All posts by Brenda Wilkerson

Advocating for Apprenticeship

Newsletter

As companies struggle to identify and attract workers, apprenticeship has been identified as an important piece of the puzzle. Engaging businesses in conversations about the benefits of establishing their own apprenticeship program continues to be a major focus.

NCWorks and NextGen staff were at the Johnston County Apprenticeship Information Session to explain how workforce services can actually enhance an apprenticeship program. OJT training dollars can reimburse employers a percentage of wages paid during the training period and Catalyst 2020 funding can be used to fund third-party training of their incumbent workers.

CAWD’s private sector board members are also playing  a major role! The demand for skilled professionals is at a 10-year high across industries. Nearly 1.5 million are employed within the manufacturing industry! Charlie Bell, president at Studio TK, hosted an apprenticeship information session and open house at his location in Clayton. In addition, Charlie and Stephen Miller of Novo Nordisk are both partners in the Johnston County Apprenticeship Program (JCAP).

Training-to-Work Reentry and Construction

Newsletter

The Training-to-Work Reentry Initiative  is successfully placing ex-offenders in construction-related training and jobs.

Data shows that reentrants employed two months after re-entry are about half as likely to recidivate as those who are unemployed. And among the employed, those earning more than $10 per hour are half as likely.

Being able to place participants in construction jobs where average wages are well in excess of $10 per hour will permit them to successfully sustain a household and ease the transition back into the mainstream community. Potential median earnings for those that stay in the construction industry are $19.66/hour for Wake County and $17.20 for Johnston.

Training-to-Work ends in September. Below are outcomes to date.

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS: 176
• 44 have entered employment
• 55 have entered occupational training
• 60 have earned industry credentials

Celebrating YouthBuild Milestones

Newsletter, Uncategorized

An awards banquet was held recently at the City of Raleigh Museum to celebrate achievements of Capital Area’s YouthBuild participants.  Friends and family of the participants attended as well as program partners from Habitat for Humanity, NC Association of Building Contractors, City of Raleigh, and NCWorks NextGen.

Certificates and plaques were awarded for Outstanding Achievement, Perseverance, and Leadership. One participant received a trophy after being voted MVP – Most Valuable Participant.

Some award recipients shared personal stories about the positive effects of YouthBuild on their lives. Done properly, graduates leave prepared for success in higher education, apprenticeships, and in the workplace.

As the final cohort begins, we are confident that program goals will be met and participants will see results from their hard work.

Here are outcomes to date:

Participants: 45

  • 24 have entered jobs, apprenticeships, or higher education
  • 42 earned PACT construction certification
  • 17 have completed 320 hours of work experience
  • 6 have earned their GEDs

National Recognition for CAWD

Newsletter

CAWD received 2 national awards in April.

The Laurie Moran Partnership Award was given by the National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB). The award recognizes workforce boards that have formed significant partnerships with chambers of commerce to advance workforce and economic development in their local area. CAWD shares the award with The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce/Wake County Economic Development program. CAWD board member Tom White wrote and submitted the award application.

The award is named in honor of Laurie Moran who served on a board in Danville, VA and was President of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce from 2002 until her passing. Moran built many bridges in her community, jointly promoting the importance of interdependence of workforce and economic development.

Executive Director Pat Sturdivant has been awarded the Peter E. Kaiser Leadership Award by the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals! She will receive the award at the NAWDP conference in May. She will be recognized during the opening general session and the NAWDP Chair’s Reception.

An ad has been submitted for the conference program on behalf of the board and staff congratulating Pat on the win and thanking her for her exceptional leadership!

Youth Summit Says “Raise Your Game!”

Newsletter, Uncategorized

Youth and young adults that participate in workforce programs across the state descended on the Embassy Suites in Cary for the 13th Annual Youth Summit. Over 360 youth and staff signed up. Governor Cooper could not make it to the event but did send a well-received recorded greeting welcoming them to the summit.

In keeping with the “Raise Your Game” theme, several hands-on and interactive activities were featured to challenge and motivate attendees, including college tours of Shaw University, Louisburg College and NC Central University. Workshops conducted by Leading to Change included: 

• Finding Your Spark
• Making Your Movement
• Shark Tank Got Nothing on Me

Attendees also enjoyed an evening Gala, an American Idol-style talent show and several games.

