Rockingham Community College Participates In Business Initiative
Sep 30, 2014Teams of workforce development partners from Rockingham County are making plans to visit local businesses in a statewide effort to learn more about the challenge of finding and retaining high-quality employees. These visits are part of Governor Pat McCrory’s “1,000 in 100” initiative to have local teams visit 1,000 businesses in ALL 100 counties during the last 100 days of 2014.
The Rockingham County effort is being led by three RCC staff members Vice President of Academic Affairs Suzanne Rohrbaugh, Director of Customized Training Sally Newman, Career/Technical Education Department Chair Perry Hughes who will work in concert with Business Relations Representative Debbie Ellis, Vocational Rehabilitation; Workforce Business Services Coordinator Joyce Stone, Piedmont Triad Regional Council; Rockingham County School’s Director of Classified Personnel/Career and Technical Education Kenneth Scott; and NC Department of Commerce Veteran’s Representative Kristine Conary. The group is working with the Northwest Piedmont Workforce Board to plan visits with Rockingham County businesses and industries.
“It is important to match employer needs with training opportunities that create a work-ready community,” shared RCC Interim President Dr. William C. Aiken. “At RCC, our commitment is to provide a rigorous and relevant learning experience so that our students become the highly skilled workers needed by business and industry.”
The initiative will conclude at the end of 2014 and the information gathered will be paired with research and best practices to develop recommendations for changes within North Carolina’s workforce system to better serve businesses and citizens.
“The 1,000 in 100 initiative will allow us an opportunity to listen to the needs of business and industry, carefully review their concerns and respond based on our network of partners and services in the most effective efficient manner, said Althea Hairston, director of the Northwest Piedmont Workforce Board. “ I feel sure this initiative will become a new way of doing business. We all want employers to have confidence in North Carolina’s workforce system and for employers to look to the network of workforce partners as strong collaborators in meeting their business needs.”
Through the NCWorks initiative, partners will create stronger alignment so services and resources to meet needs of business and industry throughout North Carolina. For more information about NCWorks and how your company can benefit, visit www.nccommerce.com/ncworks or contact Sally Newman at 336-342-4261, ext. 2151.
