VGCC receives Back-to-Work Grant

Vance-Granville Community College was recently awarded $120,000 by the State Board of Community Colleges to implement the North Carolina Back-to-Work program established last year by the N.C. General Assembly. VGCC was one of 49 of the state’s 58 community colleges receiving a total of $5,874,104 in such grants this year, with amounts ranging from $52,600 to $173,870.

 

The NC Back-to-Work program was designed to help long-term unemployed North Carolinians obtain the training they need to successfully start new careers. At VGCC, the program will specifically provide approximately 72 participants with training based on the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) curriculum, an industry training system focused on the core technical skills and knowledge needed by front-line workers in manufacturing and supply chain logistics. Students who successfully complete the program will earn a “Certified Production Technician” (CPT) credential. In addition to the manufacturing skills training, NC Back-to-Work Program participants will take the WorkKeys assessments leading to a Career Readiness Certificate (CRC). Also included in the program will be courses in employability skills such as resume writing, job search, and interviewing provided by the VGCC Human Resources Development (HRD) program. Participants will be assisted with on-the-job-training, job shadowing, and internship opportunities. The college’s program will target residents of Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren counties who are either unemployed, underemployed, military veterans or members of the N.C. National Guard.

 

“The NC Back-to-Work grant will help us in our ongoing efforts to place students in career fields that currently have openings and offer them more job security,” said VGCC Coordinator of Human Resources Development Kyle Burwell, who is helping lead the initiative at the college. “At the same time, NC Back-to-Work is very compatible with our college’s new strategic plan, called the Vanguard Vision, which calls upon VGCC to lead the economic development of our region in partnership with our communities. This program will support the industries we have, while also providing the skilled workforce to attract new manufacturers to our area and hopefully reduce unemployment.” Burwell said local industry representatives and government agencies are included on the VGCC Back-to-Work advisory committee.

 

According to data from the N.C. Department of Commerce, the area served by VGCC is expected to see growth in the numbers of jobs in manufacturing-related occupations through 2020. The number of industrial machinists employed locally is expected to grow by 21%, for example, while manufacturing systems technicians should see 19% employment growth, and the number of engineering technicians is projected to double.

 

For more information about the NC Back-to-Work program, contact Kyle Burwell at hrd-wk@vgcc.edu  or (252) 738-3276 .