Site Selection Factors: #1 Availability of Skilled Labor

January 30, 2017

PCED Staff Note: This week’s post is part of a series on evaluating site selection factors from a local perspective titled, “Site Selection Factors”. The aim of the series is to outline the criteria used by companies to determine where they will build new facilities or expand existing ones. We will examine the top 10 factors as adapted from Area Development Magazine’s, “The Top Factor’s to Navigate the Location Maze”¹. Those factors, listed in order of priority, are as follows: Availability of Skilled Labor, Highway Accessibility, Quality of Life, Occupancy or Construction Costs, Available Buildings, Labor Costs, Corporate Tax Rate, Proximity to Major Markets, State and Local Incentives, Energy Availability and Costs. Guest bloggers will contribute each week from their area of expertise. Some topics may span multiple weeks.

Workforce Development and Piedmont Community College: Piedmont Community College as a Key Partner

This blog introduces the wide array of opportunities that Piedmont Community College (PCC) provides to the community for workforce development. PCC is a key partner in helping to foster a prosperous community by providing a well-trained workforce.

PCC provides direct services and training for the workforce through its Continuing Education (CE) and Instruction and Student Development (ISD) divisions. These divisions work closely with business and industry partners to deliver the training that is needed by the local and regional workforce. The Continuing Education division provides services and short-term training, with a primary focus on training that leads to industry recognized credentials. Instruction and Student Development provides training that leads to an associate’s degree, diploma, or certificate in more than 30 unique programs.

Short- and long-term training is available at Piedmont Community College. In fact, a variety of programs integrate the two, thus encouraging students to potentially reach beyond their original goal. For example, a students entering short-term training through PCC’s Continuing Education Workforce Certification Academy might complete the program and begin work. In time, the student could return and enroll in a degree program using the non-credit to credit option. The student could earn degree credits based on his/her success in the previously completed short-term training through credit-by-exam at PCC.

How does this work for specific classes? Let’s look at the following path: A student enrolls in the Certified Production Technician or Siemens Level I certification program (short-term training). Upon successful completion, the student transfers the short-term training hours, through credit-by-exam, to PCC’s Mechatronics or Industrial Systems curriculum program and jump starts his/her degree!

This short-term to long-term training option offers student a great opportunity for these reasons:

• Helps defray the cost of tuition. Continuing Education programs are offered at $180 or less per program. Transferring these non-credit hours to a curriculum program at PCC saves money!
• Students have the opportunity to earn industry recognized credentials, as well as an associate’s degree!
• Both programs have outstanding instructors who provide the care and instruction that students need to succeed and the skills that employers are seeking!
• PCC is a leader in identifying industry recognized credentials in the workforce!
• The College is a leader in the State of North Carolina for the awarding of the National Career Readiness Certificates (CRC). To date the College has awarded over 2,000 CRCs! This is a major determining factor for getting a community certified as an NCWorks Certified Work Ready Community . Person County already meets the CRC criteria for an NCWorks Certified Work Ready Community. Thank you to local business and industry for making this a priority!

Calling all Manufacturing Businesses!

Manufacturing businesses that need help with providing assessments or training for their incumbent workforce are encouraged to check out PCC’s Customized Training Program or CTP. We recognized that businesses and industries are more likely to consider locating, expanding, or remaining in North Carolina dependent on the State’s ability to ensure the presence of a well-trained workforce.

The Customized Training Program is designed to react quickly to the training and educational needs of individual businesses and to respect the confidential nature of proprietary processes and information within those organizations. The purpose of the CTP is to foster and support three key aspects of a company’s success:

• Job Growth
• Technology Investment
• Productivity Enhancement

Whether an organization is creating jobs, investing in new machinery and equipment, or streamlining processes for efficiency, PCC’s Customized Training Program is designed to make a difference in the bottom line. CTP Director Jody Blackwell works with businesses and industries on designing projects that meet their unique training needs.

Small Business Growth and Training!

For the small business owner or someone interested in starting their own business, the Business Development and Entrepreneurship Center/Small Business Center is an outstanding resource! This Center regularly provides free seminars and services for small business owners (i.e. business planning, marketing, etc.). The Person County office also offers an incubator location! The Small Business Center offers free seminars in both Person and Caswell counties and each location has its own Small Business director. For more information on the latest free seminars, contact Jody Blackwell in Person County ([email protected]) or Cori Lindsay in Caswell County ([email protected]).

What Local Industry is Saying about PCC

“As we focus on our growth, we understand how important it is to have qualified and trained employees. One area of need is and will continue to be industrial and machinery maintenance. Qualified talent is already difficult to recruit and retain. However, partnering with great schools such as Piedmont Community College it is our goal to attract and employ local students who have received a quality education and who can enter the workforce with the skills and confidence to not only help our business grow and succeed, but also experience personal success as well.”

Nikki Ward, HR Manager- US Flue-Cured Tobacco

This post was submitted by Dr. Doris Carver, Vice President of Continuing Education at Piedmont Community College. For more information contact Dr. Carver at [email protected].

Piedmont Community College | P.O. Box 1197 | Roxboro, NC 27573