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Press Release

Golden LEAF Answers Gov. Perdue’s Challenge to Create Jobs

June 12, 2009

Foundation awards over $3 million for 17 grants for worker training

(ROCKY MOUNT, N.C., June 12, 2009) – The Golden LEAF Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling over $3 million for job training projects to community colleges located throughout North Carolina at its June Board meeting through its Golden LEAF Opportunities for Work (GLOW) program. Many of the projects provide critically needed equipment for Gov. Bev Perdue’s JobsNOW: 12 in 6 program currently being developed at community colleges across the state to promote training in six months or less for 12 in-demand jobs.

In supporting the “12 in 6” effort and other workforce training programs, the GLOW initiative will help address some of the urgent employment challenges and opportunities North Carolina faces during the current economic downturn. The Golden LEAF Board of Directors created a $3.5 million grant program for short-term, non-degree workforce development training projects that target identified employment opportunities in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and rural communities. Funded with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars, the “12 in 6” program is a collaboration between the NC Community Colleges and the NC Department of Commerce as part of Gov. Perdue’s larger JobsNOW initiative, which focuses on job creation and economic development.

“The GLOW program is right in line with the mission of the Foundation,” said Dan Gerlach, Golden LEAF President. “Gov. Perdue and the General Assembly have challenged us to be creative about how to get people into jobs quickly so the support of the JobsNOW effort was a great fit. Our aim for the GLOW project is to grow the talent, knowledge and skill of North Carolinians so that they may find gainful employment in the current economy.”

The Foundation created this program, in part, due to a challenge from the Governor to help get North Carolinians back to work quickly.

“The GLOW program is an important tool for retraining our workforce, a cornerstone of my JobsNOW initiative and a vital part of North Carolina’s economic recovery efforts,” said Perdue.

“The Board felt this was the right time to create a program targeting short-term job training that would help get the economy moving,” said J. Thomas Bunn, Golden LEAF Board Chairman. “The Board was presented with some really promising projects that show tremendous potential for immediate employability.”

The expected outcome of GLOW and JobsNOW projects is the eligibility of trainees for placement in permanent, full-time jobs requiring skills in vocational and trade occupations.

“This funding by Golden LEAF represents the perfect marriage between our community colleges and the Foundation,” said Dr. R. Scott Ralls, President of the NC Community College System. “We develop the training curriculum and programs, and Golden LEAF helps our colleges fill the resource gaps. Our combined efforts expand the opportunities for North Carolina workers and provide a well-trained workforce for our businesses. We appreciate the strong support of Golden LEAF for these efforts.”

About the Golden LEAF Foundation:

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina’s economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina’s funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically-distressed and/or rural communities across the state. The Golden LEAF Foundation works in partnership with governmental entities, educational institutions, economic development organizations and nonprofits to achieve its mission. The foundation has awarded 803 grants totaling more than $383 million since its inception. For more information, or to learn more about applying for a grant, visit www.goldenleaf.org or call (888) 684-8404.

17 GLOW grants were awarded to projects located throughout North Carolina totaling $3.01 million:

• $200,000 to Central Carolina Community College for weatherization, renewable energy, and energy efficiency training in Lee, Harnett and Chatham counties.
• $110,000 to Cleveland Community College Foundation, Inc. to increase enrollment in the certified nursing assistant program by 75 percent. Cleveland County employers have need for over 166 nursing assistants over the next two years.
• $215,000 to Cleveland Community College Foundation, Inc. to train firefighters in western North Carolina. The project will accelerate training for individuals over two months rather than two years by consolidating courses, thereby satisfying strong regional demand for trained firefighters.
• $250,000 to College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City for a sheet metal worker training program based on a demand for qualified sheet metal mechanics in Camden, Chowan, Gates and surrounding counties for aerospace and other industry.
• $100,000 to Craven Community College Foundation for nursing assistants and basic law enforcement and detention officer training, which are high demand occupations in the New Bern and surrounding communities.
• $250,000 to Davidson County Community College for a truck driver training program to continue and expand enrollment in the program by approximately 24 students. Four companies requiring truck drivers have partnered with the college on this project and plan to hire 1,150 new drivers over the next three years. The program will also serve students in Rockingham and Montgomery counties.
• $90,000 to Edgecombe Community College for training individuals for entry-level and first-line supervisor positions in the warehouse and logistics industries. The training will serve several existing warehouse and logistics industries in Edgecombe County and nearby that have indicated an unmet demand for trained workers.
• $225,000 to Forsyth Technical Community College for an electric lineman training program that will serve several utility companies that have expressed difficulty meeting employment demand in-state. This is one of two regional electric lineman programs in the state, serving communities from North Carolina’s piedmont to the west.
• $220,000 to Gaston College Hope Foundation for a certified nursing assistant/ phlebotomist and an emergency medical technician training programs to serve Lincoln County healthcare providers that have identified current and projected vacancies.
• $85,000 to Lenoir Community College for a training program for commercial construction to fill the demand in Jones County for skilled workers related to regional growth in the aerospace industry and expansion at NC military installations resulting from base realignment.
• $200,000 to Mayland Community College for core construction training programs to meet the demand for more skilled workers in the construction trades industry by businesses in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties.
• $220,000 to McDowell Technical Community College for short-term training programs in both welding and machining. The county has immediate need for 65 welders and 25 machinists recently announced by new and expanding industry.
• $150,000 to Pitt Community College for jobs in the healthcare industry, primarily in the certified nursing assistant program. The program expects to increase total annual certification by 80% and will provide graduates immediate employment with area healthcare employers.
• $150,000 to Roanoke-Chowan Community College for job training in a variety of high demand jobs, including welding, building construction, phlebotomy, certified nursing assistant, plumbing, heating/air/ventilation/refrigeration, industrial systems, and EMT/ EMS certification. The training will be provided in collaboration with Halifax Community College.
• $180,000 to Robeson Community College for career training programs in the areas of certified nursing assistant, medical office administration, medical coding and billing, office technician/ customer support, heavy equipment operator and basic law enforcement training. The college is partnering with area businesses to make cooperative education placements available to students in the program.
• $165,000 to Stanly Community College for a short-term heavy equipment operator program. Several businesses in the county have expressed current and future needs for these skilled workers.
• $200,000 to Wayne Community College for a 6-month, advanced technical training program, targeting careers in healthcare and industrial technologies. The college anticipates training at least 275 workers through this program to meet the identified job demand in the area.