alliance on the progress with forming and growing a regional alliance of workforce boards and the Charlotte Regional Partnership (CRP) that encompasses the 16 county CRP region in North and South Carolina. The presentation is available at www.agreatworkforce.com.

Motorsports Industry meeting – held on Friday November 21 at Hendrick Motorsports complex. This meeting, hosted by Humpy Wheeler, focused on developing a concentrated effort to assisting the more than 1,000 individuals who have lost employment in the motorsports industry this year. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, participated and presented information on the role of the local JobLink Career Center system. The Centralina WDB is a lead partner in these efforts.

NC Association of Workforce Professionals (NCAWP) conference – held on November 12-14 at the Village Conference Center in Clemmons. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, spoke at the Friday morning session on the importance of workforce development partnerships.

Monroe Economic Development Commission meeting - held on Thursday November 6 at Turbomecca in Monroe. Centralina WDB Executive Director David Hollars attended this meeting and provided participants with valuable local labor market information as well as updates on activities with the Union County JobLink Career Center and its partners.

Mooresville Graded Schools Career and Technical Education Advisory Board meeting – held on Monday November 17 in Mooresville. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, attended this meeting and presented economic trend information for Iredell County that detailed key industry sectors that youth needed to focus on for the future.

Business Resource Roundtable for Rowan and Cabarrus counties meeting - held on Friday November 21 at the City of Kannapolis offices. Hosted by the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Small Business Resource Center, this formative meeting highlighted the resources available and the challenges ahead for addressing entrepreneurial projects. Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Representative, participated in the meeting.

eNC Authority Focus Group session - held on Monday November 24 at South Piedmont Lockhart-Taylor campus in Wadesboro. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director and WDB member Dr. Don Altieri participated in this session designed to give feedback on progress with the New Ventures Business Development center in Anson County.

Stanly County Career Readiness Taskforce – held on Tuesday November 25 at Stanly Regional Medical Center in Albemarle. David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, participated and presented information relevant to the betterment of the workforce in Stanly County. Board members Tom Ramseur and Justin Burr also participated in the meeting.

PY 2008 Annual Workforce Investment Act (WIA) monitoring of Adult and Dislocated Worker and Youth services – conducted by Patricia White, Centralina WDB Operations Manager (Cabarrus County – November 7, Iredell County – November 12-13, Stanly County – November 14 and 24, Rowan County – November 18). Patricia also participated in ESC Trade Act training session in Concord on November 21.

Cabarrus Literacy Summit – held on Tuesday November 25 in Concord. Natasha Pender, Centralina WDB Program Associate, participated in this meeting which brought together both community and educational leaders to discuss the state of illiteracy within Cabarrus County, as well as the collaborative efforts required to address the needs of the community. Natasha shared information on the Board’s Lifelong Learning Campaign.

Workforce Business Development and Assistance – provided by Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Representative for the following area companies:

• Wilbert Plastics (Harrisburg) – Cabarrus County – November 5
• Canac Kitchens (Statesville) – Iredell County – November 7 - Job Fair held on-site for dislocated workers
• Advanced Manufacturing Advisory Group – UNCC – November 13
• SHARE Network site development visits – First Baptist Church – Marshville (Union County) – November 17 and Peachland (Anson County) on November 24

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.

Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership Completes Implementation Plan

The Competitive Workforce Alliance Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) has reason to celebrate! After a great year of groundbreaking discussions and events, the Allied Health RSP has compiled and completed its implementation plan.

Over thirty members of the Allied Health RSP worked tirelessly on the project that was submitted to the NC Department of Commerce in early November for review. The McLynn Group, LLC served as project consultants and they were instrumental in assisting the Centralina WDB (workforce intermediary) in making this partnership and plan so successful. The implementation plan is the action agenda for the Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership for 2009-2010. Based on this implementation plan and with potential implementation funding available from Commerce, the Allied Health RSP will be addressing key issues to assure that the region has the allied health resources necessary to meet the healthcare needs of its citizens.

The plan contains the goals of the Allied Health RSP, both short term and long term, and also discusses governance, sustainability, funding, and leadership within the region. Some of the specific projects include hosting Allied Health Career Expos throughout the sixteen county region, expanding the webpage into a portal of information for employers, those providing career counseling and guidance, and potential allied health professionals, and hosting a virtual job fair to allow area allied health employers to connect with potential workers. Other goals, such as creating career pathways to increase the numbers of Physical Therapists and Occupational Therapists, will take time and team work from all the partners involved.

To find out more about the Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership, please visit the Competitive Workforce Alliance website at www.agreatworkforce.com and click on the Allied Health tab at the top of the page. To view the implementation plan, please click here. To get involved with the Allied Health RSP and the Competitive Workforce Alliance, please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by e-mail at dhollars@centralina.org.

