Work in Burke Continues to Grow
July 27, 2018
For Immediate Release
BURKE COUNTY, N.C. (July 27, 2018) – Work in Burke, a partnership between Burke County Public Schools and Western Piedmont Community College, now has 13 companies signed on as Partners. The Partner program asks companies to commit to taking an active and engaged role in educating young people and their parents about the job and training opportunities available in Burke County.
The partners are Chaddock, Carolinas Healthcare System Blue Ridge, Ekornes, Leviton, Lexington Home Brands, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Meridian Specialty Yarn Group, Inc., Meritor, Molded Fiber Glass North Carolina, Seiren North America, Shenandoah, Siegwerk and Toner Machining Technologies.
The initiative was launched in November 2017. By June 2018 over 400 high school seniors were surveyed about local job opportunities and over 62% said they had heard about Work in Burke. Work in Burke Partners are listed on the Work in Burke website, are featured in videos and other promotional content and are given Work in Burke materials to display at their facility.
By being a Partner companies have the opportunity to interact with students and parents while sharing information with the community about what they do and the jobs they offer. They specifically are encouraged to participate in activities hosted by Burke County Public Schools and Western Piedmont Community College such as internships, job shadowing, tours, career fairs and job fairs.
Leaders at BDI, BCPS and WPCC recognize that interaction with students, parents and the community can require valuable time from companies. Their hope is that a little time spent now will be a big investment in their future workforce.
“Industry wants youth to know that manufacturing has changed into a highly technical and modernized environment,” said Debbie Sigmon, Human Resources Manager at Meridian Specialty Yarn Group, Inc. “Great careers and quality of life are available in Burke County.”
Work in Burke was featured in the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC) annual report to the NC General Assembly and was recently highlighted at the NC Works Commission meeting in Hickory. To become a Work in Burke Partner contact Sara Chester at 828.764.9374 or visit www.workinburke.com.
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: Alan Wood 828.764.9372