Welcome to 2007!A Message from the Director
By it's very nature, Workforce Development is trying to hit a constantly moving target, and the professionals at our partnering agencies have always met the challenges placed before them with a commitment to excellence for individuals and businesses using our services. Right now, there are no low-skill or low-tech jobs anymore. Every indvidual needs at least a level of technical skills that were considered those of a "high tech specialist" 15 years ago. As the evolving economy continues to shape the demands of the workforce, we continue to work to stay ahead of the curve to make sure the potential of area businesses is never held back by an unready workforce, And at the same time, we strive to provide an education, training and work environment that puts no limits on what an individual can accomplish in his or her career. A lot of good things happen everyday in the Centralina region, and we're proud to be a part of it. Proud of the people we work with, proud of the can-do attitude of the region, and proud of playing a role in the very exciting future coming our way. David Hollars |
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Welcome
to 2007. All of us at the Centralina Workforce Development
Board want to wish the very best to the businesses, workforce
professionals, government officials, educators and others who
receive our e-newsletter. It's hard to believe but this
issue is Volume 6, Number 1, which makes this the start of the
sixth straight year for the e-newsletter. A lot has changed
over these years: the single largest employer in our region (Pillowtex)
has disappeared, but the fantastic North Carolina Research Campus
is blossoming from those hallowed grounds; the region has become
a hub for bio-technology, high-tech motorsports and many other
industries; and workforce development has never been more important.
Bricca
Sweet, grant writer for Iredell-Statesville Schools,
said classes could begin as soon as February. They hope to train
about 150 people in the first year. 
David
Meachem, the executive director of the 
The
housing authority is working with 
The
Competitive Workforce Alliance has added two new workforce development
boards. 
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Toyota Chooses RowanRacing Development Facility to be Built South of Salisbury
“They will probably break ground in the spring,” Harrell said. “This is exciting news for Rowan County.” Toyota plans to build a 30,000 to 35,000 square foot facility on 10 acres of the property for Toyota’s NASCAR competition group, as well as a chassis engineering operation. Between 40 and 50 people will be employed at the plant - with an average salary starting at $70,000. Construction is set to begin this year, with the facility opening in late 2008. Toyota will build on 10 acres of the property and reserve 30 acres for future expansion.
“We’ve been surveying the Charlotte area for quite some time,” Unger said. Now that the economic incentive package has gone through, Unger said his group will move forward toward construction. For more information on employment with Toyota in Rowan County, please contact Debbie Davis at the Rowan County JobLink Career Center at (704) 639-7529 or by e-mail at debbie.s.davis@ncmail.net. The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission to bring another great business to the region. It’s the workforce in the region that continues to bring productive companies to the area. A qualified workforce is job one for the Centralina Workforce Development Board. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or by e-mail at dhollars@centralina.org. Monroe Plans for New Business ParkAeroPointe will Allow for More Businesses to Enter Monroe
He says the park will likely grow significantly larger, but declines to specify how much land could be added to the park. A road leading to AeroPointe should be complete in August, Platé says.
Mark Donham, assistant city manager, says AeroPointe and its entrance road could become an entryway to the airport. "There is going to be a time in the near future that we will need access to the eastern side of the new corporate hangar development." The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with Monroe Economic Development and the City of Monroe. The Board believes that continuous economic growth in the region is important to workforce development. For more information on economic development efforts in Monroe, please call (704) 282-5780 or visit them on the web at www.developmonroe.com. |
Les
Unger, national motorsports manager for Toyota, said
Toyota is making a “long-term commitment in NASCAR.”
The
City of Monroe is planning a second industrial park, this
one designed more for multi-tenant buildings and smaller sites
than its first park. 
"That
should give us 12 to 15 smaller lots that will allow for 10,000-
to 30,000-square-foot buildings on as small as 2 acres,"
says Chris Platé, director of 
Monroe
Corporate Center, the community's first city-owned business
park, has attracted hundreds of jobs. The city also built
and found occupants for two speculative buildings in the 500-acre
development off Old Charlotte Highway, also at the airport.
As
Stanly County becomes recognized and attractive to newcomers,
business and industry, the Chamber receives more requests
for information. The new site provides information that the
Chamber would normally mail out. As well as providing numerous
links to community and governmental agencies, there will be
more current information on Chamber events.
Ramseur
said a website is often the first impression a visitor gets
of the community.
A
proposed $85 million hospital would be built on Janice Road
in Lincolnton, based on paperwork that Carolinas Medical
Center-Lincoln and Carolinas HealthCare System
filed with state officials.