Take a Bow!

Stanly County Vocational Rehabilitation and JobLink Partners Thank Local Employers

The Albemarle Vocational Rehabilitation Services, in conjunction with the Stanly County JobLink Career Center held an Employer Appreciation event on Friday October 31, 2008. The event was the organization’s way to say thank-you to their employers for their hard work and dedication to individuals with mental and physical disabilities in the workforce.

Partners with the Stanly County JobLink Career Center, Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services focuses on assisting persons with disabilities to obtain and maintain employment. If qualified, individuals go through counseling, evaluations, training and education, depending on what field of work they go into. Once placed into a job, individuals must maintain their job for at least 90 days.

Vocational Rehabilitation also recognized a local employer for their hard work and dedication of working with VR. Kelley Bigger from Stanly County Family YMCA received this year’s Employer Award for being an individual who has worked well with Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Kelley Bigger is also a former member of the Centralina WDB Youth Council.

“She has always been committed, cooperative and supportive of what we are doing and what we are trying to achieve,” Pinkie Furr, Vocational Rehabilitation business relations representative, said.

This year the Albemarle office set a goal for placing 151 people into jobs, and not only did they meet their goal but 152 were placed in jobs and all of them maintained employment for at least 90 days.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with the Albemarle Vocational Rehabilitation and the Stanly County JobLink Career Center and would like to join them in thanking the participating employers. For more information on the Employer Appreciation Day, please contact Mary Walls at (704) 289-2543. Please note that Mary Walls is also an active member of the Centralina Workforce Development Board.

There's a JobLink Near You!

Anson County JobLink Career Center
Phone: 704-694-6551

Cabarrus County JobLink Career Center
Phone: 704-786-3183

Iredell County JobLink Career Center - Mooresville
Phone: 704-664-4225

Iredell County JobLink Career Center - Statesville
Phone: 704-878-4241

Lincoln County JobLink Career Center
Phone: 704-735-8035

Rowan County JobLink Career Center
Phone: 704-639-7529

Stanly County JobLink Career Center
Phone: 704-982-2183

Union County JobLink Career Center
Phone: 704-283-7541

For more information on Centralina region JobLink Career Centers, click here.

