VGCC awarded grant to bring teachers and manufacturers together
The State Board of Community Colleges has awarded a $10,000 grant to Vance-Granville Community College to support a project that will bring together educators and employers. VGCC and 11 other community colleges received a competitive grant as part of a statewide “Taste of Industry” initiative. VGCC’s grant was the largest awarded by the State Board.
At VGCC, the grant will help fund “AMSTA Cruisers 2016,” a three-day event (June 15-17) organized by the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Alliance , a partnership of the college, Granville County Schools, Franklin County Schools, Warren County Schools and Vance County Schools. Additional funding for AMSTA Cruisers 2016 comes from the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Fund.
According to AMSTA Project Manager Stephanie Ayers, the goals of the event are to raise awareness among high school teachers and community college instructors about manufacturing technologies, processes and careers opportunities within companies in the Kerr-Tar region; to clarify how Advanced Manufacturing and Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) programs prepare students for career opportunities in the region, look for gaps from the employer perspective, and for ways to collaborate to prepare students for these careers; and to raise awareness about national advanced manufacturing initiatives and local groups supporting these efforts.
Participating educators will tour local industries in Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren counties, learn about regional economic conditions, and visit North Carolina State University’s Centennial Campus.
A portion of the second day of the event, on Thursday, June 16, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., is open to the public. Community leaders, school system administrators and government officials are particularly encouraged to attend. Industry leaders representing Dill Air Controls Products, Novozymes, Altec and other employers will participate in a panel discussion about educating students for advanced manufacturing careers. Attendees will also tour the new Granville Central High School Career and Technical Education Building. Lunch will be provided to those who register in advance at amstacruisers-industrypaneldiscussion.eventbrite.com .
“Taste of Industry” is part of the N.C. Community College System’s Align4NCWorks initiative, which seeks to ensure that North Carolina educational programs are relevant and aligned to industry needs.