Employment Statistics
Updated
Monthly on this E-Newsletter
| December 2006 (Source: NC Employment Security Commission) |
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| County | Unemployment
Rate |
Persons
Employed |
| Anson | 6.7% |
10,512 |
| Cabarrus | 3.9% |
78,157 |
| Iredell | 4.4% |
70,937 |
| Lincoln | 5.3% |
35,180 |
| Rowan | 5.2% |
66,170 |
| Stanly | 5.1% |
28,791 |
| Union | 3.5% |
80,962 |
For more information on employment, click here
NC Research Campus – Biotech Business Update
Steel is going up on two additional structures at the N.C. Research Campus. Work has begun on the laboratory building for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The $49 million, 125,000-square-foot UNC facility will be four stories with a 5,000-square-foot basement. The UNC laboratory will focus on nutrition. The steel framework also is taking shape for the campus' central energy plant.
Tom Sanctis, vice president of construction for Castle & Cooke, said the plant will generate steam and chilled water to heat and cool the laboratory buildings on the central part of the campus.
Besides the 311,000-square-foot Core Lab, which continues on schedule, the central campus will include the UNC lab, a 100,000-square-foot N.C. State University/Dole Foods lab, a 125,000-square-foot Duke University lab and a 100,000-square-foot lab that is yet unnamed.
Construction will begin in coming months on the N.C. State and Duke facilities.
The central energy plant will be a 24,000-square-foot, $25 million facility. It's located on the railroad tracks side of the closed portion of North Main Street across from the Core Lab. Construction on the Core Lab is expected to be finished in November.
The
$35 million N.C. State University lab will focus on fruits and vegetables
and finding ways, for example, to grow them bigger, make them taste
better, increase their nutritional value and extend their growing
seasons.
The Duke lab will try to take basic scientific discoveries at the campus and translate them into practical medical applications and solutions.
The lab buildings will be the first structures on the $1.4 billion campus being developed by Castle & Cooke in partnership with the research schools.
According to a recent agreement, UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State will lease their facilities from Castle & Cooke for 20 years, at which time the buildings become the property of the state or UNC system.
Castle & Cooke also will build a new facility for Curb Motorsports this year. Plans call for a $1.8 million, 20,000-square-foot structure at West F Street and Dale Earnhardt Boulevard. Curb Motorsports continues to operate out of its location at Chestnut Avenue and Dale Earnhardt Boulevard, but that spot eventually will become part of the biotech research campus.
The
Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Commission discussed
the research campus at its recent retreat. The EDC has had a committee,
headed by Rick Hudson, meeting regularly to talk
about how Rowan County should be involved with the campus as it
evolves. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College has taken a lead in establishing
biotech curriculums and workforce training in relation to the campus.
An 80,000-square-foot facility for Rowan-Cabarrus Community College will be built on the campus in 2009.
Besides
the economic benefits from new jobs and investments, the campus
could have an impact in the county's overall access to information,
Hudson said. Part of the new infrastructure in Kannapolis will be
higher broadband connections, which could be a crucial part of any
information strategy that the county and its municipalities develop
in the future, Hudson said.
Rowan-Salisbury Schools also has established a biotech task force and is working to create health and biotech academies at South Rowan and Carson high schools, Hudson reported.
Hudson said there's a critical need for private sector involvement in helping with equipment and facilities and giving input on curriculum.
EDC members said they must become faces at events connected to the biotech center and build relationships with Castle & Cooke, Kannapolis officials, business leaders and the biotech industry in general in North Carolina. It also could be important to have biotech-related events here "to put our flag in the ground," one EDC member said.
Phil Kirk, vice president for external relations at Catawba College, said his school has established a group of about 20 people to meet on biotech-related issues, even though Catawba is not a research institution. Kirk warned that there is "a perception among people that Rowan County is not as hot on this issue as it should be." "I can't overemphasize the importance of networking and being seen as players," Kirk said.
Lynne Scott Safrit, president of Castle & Cooke's Charlotte region, is a 1980 Catawba College graduate and member of the school's board of trustees.
The research
campus is expected to have 5,535 jobs, as well as attract an additional
9,291 biotechnology jobs to Cabarrus and Rowan counties by 2032,
according to an economic analysis report by Market Street Services,
Inc.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is proud to partner with
local colleges to develop new career fields in the area of biotechnology.
The Board promotes continuing training and continuous improvement
for all individuals in the region. A prepared workforce
is job one for the Centralina Workforce Development Board.
For the latest information on the NC Research Campus, please visit
the Centralina
WDB website.