Monroe Named Top 5 for Aerospace in United States Monroe Economic Development Receives National Recognition The City of Monroe’s Economic Development staff received unprecedented recognition for its accomplishments in recruitment and retention efforts surrounding the aerospace industry, by being named one of the Top 5 communities in the United States for aerospace. Expansion Solutions magazine, a professional magazine focused on the industrial news, investment and job creation, announced the award winners in their October/November issue. “This acknowledgement of our work to strengthen and grow our industrial base, especially those related to aerospace, is extremely gratifying,” said Chris Plate, director of Economic Development and Aviation. “This honor is a testament to the City, its leadership and employees, the citizens, and all our allies. This type of recognition only comes with the utilization of the entire community and the 'Team' of professionals we depend on daily.” The growth in aerospace was not by happenstance, it began when Monroe Economic Development intensified their focus on aerospace in 2002. The industry already had significant roots in Monroe, so the challenge was to capitalize on the competitive advantage the community possessed. With similar types of companies, a productive workforce, available training and low costs of production, Monroe could demonstrate how aerospace firms could flourish. Since this initiative toward aerospace began, the City has nearly doubled its number of aerospace related firms and announced just under one-half billion dollars in new aerospace capital investment. To best put this in perspective, the NC Secretary of Commerce stated that Monroe has the highest geographic concentration of aerospace companies in North Carolina. Moving forward, Monroe continues to focus on the recruitment of aerospace. The technology, materials, and skill sets used by these firms will continue to be utilized by other industries as well. Specialty plastics and composites, super alloys, and machining with ultra-high tolerances will be sought out by companies in alternative and “green” energy production, automotive, machine building and medical applications to also be Monroe’s future. The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner with Monroe Economic Development and congratulates them on their recognition. For more information on Monroe Economic Development, please call (704) 282-5780 or you can visit their website at www.developmonroe.com. Lincoln Economic Development Association Leads in Business Retention The Lincoln Economic Development Association (LEDA) received an award for its Existing Business Program from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) at its annual conference in late October. LEDA was recognized in the category of Business Retention and Expansion for organizations covering an area with a population of 50,000 – 200,000. “They liked the fact that we actually had goals and measurable objectives,” Barry Matherly, executive director of LEDA, said. According to Matherly, one thing that sets LEDA apart from other regional economic development associations is its focus on existing industry. Matherly cited a number of ways LEDA takes care of Lincoln County’s existing businesses, including a visitation program, the Milestone Awards program and recognition events. In addition, LEDA’s new Welcoming Industry’s New Stars (WINS) program lets companies know they are part of the community from the first day they decide to set up shop in Lincoln County. “By the time they get to the ribbon cutting, they’ve already been a part of LEDA,” Matherly said. Over the past five years, LEDA has seen more than 20 expansions of industry totaling more than $242 million and resulting in the creation of more than 1,400 jobs in the county. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for current up to date information on this new development. Anson Company Sees Southeast Expansion CMH Flooring is Growing and Adding 300 Employees CMH Flooring Products has reason to celebrate! The Wadesboro based company recently bought Space Flooring of Atlanta and grew to 300 employees. Before the merger, CMH employed 183 workers, said Art Layton, vice president of marketing. CMH is ranked number thirteen nationally in the Floor Covering Weekly list of largest distributors, which was released in October before the Space Flooring purchase. Layton states that next year’s ranking should show a combined CMH and Space Flooring at number three or four. The 300,000 square-foot headquarters and distribution center on US Highway 74 on the town’s west side will remain the primary base for the company. The merger will add eight Space Flooring stores to CMH’s distribution system that includes locations in the Richmond, Virginia, Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta areas. The combined company will add to its customers in the Southeast instead of expanding to another region Layton says. “Our companies complement each other,” says Hoy Lanning, CMH chief executive. “Space Flooring’s inventory of flooring supplies, tools and cushions will fit well with CMH’s extensive supply of flooring.” CMH Flooring Products is a former Incumbent Worker Grant recipient. They received the grant through the Centralina Workforce Development Board and used it to improve upon their workforce. Obviously the grant and the training the employees participated in helped the company grow and be extremely successful! Congratulations CMH! Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for current up to date information on this new development. Poultry Company Looks to Increase Operations Case Farms Starts Their Growing Process in Troutman Case Farms has launched an expansion and renovation of its Troutman (Iredell County) administration offices. The poultry processor expects to nearly double employment to 42 jobs in its financial department over the next five years. The $1.8 million expansion of the 8,000 square-foot building includes the addition of a server room for information-technology integration, an electrical room, a new parking lot and additional storage and offices. The construction will bring the Troutman offices to 13,000 square-feet, says Mike Popowycz, chief financial officer. Case Farms chose to add to the office because it’s easily accessible to its Morganton and Goldsboro operations. The company hired Hennon Group Architects of Mooresville and Charlotte-Based Lee Morgan Inc. for design and construction. Hennon is using a three-dimensional modeling process to design the addition, says Heather Poston, spokeswoman for the firm. “Case Farms was able to see exterior and interior renderings and compare costs of various elements before groundbreaking,” Poston says. Case Farms is based in Maryland. The company processes 1.6 million birds per week and has more than 2,000 employees in North Carolina, Maryland and Ohio. Its Troutman facility was established in 1993 and originally included the company’s genetics program. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for current up to date information on this new development. Cabarrus Company to Add 250 Jobs Connextions, Inc. Announces Plans to Expand Connextions Inc., a technology-based business process outsourcing firm, announced on Monday November 3 that they plan to start the expansion of its operations in Concord. The company, which currently employs more than 800 professional contact center agents in its Concord International Business Park location, will add up to 250 new positions at the same location when it opens a new building on December 1. “This expansion of our Concord operations is an important milestone in our company’s growth plans,” said Jack LeFort, Connextions Chairman and CEO. “It will provide the necessary space to accommodate the technology and the professionals who serve several current Connextions clients, who represent some of the best-known commercial and healthcare organizations in the country.” Unlike other business process outsourcing firms that have moved contact center jobs to offshore locations, Connextions exclusively operates in the United States. In addition to Concord, Connextions operates centers at its headquarters in Orlando and in Jeffersonville, Indiana, employing up to 2,500, including insurance agents who are licensed in all 50 states. Connextions was assisted by Cabarrus Economic Development and The Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce in locating the expansion site, a new building that is situated just east of the company’s current facility. The new center comprises more than 16,800 square feet. “The addition of jobs in these difficult economic times is good news for our community, especially as North Carolina’s jobless rate creeps upward,” said John Cox, president of Cabarrus Economic Development. “Connextions is a stable employer that is growing good, local jobs with attractive benefits. We are honored to have them as members of the Cabarrus business community.” The Concord expansion will immediately serve the business account development of a major Connextions client, the world’s most respected logistics and shipping company. Anyone interested in applying for the jobs is encouraged to send letters of application and resumes to HR@connextions.com. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for current up to date information on this new development. November'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 Toter Incorporated in Statesville, NC. Barbara Davidson of Toter Incorporated completed and submitted the survey. We thank Barbara for helping us with our continuous improvement feedback process! For more information about Toter Incorporated please visit their website www.toter.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. Check out more great things going on with the Centralina WDB region’s business community in the Business Quickies section! • Site Selection Magazine has named North Carolina the state with the top business climate for 2008. As revealed in the November issues of the magazine, research based in part on a survey of corporate real estate executives has identified the State’s overall climate for capital investment to be tops in the US for the fourth year in a row, and for the seventh time in the last eight years. • The Salisbury-Rowan County Economic Development Commission received the 2008 Duke Energy Power Partner Award for its help with the Buck Steam plant expansion. The EDC played a key role in helping acquire a conditional use permit for the new combustion turbine combined cycle plant in Rowan County. • Expansion Solutions Magazine has named the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation a recipient of one of its Awards for Excellence in the biotechnology category. The organization was honored for its role in establishing the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis. It is the second consecutive year the organization has received the award. • HRO Today Magazine has recognized TharpeRobbins Company Inc, as one of the top ten managed employee recognition and rewards companies. The company, located in Statesville, has been on the “Baker’s Dozen of Employee Recognition: Dissecting the Market” list for four years. TharpeRobbins employs 130 people in Statesville. • InnovatorMagnet.com recently launched as the first tangible piece of progress for the fledgling Entrepreneurial Council of Cabarrus and Rowan counties. The website offers an event calendar, capital information and news targeted at entrepreneurs. The site is operated by the Entrepreneurial Council, founded a year ago as part of Cabarrus and Rowan counties’ Small Business and Entrepreneurial Development Action Plan. • ASMO North Carolina, Inc. is moving the Thomasville and Mount Airy operations to Statesville starting in January 2009. The consolidation, which will bring 132 jobs to Statesville, won’t require an expansion at that facility. The Statesville facility currently employs 423 workers. ASMO was a recipient of an Incumbent Worker Grant recipient through the Centralina Workforce Development Board and used it to improve upon their workforce. Obviously the grant and the training the employees participated in helped the company grow and bring more business to Iredell County. Be sure to check back next month for more business quickies!

