Chattahoochee Valley Community College (CVCC) is reaching out to business and industry to find out how the College can help meet workforce needs.  The College’s Workforce and Technical Education Division is hosting a Manufacturers and Business Partners Luncheon next month and is inviting all local businesses and industries to attend.

“The purpose of this meeting is to assess the educational and training needs of local manufacturers and business partners,” said Dr. Shirley Armstrong, Associate Dean for Workforce and Technical Education. “The College offers a variety of career technical and continuing education programs for individuals who are unemployed, seeking entry-level skills, wishing to enhance current proficiencies, or wanting to re-enter the workforce.  We want to meet the needs of our economy by ensuring that we offer programs to prepare potential employees for the workforce.  Business and higher education leaders must come together and discuss those needs and how we can address them.  We are excited about the opportunity to develop work-based learning sites with our local manufacturers, businesses, and industries, and information about this opportunity will be discussed.”

CVCC has established new partnerships and initiatives to support specialized areas like logistics and manufacturing.  One recent partnership is with Vectorply Corporation, an international company headquartered in Phenix City, AL.  The company is considered the world leader in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of composite reinforcement fabrics.  Vectorply produces more than 500 different styles of fabrics used in everything from surf boards to bridge construction, and the industry continues to grow.

“We are looking for skilled workers,” said Paul Shiver, Vectorply Process Improvement Manager.  “This certified production technician certification that CVCC is offering gives an advantage and helps potential hires stand out among others.  As a matter of fact, if you complete the certification with CVCC, we guarantee an interview.”

In addition, many partnership initiatives allow employers and their employees to gain free job training through scholarships or grants.  CVCC can help local employers apply for special-workforce project grants.

“These opportunities are a win-win for everyone involved.  Students will leave our programs with the knowledge and skills needed to confidently enter an advanced, high-performance work environment, business and industry will have a larger pool of qualified workers of which to hire from, and CVCC will provide a quality, relevant educational experience,” said Armstrong.