NC community colleges investing in job creation with local business partnerships

This "skills gap" signifies a mismatch between those looking for work and those looking to hire, and specialized training is needed for many of these positions in modern manufacturing.

Maureen Little, the North Carolina Community College System's vice president of economic development, said the NCCCS's Customized Training Program is designed to close this skills gap by training workers to directly enter the workforce with the necessary skills.

"The North Carolina Community College's Customized Training Program provides education, training and support services for two audiences: existing, expanding, and new business and industry; and individuals who wish to become a qualified candidates for employment within these organizations," Little said. "This is accomplished through our network of 58 community colleges."

She continued, "Our goal is to support the economic development of the state of North Carolina by providing a qualified workforce and supporting training that adds to the global competitiveness of our state's industries."

Little said the Customized Training Program focuses on companies that are adding jobs, investing in new technologies and "enhancing the productivity of their incumbent workforces."

Once qualifying companies are identified, the community college and area business will collaborate to design a customized program that will develop exactly the skills that will be required for their labor demands.

"Working directly with the company, representatives from our local community college and the System Office design and develop a comprehensive training solution to address the knowledge, skills and abilities required to be a productive employee of the business and industry," Little explained. "We analyze each job classification and assess current and prospective employees to understand the skill gaps."

Customized Training gives local job seekers an opportunity that was otherwise unavailable without this training.

Upon completing training and obtaining skills required for specific jobs, individuals are more marketable to industries which are experiencing growth.

In the 2017 fiscal year, the Customized Training Program worked with 922 companies operating in North Carolina. More than 34,000 students went through the training programs developed for these businesses.

"We recognize the availability of a well-trained workforce is a critical consideration for all companies as decisions are made for their next location," Little said. "With access to customized training, North Carolina Community Colleges are prepared to ensure that our state remains a premier location for the retention and expansion of business and industry."