Centralina and Partners Work Together to Help Transitioning Workforce

Rapid Response Partners Respond to Closing of Canac Kitchens

When Canac Kitchens in Statesville announced their plant closing in October the local Rapid Response Team was called into action to assist the company executives in providing transition assistance for their 540 employees.

Canac, a subsidiary of Kohler, manufactures kitchen cabinetry and has been impacted by the downturn in the housing market. The company is being assisted by the Iredell County JobLink Career Center in Statesville along with the Centralina Workforce Development Board and other Rapid Response Team members such as Mitchell Community College and Goodwill Industries with employment transition services.
One of the services provided to the company was organizing a Job Fair for their employees.

Over 400 employees showed up November 7th armed with resumes and smiles to meet seventeen local employers who are accepting applications. Some of those attending were able to complete applications on the spot and other were able to briefly meet with Human Resource Managers to give a brief introduction and exchange information. The employees were also able to find out about training opportunities available to them from training vendors who attended.

Vail Carter, Business Services Coordinator for the Centralina Workforce Development Board said “Statesville is fortunate to have a diverse manufacturing community who will be able to hire many of Canac’s skilled workers”.

He indicated that over 100 of the employees have already secured employment with other local companies.

“While we hate to see good employers like Canac close shop we have other local companies who are expanding their operations” Carter said.

Plant officials expect to wrap up operations at the facility by Spring of 2009 and the plans are underway to recruit a new manufacturing concern to replace the Canac operations. For more information on the job fair or on the Rapid Response Team please contact Vail Carter at (704) 348-2710 or by email at vcarter@centralina.org.

Centralina WDB Helps More Businesses Succeed

Board Receives Incumbent Worker Funding for 3 Local Businesses

The Centralina Workforce Development Board (WDB) is proud to recognize three local employers that have received Incumbent Workforce Development Program funding in the first round for 2008-2009. The Centralina Workforce Development Board approved these grants with funding provided by the NC Department of Commerce – Division of Workforce Development. Each employer will receive the requested amount of funds to help upgrade the skills of their current workforce as listed below:

The Sullivan Corporation, located in Statesville (Iredell County), supplies metal finishing and magnetic work holding services to the auto industry, restaurants and individual metal shops. The company will utilize North Carolina State University Industrial Extension Service to deliver training in Lean Manufacturing, 5s Workplace Organization, Lean Leader Training and Value Stream Mapping to 11 of its current employees. The Sullivan Corporation will be receiving $ 21,900 in Incumbent Workforce Development funds through a contract with the Centralina WDB, based on the grant awarded November 7, 2008.