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Area Health Education Centers Offer Funding in the Centralina Region for Summer Career Camps The Charlotte Area Health Education Center is a division of the Carolinas HealthCare system through a contractual agreement with UNC-Chapel Hill. They provide quality educational opportunities for all healthcare professionals by building partnerships, promoting recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals and advancing healthcare in the communities we serve. They also support a grant funded program called HEROES (Health Career Education Reaching Out to Excellent Students) that was established in 2001 that offers funding for health career summer camps. The grant is for organizations that serve elementary, middle and high school students. The minimum requirements for the grant are that at least 20 hours of one business week must be devoted to health career education. Also, the recruitment and enrollment must include 15 diverse students. Other requirements for the grant, along with the Request for Proposal for the grant can be found on the Centralina Workforce Development Board’s website at www.centralinaworks.com/whatshot.cfm. Note that the deadline for submission of grant proposals for health career camps for this summer is MARCH 1, 2007. The Charlotte Area Health Education Center serves the following Centralina counties: Anson, Cabarrus, Lincoln, Stanly and Union. For more information about the Charlotte Area Health Education Center and their connection to the communities in the counties listed above, please contact Michelle Boyd at (704) 512-6530 or by e-mail at Michelle.Boyd@carolinashealthcare.org.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council encourage its partners to apply for these grants. This is an exciting opportunity to partner with another organization to increase students’ awareness of health careers. The Centralina Workforce Development Board supports and partners with organizations like the Charlotte Area Health Education Center to help prepare the youth of today for the jobs of tomorrow. For more information on the collaboration between the Charlotte AHEC and the Centralina Workforce Development Board Youth Council, please contact David Hollars at (704) 348-2717 or at dhollars@centralina.org.
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* * Anson High School Plans for STEM School and Names Coordinator
Truman said the projected total price tag for the new school within a school is about $3 million with money to come from the North Carolina Education Lottery’s proceeds. No local or state tax dollars will be involved. He said the STEM school would join the Freshman Academy, another “self-contained learning environment” on the AHS campus already up and running.
The building will be constructed to hold about 300 students and grow at a rate compare-able to Anson County Early College. “We’ll start with the freshman year,” he said. “Then we’ll grow it each successive school year, adding about 60 sophomores one year, then about 60 juniors the next and finally about 60 seniors, maxing out probably between 200 and 240 pupils.” Future projections for the school include Internet courses, joint classes coordinated between the STEM school and South Piedmont Community College and elective and/or college credit courses. “Test scores will improve, Truman said, “and it will really impact the school as a whole in a very positive way.”
“I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to lead students and provide opportunities for success in their academic careers,” he said. “So the chance to lead both students and teachers into an area that is a real passion of mine is a truly exciting thing.” The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are pleased to partner with Anson County Schools on a variety of workforce initiatives including having the Workforce Investment Act Program for Anson County located at Anson High School. Please continue to check the Centralina E-Newsletter’s Youth Corner for more information on the STEM school in Anson County. For more information on the Centralina Workforce Development Board Youth Council, please contact Emily Barnes at (704) 348-2732 or by e-mail at ebarnes@centralina.org. * * * * * * *
The College Foundation of North Carolina Opens Registration for FAFSA Day There are several locations in the Centralina region, these locations include: To find other locations in the state please click here. Please remember to register for the event. * * * * * * *
Stanly Schools Honored for Leadership at Conference
The honorees have each hosted their fist quality assurance review for district accreditation. District accreditation is a process designed to recognize school systems that embrace improving student learning as a systemic process. This achievement recognizes the quality of education afforded the students in the Stanly County School District through the leadership of the superintendent and governing authority, the dedication and service of the professional staff, and the support of community stakeholders.
The Centralina Workforce Development Board and the Centralina Youth Council are proud to be partners with the Stanly County Schools system. The Centralina WDB Board and Youth Council believes that strong youth lead to a strong workforce. Want to know more about the Centralina Youth Council? Then visit www.way2work.org for information on this exciting and innovative group. * * * * * * *
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Maybe You Have What it Takes to be a Career Coach Futures for Kids is currently looking for career coaches for students. They need your help finding Career Coaches for some of the most popular career areas. Career Coaches let students know they need math to be a Hairstylist (if they ever want to be a business owner) and liking science is just as important as liking animals for Veterinary Medicine. So please read on to see if you know someone with experience in the following fields. The following are careers that students are asking a lot of questions about. Interested in Career Coaching but don’t see your career below? They’d still love to have you! To sign up, go to: www.f4k.org and click on "Be a Career Coach."
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A
new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
school is in the works for the Anson High School
campus in the 2007-08 school year, Anson County Schools Superintendent
Dr. George Truman recently announced.
Implementation
of the STEM school is scheduled for the start of the 2007-08
school year, he said, with about 60 students – the first
“cohort group” – to be housed in four existing
classrooms. Perhaps as soon as spring, 2008, said Truman,
work could commence on a brand-new building to house the STEM
school, to be situated on Anson High School Road on land the
school system already owns.