At the end of the 2-day summit, young people walked away with new tools, ideas, and skills needed to keep their goals on point. Congratulations to all of the NextGen staff for planning an outstanding event!

Coming soon: Johnston County Job Fair!

News, Newsletter

The NCWorks Johnston County Job Fair is on May 9th at the Clayton Community Center. This years event is sponsored by S.T. Wooten.

Approximately 55 employers are expected, including OPW, Duke University and Duke University Health System, 3C Packaging, Wake County Government, FedEx, and AAF Flanders. As of right now, 46 businesses have signed up.

There is no fee for businesses or job seekers!

The employer list is updated regularly. Copy/paste this link into your browser to download. https://capitalareancworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Employer-List-for-Job-Seekers-Apr22.pdf.

CAWD AWARDED LAURIE MORAN PARTNERSHIP AWARD BY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WORKFORCE BOARDS

News, Press release, , , , ,

Raleigh, NC (April 1, 2019) – Capital Area Workforce Development Board (CAWD) was awarded the Laurie Moran Partnership Award by the National Association of Workforce Boards. The award recognizes workforce boards that have formed significant partnerships with chambers of commerce to advance workforce and economic development in their local region. CAWD shares the award with The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce/Wake County Economic Development program.

“I am really proud to share this award with the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. As partners, we understand that an important part of economic development is ensuring a skilled workforce can support business and economic growth. Receiving the Laurie Moran Award signifies that we are doing it right,” said Pat Sturdivant, Executive Director at CAWD.

“It is an honor to be recognized with the Laurie Moran Partnership Award,” said Adrienne Cole, president and CEO of the Raleigh Chamber. “We are privileged to partner with the Capital Area Workforce Development Board. Their expertise and unwavering collaboration is vital to developing our world-class employment base.”

The award comes on the heels of the 10th anniversary of HCL Technologies’ move to Cary, North Carolina. The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce/Wake County Economic Development and CAWD forged partnerships with Wake Technical Community College and NC State University to recruit the global tech enterprise by demonstrating local workforce capabilities that have enabled the company to grow and employ 1300 people. CAWD executive director Pat Sturdivant appeared on the official agenda with NC Governor Roy Cooper.

The award is named in honor of Laurie Moran who served in Danville, Virginia on a local workforce board and was President of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce from 2002 until her passing. Moran built many bridges in her community, jointly promoting the importance of interdependence of workforce and economic development.

About Capital Area Workforce Development Board
CAWD is a public-private partnership and 501(c)3 largely funded by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) of 2014. Through collaborations with business, government, education and others in Wake and Johnston Counties, the organization has developed state and nationally-recognized workforce programs, connected businesses to the education system and workforce resources, and helped thousands to gain employment and contribute to the prosperity of the community.

Career Pathways Event Covers “Hidden Careers-Hidden Talent”

News

On January 21st, the Triangle Regional Career Pathways Collaborative hosted “Hidden Careers – Hidden Talent.” Over 80 career coaches and advisers came to learn about lesser-known-but-critical jobs in life sciences, one the Triangle’s fastest growing industries. Putting candidates with disabilities or those coming out of the justice system on a promising career pathway was also a major topic of discussion.

Life sciences experts included Laura Rowley from the NC Biotech Center, Volker Borneman- Founder/CEO of Avazyme, Josh Arant-Founder/CEO of MAKCO Medical,
Darren Alfano- Operations Manager at Novozyme, and Stephen Miller, HR Business Partner at Novo Nordisk.

Multiple workforce development programs that help the justice-involved transition successfully into the workforce were highlighted – CAWD’s Training-to-Work program, Durham WDB’s Construction Summer Camp, and Kerr-Tar WDB’s Heavy Equipment Operator Program. Construction and skilled trade professionals are in high demand and the number of employers willing to consider applicants with blemished backgrounds is increasing.

Data proves this trend and was covered by senior economist Andrew Berger-Gross of NC LEAD in his presentation “Understanding Labor Market Trends.” Other resources for career advisers included the NC Business & Education Committee’s Navigator site where employers offering apprenticeships, internships, job shadowing and other work-based learning opportunities are listed.

To learn more about career pathways, download the NCWorks Certified Career Pathways impact report.