Hersey Meters, located in Cleveland (Rowan County), has manufactured high quality water meters for over 140 years. They use modern technology to ensure accuracy to utilities and industrial customers. The company’s training plan involves training their employees in Lean Manufacturing, Team Building, Leadership Skills and Problem Solving training. Training will be provided for up to 75 employees, ensuring they can remain competitive and maintain their current growth. Hersey Meters has partnered with Rowan- Cabarrus Community College and ProSource Industrial Trainers to implement their training plan. Hersey Meters, Inc. will be receiving $ 19,125 in Incumbent Workforce Development funds through a contract with the Centralina WDB, based on the grant awarded November 7, 2008.

Carolina Beer & Beverage, located in Statesville (Iredell County), is the creator and maker of a dozen high-quality crafted beers. They also provide packing services for several customers. The company has outlined a plan to train 32 employees (20 Managers, Supervisors, and Leads) and 12 hourly employees to participate in Lean Manufacturing Training to prepare them for plant expansion. They have requested to engage Mitchell Community College to conduct the training. Carolina Beer & Beverage, LLC will be receiving$ 21,000 in Incumbent Workforce Development funds through a contract with the Centralina WDB, based on the grant awarded November 7, 2008.

Thanks to the Incumbent Worker grant, Carolina Beer & Beverage will also be adding 30 new jobs as it opens a 300,000 square-foot distribution center in Mooresville. The building should be finished by April 2009. The center is being built on 21 acres in the Mooresville Business Park.

Since July 1, 2008, a grand total of $62,025 in economic development investment for 3 existing businesses has been made possible through the Incumbent Workforce Development Program. A total of 118 employees are scheduled to receive training. We thank the companies, the training providers, and the employees for their willingness to build a stronger workforce and business environment in our region. For the Centralina WDB, workforce development is economic development.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board is now accepting applications for the second round of Incumbent Worker training funds for 2008-2009. The deadline for submission of applications to Centralina is January 20, 2009. The Centralina WDB looks forward to working with new local businesses to submit applications, as well as, past companies who want to resubmit from previous periods. For more information and to review the revised guidelines and application please visit the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s website here or contact Vail Carter, Centralina WDB Business Services Coordinator at 704.348.2710 or vcarter@centralina.org. Vail is also available to assist companies in the completion of the application.

Union County JobLink Career Center Becomes More Visible in the Community

The Union County JobLink Career Center recently added a new feature to their facility located at 1125 Skyway Drive in Monroe.

This month, the Union County JobLink Career Center revealed their new awning that covers the entrance off of Skyway Drive. The previous JobLink sign that was at the front of the facility has been moved to the side of the building to make the JobLink easier to locate and identify for those driving on Skyway Drive towards downtown Monroe. The new awning is part of an extensive renovation at the center which included new interior paint, new carpeting, expansion of the Career Resource Center, and the addition of new offices.

David Hollars, Centralina WDB Executive Director, states "the new awning provides an attractive and business friendly entrance to the center."   David also noted that the Union County JobLink Career Center was the first chartered JobLink in the Centralina WDB region. The Union JobLink was initialed chartered by the Centralina WDB in 1998.

The Union County JobLink Career Center is open for business from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM Monday through Friday. To find out about all of the services that the JobLink has to offer you, wither you are a career seeker or an employer, visit their website at www.unionjoblink.com or contact JobLink manager Randall Darnell at (704) 283-7541 or by e-mail at randall.darnell@ncmail.net.

Union County Partners Receive Grant to Improve Health Care Workforce

CMC-Union and South Piedmont Community College Receive $362,451 Grant

Carolinas Medical Center-Union (CMC) has been awarded a $362,451 grant from The Duke Endowment. The money will be used to develop a state-of-the-art simulation laboratory in conjunction with South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) to enhance the training of nurses and other health care personnel.

The simulation lab will be housed in CMC-Union’s Outpatient Treatment Pavilion. Space for three patient simulators is currently being renovated by the hospital and is expected to be completed by December.

Simulation labs are scheduled to begin in January 2009. Nursing schools are among the largest users of simulation equipment. Advanced adult, pediatric and infant simulators manufactured by Medical Education Technologies, Inc. were selected for use in the lab. These simulators will be utilized by South Piedmont Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing Program and by CMC-Union for in-house training and skills assessment.

Simulation labs have been proven to improve critical thinking skills and competencies for students and practicing health care professionals.

“The college has been focused on increasing training opportunities for people who want to work in healthcare because we know there is a great need,” said SPCC President and Allied Health Regional Skills Partnership member Dr. John McKay. “The generosity of The Duke Endowment will make top-of-the-line simulators available for college students and hospital employees to hone their skills.”

