NC COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEMMore than 30 years ago, North Carolina created a new kind of economic development tool -- company-specific customized training. North Carolina was the first state to recognize that training people for specific jobs in specific companies was a legitimate enterprise for a responsible and responsive government. No state has more experience in providing customized training. NC pioneered the nation's first customized training program in 1958, and since has provided customized training for thousands of companies in almost every industrial category. The state's history in initiating customized training is noteworthy because it served as the framework from which the current North Carolina Community College System was built. This heritage influences the state's community colleges today, as they are widely recognized as the most industry training-focused community college system in the nation.
The North Carolina Community College System's New Industry Training Program is designed specifically to assist new industries in workforce training. All training programs are administered by the community college serving the area in which the company is located. In Edgecombe and Nash Counties, that service is provided by Edgecombe Community College, with campuses in Tarboro and Rocky Mount, and Nash Community College with a campus in Nashville.
This local one-on-one connection guarantees constant attention and prompt response. Experienced and project-tested professionals help the local college design and operate customized training programs. The versatility of the Colleges' workforce training service is virtually unlimited. Flexible and custom-designed training programs can accommodate almost any job found in a manufacturing or service company. If a job can be defined and arranged into a logical learning sequence, then Edgecombe Community College and Nash Community College can train people for it.
CUSTOMIZED TRAINING PROGRAMS
The North Carolina Community College System sponsors 2 customized training programs, New and Expanding Industry Training and Focused Industrial Training, in addition to Workforce Continuing Education Training. The Workforce Continuing Education program is also very relevant because much of the training that occurs through this program is customized to company specifications and offered at company work sites. Through this program colleges receive funding to provide job training in over 1,400 eligible categories. Companies can acquire training for their employees by contacting their local college for delivery, for which they pay a very low registration rate per registered trainee ($50 to $65 plus books and materials). Many courses are greater than 100 hours in length, for which the company would pay instructional costs of only $65 per student, thanks to the significant State subsidy.
NC's Workforce Continuing Education program offers a very economical avenue for companies to achieve high quality training at a very low cost. As an example, most colleges have capabilities to offer either Achieve Global or Development Dimensions International supervisory leadership training and teamwork training through ongoing continuing education efforts. This enables companies to obtain recognized industry leading programs at a cost that would be a fraction of the norm.
North Carolina Manufacturing Certification Program
This program consists of a Level I Fundamentals course consisting of core training modules in manufacturing concepts and safety, measurements and math, teamwork and communications, problem solving, elective modules in blueprint reading, statistical process control, the business of manufacturing, and computers in manufacturing. This 100-hour program is available through the workforce continuing education program for less than $100 per person, including registration and materials. It in turn leads into Level II Manufacturing Certification courses, based on national industry certifications and skill standards that are currently under development for metals, electronics, plastics and textiles.
Focused Industrial Training
This is another unique retraining program offered by North Carolina which targets existing manufacturing companies The Focused Industrial Training (FIT) program enables a local community college to sponsor high cost training that may not be possible through the Workforce Continuing Education program. An example may be training that must be conducted by a technology specialist that is contracted by the college for employees of a specific company. Another example may be when the company has a very few number of trainees (1 to 8 for example) that need customized training in areas like PLCs or CNC. In either case, the customized training can be provided to the company through the FIT program with the same registration fees applicable as under the Workforce Continuing Education program.
The Focused Industrial Training Program (FIT) also enables community colleges to provide special retraining projects, generally for a collection of companies or an industry. Under special circumstances, such as if there was a need for retraining certain production workers, the N.C. Community College System could commit funds to support a special retraining project through one of our local colleges. These funds would be used by the local college to provide special employee retraining and support for development of training programs or customized materials.
New and Expanding Industry Training Program
Once a company adds 12 or more new employees to their North Carolina operation, over and above their three year employment high, the company could be eligible for the New and Expanding Industry Training Program to support training for new production employees and first-level supervisors. Through this program, a number of services could be provided to clients that may include: customized media development (i.e., custom training manuals, videos, CD ROM etc.), temporary training facilities, job analyses services, pre-employment orientations, and instruction provided by a network of expert instructors. The company could be reimbursed for certain negotiated training expenses that include instructor travel and wages.
A key feature of this program is its flexibility in the use of instructors. Through New and Expanding Industry Training, in addition to the network of expert instructors, the state can contract with equipment vendors or others the company may identify for specific technical training, and/or reimburse for certain company employees that may be utilized as instructors. The use of company instructors often occurs when the state supports the travel and training wages of company trainers brought in from out-of-state; or where the travel costs of sending a core group of employees out-of-state to another of the company's facilities to gain technical skills, and then reimburse the company for negotiated training wages as they train additional new employees in the acquired skills.
Links
LOCAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Local Community Colleges
This area affords unlimited possibilities for obtaining higher and continuing education and/or workforce training. Both Edgecombe Community College and Nash Community College provide a variety of educational programs designed to broaden the educational scope of a changing community. Both are comprehensive community colleges that offer a wide range of academic and vocational programs that prepare students for entry into skilled occupations, and enhance personal, social and economic potential while fulfilling the workforce needs of the community. Both colleges not only have strong relationships with area industry; they have formed a variety of partnerships with the area's public schools such as Tech Prep and cooperative programs. The Tech Prep Program was developed to guide students into course studies from high school preparation to Associate in Applied Science Degrees. It is these kinds of partnerships and interdependence that make this community strong.
North Carolina Wesleyan College
N.C. Wesleyan College is a 4-year coeducational liberal arts college with approximately 800 traditional students. The college conducts cutting edge research in biotechnology and molecular biology. Because of its small size, the students find it easy to get involved in co-curricular activities and developing valuable teamwork and leadership skills while pursuing continuing education.
Shaw University
An extension of Shaw University, located in Rocky Mount, the university offers a new design for teaching and learning through the Center for Alternative Programs for Education (CAPE). This program offers opportunities to those unable to attend traditional institutions of higher education and those who desire an education while continuing in the workforce.
Area Colleges and Universities
Other colleges and universities located within a short drive of the Carolinas Gateway Partnership region include:
Links