Third Project RENEW Class Graduates

                     For Immediate Release

 

Third Project RENEW Class Graduates

Next Class Begins May 7

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. (April 25, 2013) – At a ceremony held today, graduates of Project RENEW received their certificates and had the opportunity to meet local employers. There were various companies and staffing agencies on hand at the graduation to interact with the 22 graduates and look for new employees. Valdese Weavers, who became a partner in the program recently, attended their first RENEW graduation. Carson Copeland, COO, already sees the benefits of participating. “We want to recruit employees who have an aptitude for manufacturing and this was an opportunity to reach out to a group that has shown a commitment to learning,” Copeland said. “We talked to quite a few people. Based on what we saw we hope we’ve found a few future employees.” The 96-hour course, which is free for anyone unemployed or underemployed, prepares participants for an entry level position in manufacturing. The outlook for this field in coming years is strong because of an aging workforce. As approximately 2.7 million manufacturing employees retire over the next decade there will be a significant demand for a new, more highly skilled workforce. By covering topics such as Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, ISO 9000, CNC Machining and Metrology, the class prepares RENEW graduates for the modern manufacturing environment. “Many of the participants have never worked in manufacturing before,” said BDI President Scott Darnell. “Others have but maybe it was years ago so they need to be brought up to speed on what a modern manufacturing facility looks like – because it has changed a lot in the past decade.” “The class was great and I got a lot from it,” said graduate Anisha Godfrey. “I really appreciate everyone who made this class possible. It was a big opportunity. I know people who graduated in the first and second classes. They all are working, doing great and they love their jobs.” The next RENEW class begins May 7 and still has a few open spots. Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 12pm and from 12pm to 9pm. Candidates choose to take either the day or evening class. To register, participants must be at least 18 years old. For registration information contact Alona Forney at 828.448.5299. For additional information about Project RENEW please visit www.burkedevinc.com/renew. Click here to see more pictures from the graduation! About Project RENEW Project RENEW is a unique, workforce development program supported by a grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The program is a 96-hour course that prepares graduates for an entry level position in manufacturing. Participants can choose between the morning (9:00am-12:00pm) and evening (6:00-9:00pm) class. Classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participants must also complete an HRD class in addition to the 96-hour course. About Burke Development, Inc. Burke Development, Inc. (BDI) is a nonprofit organization supported by private and public funding that is charged with accelerating economic growth in Burke County. BDI works with industry leaders, site selection consultants, government agencies and other entities to facilitate expansion strategies for existing businesses and recruit target industries to Burke County. For more information about BDI visit www.BurkeDevInc.com.

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Contact: Sara Chester 828.674.3141