“We are honored to partner with SPCC to ensure Union County and the surrounding area has an adequate number of highly trained nurses and other health care professionals,” said Michael Lutes, president of Carolinas Medical Center-Union.

The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to see two of its partners working together to think of innovative ways to reach the workforce. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for current up to date information on this new development.

Anson County Leaders Meet to Discuss $2 Million Grant

Anson County leaders and concerned citizens held another public meeting in Wadesboro on Monday October 28, 2008 as residents worked to determine what to do with the $2 million grant that The Golden LEAF Foundation will present to Anson County.

Citizens broke up into small groups to hear instructions on how to proceed. Each group discussed one of four topics: education, economic development, human resources, or quality of life.

Groups were told to first decide, what initiatives, groups or programs attempting to address these issues were working and what could be improved upon in the future. They were also told to decide what impacts or results they wished to see in a few years time on these issues.

After much discussion, each group worked its way to a list of four impacts they wished to see made with the money in a few years. They came to this conclusion by listing all of the desired impacts, and similar to the voting process at a previous meeting, giving each member three votes on the impact of their choice.

The final list of desires for the economic development group were a reduced adult illiteracy rate, a diverse base of business and industry, the promotion of agricultural businesses and a certified industrial park, which they believed would attract investment and employers.

The final lists of desires for the education group were 100% school readiness, decreased incidence of teen pregnancy and an increase in the number of literate adults and GED graduates.

The quality of life group sought improved health of citizens, an increase in communication and partnerships between people and organizations and an increase in cultural and social opportunities.

The human resources group wanted more life skills, more education, improvements in living conditions and more shelters for the homeless.

The meeting concluded with the ideas being documented and ready for further discussion at an upcoming meeting. Local leaders plan to have another meeting to discuss more ideas and goals for the $2 million Golden LEAF Foundation grant for Anson County. Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for current up to date information on this new development. For more information on these meetings, please contact Emily Clamp at (704) 348-2732 or by e-mail at eclamp@centralina.org.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Starts Two New Biotech Programs

College Upgrades BioWork Courses

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) continues to build its biotechnology program. The college recently gained approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to offer associate degrees in biotechnology and agricultural biotechnology starting in August 2009.

Both programs will prepare students for research and technical jobs being created by the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. That could mean more than 5,500 biotech jobs by 2013 and 14,000 by 2032.

“The universities and other employers with operations on the research campus will look to RCCC to provide the training programs needed to meet many of their workforce demands,” Dr. Carol Spaulding, RCCC president, said. “RCCC also will serve as a bridge to the research campus for local residents.”

RCCC began offering biotech courses last spring, and these two new courses will expand the program to reach more of the community and the workforce.

The college is also recruiting key faculty, such as a agricultural biotechnology program head and a newly expanded role, dean of biotechnology, science and mathematics. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is also working with Gaston College to develop a certificate program to train residents with science or lab backgrounds for work as clinical research technicians or assistants.

For more information on biotech classes at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, please call (704) 216-7200 or visit their website at www.rowancabarrus.edu/biotechnology.

NC Research Campus Update

Find Out What’s the Latest With This World Renowned New Development

Big, Bodacious Idea
Duke University will open a business incubator called the Biomarker Factory at the NC Research Campus.

The new initiative will occupy a large portion of Duke’s future building in downtown Kannapolis and will encompass the MURDOCK Study, Duke’s groundbreaking medical project named for the campus founder David Murdock.

While still in the planning stages, the Biomarker Factory should serve as Duke’s major contribution to the $1.5 billion Research Campus, said Victoria Christian, chief operating officer for the MURDOCK Study and Duke Translational Research Institute.

The Biomarker Factory will raise money to help fund the MURDOCK Study, which is expected to cost millions of dollars and last for decades.

Unusual Team to Run the Campus’s Core Lab
Scientists from rival universities will put David Murdock’s vision of collaboration to the test as they open the Core Laboratory at the NC Research Campus.

In an unusual arrangement, 13 scientists from four universities have become interim directors of the high-tech specialties that make up the Core Lab. The search continues for a permanent chief executive officer for the Core Lab.

All the scientists maintain full-time positions with their universities while working for the Research Institute. Most of their work is done remotely although personal visits to the campus will become more common.

The interim lab directors for the Core Lab at the NC Research Campus are: Simon Gregory, Michael Topal, Art Moseley, Xian Chen, Wei Jia, Tom O’Connell, Mark Butler, Leon Spicer, John Cavanagh, Ron Venters, Sam Johnson, Nina Allen and John Mackenzie.