Recently
the Anson County Board of Education chose the coordinator
for the STEM school. Chris Stinson will be
the school’s coordinator. Stinson will continue in his
current position as the Anson County School’s science
coordinator and director of the Wadesboro Rotary Planetarium
and Science Center before assuming the helm of the STEM school.
The
Stanly
County Schools
The
Southern Regional Education Board report, High
School to College and Careers: Aligning State Policies 2007,
provides a state by state synopsis on the policies, programs
and high school graduation requirements that promote college
and career readiness. The report assesses the availability
proven college and career readiness best practices including:
dual enrollment programs that enable high school students
to take college level courses for credit and feedback reports
that notify individual high schools of how their graduates
are performing in college. The full report is available by
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Centralina Workforce Development Board meeting
Tuesday February 13, 2007 – 4:30 PM
Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce – Kannapolis
•
Centralina WDB JobLink Mangers meeting
Tuesday February 13, 2007 – 3:00 PM
Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce - Kannapolis
•
The Impact of Motorsports in Iredell County
Thursday February 1, 2007 – 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Tuesday March 8, 2007 – 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM –
“Driving Your Business Through Motorsports”
Penske Auditorium – 200 Penske Way – Mooresville
Cost: $75.00 for both sessions; $50.00 for one session
Contact: 704.664.3898
•
South Piedmont Community College – Business Seminars
Optimize your Start-Up – Tuesday February 6, 2007 –
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Dynamite Marketing – Monday February 12, 2007 – 6:00
PM – 9:00 PM
Finance Your Business – Tuesday February 20, 2007 –
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
4209 Old Charlotte Highway – Monroe Campus
Cost: $5.00
Contact: 704.290.5222
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Stanly County Economic Development Commission Forums
Tuesday February 6, 2007 – 7:00 PM
Location: Badin Inn Golf Resort and Club Room 1913
Tuesday February 13, 2007 – 7:00 PM
Location: Norwood Town Hall – Norwood
Open to county residents
Contact: 704-986-3682
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Wingate University’s 2007 Annual Career Fair
Thursday February 15, 2007 – 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Wingate Campus - LaVerne Banquet Hall
To participate as a employer, please contact Beth Smedley at 704.233.8024
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Framing Our Economic Future: An Entrepreneurship Agenda for NC:
2007 Entrepreneurship Summit
Tuesday February 27, 2007 – 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Hilton North Raleigh – 3415 Wake Forest Road - Raleigh
Cost: $85.00
Registration: www.ncruralcenter.org
•
Free Income Tax Return Preparation
January 22, 2007 – April 13, 2007
Cost: Free
Call for more information: Vickie Smith 704.825.3737 ext. 276
Open to Gaston County Residents
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Junior Achievement is looking for volunteers and sponsors in Cabarrus
& Rowan Counties:
Opportunities:
-Volunteer
-Sponsor a class or child
-Help lead the success of Junior Achievement in Cabarrus County
Contact: Stacey Richards, Junior Achievement District Manager
704.563.4858 or srichards@jacarolinas.org
NC Workforce Development Training Center Training Announcements
Customer
Service Training
February 2, 2007
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Workforce Development Training Center – Raleigh
Fee: $40.00
Labor
Market Information: A Guided Tour
February 6, 2007
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Workforce Development Training Center – Raleigh
Fee: NC
Navigating
a Successful Career Path (Career Assessment & Planning for
Adults)
February 7, 2007
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Workforce Development Training Center – Raleigh
Fee: $55.00
Career
Assessment & Planning for Older Youth Ages 18-21 Training
Event
February 8, 2007
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Workforce Development Training Center – Raleigh
Fee: $45.00
SHOW-IT
Training
February 19, 2007
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Hickory Metro Higher Education Center – Hickory
Fee: NC
Navigating
a Successful Career Path (Career Assessment & Planning for
Adults)
February 21, 2007
Location: McDowell Technical Community College – Marion
Fee: $55.00
Career
Assessment & Planning for Older Youth Ages 18-21 Training
Event
February 23, 2007
Location: Beaufort Community College – Washington
Fee: $45.00
Cultural
Competence
February 28, 2007
Location: Workforce Development Training Center – Raleigh
Fee: $50.00
For more information about these and other training offerings or to register for training, please visit: www.ncwdtc.com
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Visit
our website at www.centralinaworks.com
to learn more about the Centralina WDB |
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To
learn more about the Centralina Council of Governments please visit
www.centralina.org
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| CentralinaWORKS is a publication of the Centralina Workforce Development Board. If you do not wish to receive this E-Newsletter in the future, please send a return e-mail and type "REMOVE" in the Subject Line and you will be removed from our distribution list. The CWDB does not share its distribution list with other organizations. Please feel free to share this E-Newsletter with co-workers and other business associates. |