Pillowtex Dc

When the Mill Closes: When the Mill Closes: Worker Retraining in North Worker Retraining in North Carolina’s Community Carolina’s Community CollegesColleges

H. Martin LancasterH. Martin LancasterPresidentPresident

North Carolina Community College North Carolina Community College SystemSystem

www.nccommunitycolleges.eduwww.nccommunitycolleges.edu

North Carolina Community College System

H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce

North Carolina North Carolina Community College Community College SystemSystem

Began with Industrial Education Began with Industrial Education Centers to retrain “farm to factory” Centers to retrain “farm to factory” workforceworkforce

In 1963, reorganized as unified systemIn 1963, reorganized as unified system Today, fifty-eight comprehensive Today, fifty-eight comprehensive

community colleges enrolling more community colleges enrolling more than 800,000 North Carolinians a yearthan 800,000 North Carolinians a year

Third-largest community college Third-largest community college system in the United Statessystem in the United States

Retraining for “factory to Retraining for “factory to pharmapharma””



Foreign trade agreements, shift to knowledge-Foreign trade agreements, shift to knowledge-based industries, corporate mergers, fluctuations based industries, corporate mergers, fluctuations in technology market in technology market cause drastic and cause drastic and continuing change, continuing change, eliminating low-skilled jobseliminating low-skilled jobs

1970: Manufacturing workforce was 1970: Manufacturing workforce was 30 percent30 percent of state’s total of state’s total

Today: 17 percentToday: 17 percent Last year, manufacturing declined Last year, manufacturing declined

12.2 percent12.2 percent Rural areas lose mostRural areas lose most

Economic Changes:Economic Changes:Shocks to Shocks to ManufacturingManufacturing



Career Readiness Career Readiness Certification: Certification: OverviewOverview

Community College System Community College System Partnership with 24 local workforce Partnership with 24 local workforce development boardsdevelopment boards

Portable credential to certify core Portable credential to certify core employability skills important across employability skills important across industries and occupations: industries and occupations: reading, applied math, locating reading, applied math, locating informationinformation

One part of statewide credentialing One part of statewide credentialing system based on WorkKeyssystem based on WorkKeys

Bronze, Silver, Gold levels to Bronze, Silver, Gold levels to document progressive skillsdocument progressive skills



High Praise for RetrainingHigh Praise for Retraining

"No one disputes the notion that with "No one disputes the notion that with North Carolina having faced the loss of North Carolina having faced the loss of tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs over the last few years, the community over the last few years, the community colleges are the key to retraining those colleges are the key to retraining those who lost their jobs and getting them back who lost their jobs and getting them back in the workforce."in the workforce."

EditorialEditorial

The News and Observer, November 10, 2004The News and Observer, November 10, 2004



WIA Funding: WIA Funding:

Critical FactorCritical Factor

Workforce Investment Act Workforce Investment Act (WIA) vital federal funds for (WIA) vital federal funds for training/retraining effortstraining/retraining efforts

Proposed $325 million Proposed $325 million rescissionrescission in current year will in current year will mean fewer workers retrained mean fewer workers retrained



Case Study:Case Study: PillowtexPillowtex

Photo by Ben McNeely, Independent-Tribune

Created from merger of two historic Created from merger of two historic NC textile corporations: Cannon Mills NC textile corporations: Cannon Mills and Fieldcrest and Fieldcrest

Bankruptcy in July 2003: largest Bankruptcy in July 2003: largest manufacturing shutdown in NC historymanufacturing shutdown in NC history



Pillowtex: Jobs Pillowtex: Jobs Lost Lost

Company- wide layoffs:Company- wide layoffs: 7,6507,650 Layoffs in North Carolina:Layoffs in North Carolina: 4,7904,790

Cabarrus County residents laid off: Cabarrus County residents laid off: 2,5922,592 Rowan County residents laid off: Rowan County residents laid off: 1,3921,392

Balance in surrounding counties and in Balance in surrounding counties and in Rockingham County, former Fieldcrest areaRockingham County, former Fieldcrest area



Pillowtex: Pillowtex: Who lost Who lost jobs?jobs?

Rowan-Cabarrus CC service areaRowan-Cabarrus CC service area

Almost 50 percent had not Almost 50 percent had not completed high schoolcompleted high school

Average age 46Average age 46 59 percent women59 percent women Average weekly wage: $458Average weekly wage: $458 42 percent had a relative at 42 percent had a relative at

PillowtexPillowtex



Pillowtex: Pillowtex: Immediate local Immediate local needsneeds

70 percent unwilling or unable to 70 percent unwilling or unable to relocaterelocate

93 percent couldn’t afford health 93 percent couldn’t afford health insuranceinsurance

Within one month of layoff, 43 Within one month of layoff, 43 percent behind in rent/mortgage, percent behind in rent/mortgage, more than 10 percent facing evictionmore than 10 percent facing eviction



National Emergency National Emergency Grant (DOL) PartnersGrant (DOL) Partners

North Carolina Community College SystemNorth Carolina Community College System N.C. Employment Security CommissionN.C. Employment Security Commission Division of Employment and TrainingDivision of Employment and Training Centralina Workforce Development BoardCentralina Workforce Development Board Rowan County Job Link CenterRowan County Job Link Center Cabarrus County Job Link CenterCabarrus County Job Link Center Rowan-Cabarrus Community CollegeRowan-Cabarrus Community College



Rowan-Cabarrus CC Rowan-Cabarrus CC OutreachOutreach

College College enrolled 1,921 (49%)enrolled 1,921 (49%) of Pillowtex eligibles of Pillowtex eligibles residing in Rowan and Cabarrus counties.residing in Rowan and Cabarrus counties.