Can the Research Campus Stay Healthy?
During these tough times in the economy, the Research Campus proves that the region’s economy isn’t dependent on banking alone, according to Dr. John Connaughton, director of the UNC Charlotte Economic Forecast.

“Certainly, in the local economy it’s good news,” he said. “And it points to the regional economy as fairly well diversified.”

Because Charlotte is the second largest financial center in the country, the current economic crisis makes biotech even more important to the region Mac Holladay, head of Market Street Services stated.

As an industry, biotechnology might not only survive but thrive in a recession and help bring more jobs to the region.

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.

Kings Daughters Director Pays a Visit to the Centralina WDB Youth Council Sharon Allen who created King’s Daughters was the featured presenter at the Centralina WDB Youth Council meeting on Thursday November 20 at the Boys & Girls Club in Concord. Ms. Allen development King’s Daughters because several of the young girls referred to the parent organization, Connecting Futures Inc. in Union County, where Sharon is the executive director, were court ordered to have a mentor. The King’s Daughters Mentorship Program provides services for girls ages 11-18 with the goals of improving interpersonal, social and emotional skills. The King’s Daughters’ mission is to inspire all girls to be positive and successful by providing interaction with positive and successful women. The goals of the King’s Daughters Mentoring program is to increase girls’ sense of self worth and perspective toward education; help girls’ develop and define their short and long term goals; provide them with positive support and encouragement; and help them become self-sufficient and motivated women. Studies have shown that young ladies paired with a mentor are 46% less likely to engage in the use of illicit drugs, 27% less likely to use alcohol, and 52% less likely to skip school. Also, a 2002 Louis Harris Poll showed that 59% of mentored students improved their grades and 87% said that they felt a benefit from having a mentor. Currently, Kings Daughters has 21 young ladies enrolled in the program and has 15 mentors, six girls are waiting to be paired with a mentor. Sharon named her program King’s Daughters because she wanted the girls involved to have a constant reminder that as King’s Daughters, they are royalty and they should behave and believe in themselves as such. The King’s Daughter’s mentors are positive and professional women who volunteer to work with a teenage girl to provide guidance and support toward a mentee’s transition to young adulthood. Visit www.cfutures.org for more information. For more information on the Centralina WDB Youth Council, please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2725 or by e-mail at npender@centralina.org. * * * * * * * I-Care Teaches Responsible Financial Practices I-Care, Inc. in Statesville is offering a new seminar for the community. Their credit and budget seminar covers many topics and teaches individuals about their credit report, foreclosures, mortgages, credit cards, interest rates, and programs for first-time homebuyers and much more. Many who attend the seminar are in the process of cleaning up their credit so they can have a brighter future. Ronda Jones has been a client of I-Care for nine months. After returning home to Statesville more than a year ago, she decided she needed help if she was going to improve herself and her life and she turned to I-Care. As part of the process she decided to work on her credit. Jones has taken steps to clean up her credit by attending the credit and budget seminar. “This will get it to be A1 credit so I can be able to purchase a home,” she said. I-Care Self Sufficiency Case Manager Darlene Kent said improving your credit can take years, but it’s worth it. “You do need to pay your debts off,” she said. “That’s the only way you’re going to get credit.” The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are proud partners with I-Care, Inc. and is happy to see partners reaching out to the community with helpful seminars to improve our community and everyone’s quality of life. For more information on upcoming seminars at I-Care, Inc., please contact Natasha Pender at (704) 348-2732 or by e-mail at npender@centralina.org. * * * * * * * Stanly County Vocational Rehabilitation Brings Youth and Businesses Together The month of October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM). This means that this month will focus on increasing community and employer awareness as it relates to hiring individuals that may need accommodations to employment. Wednesday October 15, 2008 was specifically designated as Mentoring Day where high school students receive the opportunity to tour local area businesses to increase their knowledge of employment options upon transitioning from school to work. In observance of DEAM, Pinkie Furr, business relations representative with Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR) in Albemarle, arranged tours with Wal-Mart, Masterpiece Housing, Dollar General and Locust Lumber company at the request and interest of selected students from North Stanly, South Stanly, West Stanly and Albemarle high schools. The employers were open to this experience and provided an excellent insight into the world of work for the students. “This was a good opportunity for businesses in Stanly County to see young people who are ready to work in Stanly County and for the students to see thriving and sustainable businesses in Stanly County that have opportunities for employment,” said Tamyra Borden, VR school counselor. Each business provided a tour of their establishment and explained hiring requirements and basic expectations of their employees. In turn this opportunity allowed Vocational Rehabilitation to give employers a better understanding of whom and how VR can assist them with employment needs and expounded upon the partnership with Stanly County Schools. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are proud partners with Vocational Rehabilitation and is excited to see organizations forming relationships between youth and local businesses. The relationships that are formed now will lead to a strong workforce in the future. For more information about services from Vocational Rehabilitation, please call (704) 982-8124. * * * * * * * Anson New Technology High School Receives Science and Technology Grant Anson New Technology High School is one of 10 innovative high schools across North Carolina that will share a half-million dollar grant to support their focus on science, technology, engineering and math to boost academic performance and better prepare students for college and careers. The grant, from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), was announced by the North Carolina New Schools Project (NCNSP), a non-profit organization which promotes high school innovation statewide. The new $515,000 grant from GSK will subsidize a quarter of NCNSP’s assistance to the 10 schools, which are in their second year enrolling students, through the 2010-11 school year. It also provides for a consultant to work with the schools to improve science and math curriculum. “As a company steeped in scientific advances and a global competitor that needs a highly skilled workforce here in North Carolina, GlaxoSmithKline understands that teaching and learning in our high schools needs to change,” said Burley Mitchell, chairman of NCNSP’s board of directors and former chief justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. “As a corporate citizen, GSK’s commitment to high school innovation across the state has been unmatched.” NCNSP is working with 10 innovative schools and 92 others across the state to transform teaching and learning in smaller, more focused highly personalized settings. NCNSP works directly with teachers and principals building their capacity and providing extensive on-site coaching through the first five years that innovative schools are open. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council can’t wait to see all the positive results around the region from this grant. For more information on the NC New Schools Project, please visit their website at www.newschoolsproject.org. For more information on GlaxoSmithKline, please visit their website at www.gsk.com. * * * * * * * HOLLA and Partners Hold Annual Parent Summit A diverse group of nearly 100 convened for the HOLLA! Fall Parent Summit. The bloc consisted of parents, teachers, students, school administrators, and local service providers, representatives of the North Carolina PTA and other supporters of the community effort to improve Anson County Student achievement. The summit was designed to provide parents with tools and information necessary to help navigate their children to success. But what quickly emerged during the workshop from the opening exercise, was how strategically and carefully the community must work together to move children toward achievement. Information on raising healthy children, life after high school, fatherhood, parenting, ways to talk to your children about sex and the importance collaborating was presented by the partners of the summit. HOLLA! Collaborated with Anson County Schools, South Piedmont Community College, Anson County Health Department, Parent Information Resource Center (PIRC), Parent Partners, Anson County Partnership for Children, Pathway to Peace Ministries, North Carolina PTA and United Way in the presenting of this event. The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are proud to seeing partnering agencies working together to assist parents in our communities. Another session will be held in the spring. For more information or to participate, please call (704) 694-3552. Anson Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Gregory Firn, lends an ear to Anson Middle School PTA President Vicky Isaac-Cook during the Holla!’s Parent Summit. * * * * * * * Study Addresses Continuing Dropout Issues Nationwide Your child is less likely to graduate from high school then you were, and most states are doing little to hold schools accountable, according to a study by a children’s advocacy group. More than half the states have graduation targets that don’t make school get better, the Education Trust says in a report released. And dropout rates haven’t budged: One in four kids is still dropping out of high school, according to the report. “The US is stagnating while other industrialized countries are surpassing us,” said Anna Habash, author of the report by Education Trust, which advocates on behalf of minority and poor children. “And that is going to have a dramatic impact on our ability to compete,” she said. The United States is now the only industrialized country where young people are less likely than their parents to earn a diploma. High schools are required to meet graduation targets every year as part of the 2002 federal No Child Left Behind Law (NCLB). But those targets are set by states, not by the federal government. And most states allow schools to graduate low percentages of students by saying that any progress, or even the status quo in some cases, is acceptable. In North Carolina, schools must improve by 0.1 percentage point each year. At that rate, it would take nearly a century to raise the graduation rate, now 72 percent, to the state goal of 80 percent. State and school officials are under pressure to improve test scores under the No Child Left Behind education law or face penalties. But they got a break on graduation rates: Schools must meet annual goals, but the government lets each state set its own goal. So in North Carolina, which has won praise for a series of innovations to keep kids in school, the graduation goal has not changed. Officials are coming up with a new goal but are hoping No Child Left Behind will be rewritten to be less punitive. “To be candid, we’re waiting for NCLB to change,” said June Atkinson, North Carolina’s state schools superintendent. “Those numbers do not tell the story. Our mission is that 100 percent of our students will graduate from high school. Needless to say, we have a lot of work to do.” Please continue to look to the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s monthly E-Newsletter for current up to date information on the dropout rate, not only statewide but nationwide too. To read the full study from Education Trust, please click here.

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