College staff College staff provided to 3,184 (86%) of the provided to 3,184 (86%) of the population other direct servicespopulation other direct services including, but including, but not limited to:not limited to:

DISCOVER and placement testingDISCOVER and placement testing Job-seeking skills workshopsJob-seeking skills workshops SeminarsSeminars Referrals to other agenciesReferrals to other agencies Resume assistanceResume assistance



Rowan-Cabarrus CC Rowan-Cabarrus CC OutcomesOutcomes

457 of 730 (46%)457 of 730 (46%) of Pillowtex students of Pillowtex students enrolled in curriculum (for-credit) programs have enrolled in curriculum (for-credit) programs have graduated or will complete programs by the end of graduated or will complete programs by the end of 2006. Four designated “outstanding students”2006. Four designated “outstanding students”

245 out of 536 (46%)245 out of 536 (46%) of Pillowtex enrollees of Pillowtex enrollees in GED completed their credentialsin GED completed their credentials

449 students enrolled in short-term training 449 students enrolled in short-term training programs through Continuing Education and HRD.programs through Continuing Education and HRD.

206 enrolled in English as a Second Language.206 enrolled in English as a Second Language.



Rowan-Cabarrus CC Rowan-Cabarrus CC Outcomes (cont’d)Outcomes (cont’d)

Many clients enrolled in technical and Many clients enrolled in technical and trade programs previously under-trade programs previously under-enrolled where employers cited enrolled where employers cited high high demand for entry-level jobsdemand for entry-level jobs (machining, (machining, automotive, welding, electrical, automotive, welding, electrical, electronics, heating and air conditioning)electronics, heating and air conditioning)

Recent telephone surveys substantiate Recent telephone surveys substantiate that that some clientssome clients are finding work are finding work though there is evidence of though there is evidence of continued continued unemployment and under-employment.unemployment and under-employment.



Satisfied StudentsSatisfied Students

If you had it to do all over If you had it to do all over again, would you attend again, would you attend Rowan-Cabarrus CC? Rowan-Cabarrus CC? YesYes 95.1% 95.1%

Would you recommend Would you recommend Rowan-Cabarrus CC Rowan-Cabarrus CC to another person?to another person? YesYes 98.4%98.4%



Next steps, new hope: Next steps, new hope: Preparing for Preparing for “Pharma” “Pharma” on on the old mill sitethe old mill site

North Carolina Research Campus: North Carolina Research Campus: Murdock/Dole Foods partnership with major Murdock/Dole Foods partnership with major universities and community colleges for universities and community colleges for research, product development in biotechnology, research, product development in biotechnology, one of NC’s fastest-growing sectorsone of NC’s fastest-growing sectors

5,000 biotechnology high-wage jobs5,000 biotechnology high-wage jobs projected for Research Campusprojected for Research Campus

Additional Additional 30,000 infrastructure30,000 infrastructure jobs jobs are anticipated to support Research Campus.are anticipated to support Research Campus.



Rowan-Cabarrus CC Rowan-Cabarrus CC RolesRoles

Plans underway for joint-use Rowan-Plans underway for joint-use Rowan-Cabarrus CC facility on the NC Cabarrus CC facility on the NC Research Campus site Research Campus site

Collaboration with Gaston College Collaboration with Gaston College and Central Piedmont CC to offer and Central Piedmont CC to offer AAS Biotechnology Consortium AAS Biotechnology Consortium Degree started fall 2006Degree started fall 2006

BioWork continuing education BioWork continuing education classes started fall 2006classes started fall 2006

College sponsored educational College sponsored educational forums in four counties spring 2006.forums in four counties spring 2006.



Research Campus jobs for Research Campus jobs for Pillowtex veterans? Pillowtex veterans?

Opportunities:Opportunities: Most jobs related to the campus are NOT in Most jobs related to the campus are NOT in

biotechnology research but in infrastructurebiotechnology research but in infrastructure on and off campus on and off campus

Older dislocated workers not likely to aspire to become Older dislocated workers not likely to aspire to become research scientists or research technicians.research scientists or research technicians.

With proper support and training, dislocated workers can With proper support and training, dislocated workers can qualify for infrastructure jobsqualify for infrastructure jobs

Given their demonstrated work ethic and commitment to Given their demonstrated work ethic and commitment to task, dislocated workers are desirable potential employeestask, dislocated workers are desirable potential employees

When the Mill Closes: When the Mill Closes: Worker Retraining in North Worker Retraining in North Carolina’s Community Carolina’s Community CollegesColleges

H. Martin LancasterH. Martin LancasterPresidentPresident

North Carolina Community College North Carolina Community College SystemSystem

www.nccommunitycolleges.eduwww.nccommunitycolleges.edu

Pillowtex Dc

Education

cabarrus cc

dislocated workers

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