Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation Gives $250,000 Grant to CPCC

last modified May 27, 2010 07:54 AM

 

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) received a $250,000 grant from the Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation to provide retraining and counseling for displaced professional and paraprofessional workers. 
 
“The philanthropic spirit is alive and well in Charlotte. We are extremely grateful to Wachovia Wells Fargo for its generosity and commitment to this community,” said Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of CPCC. “There are still so many displaced workers in our area; many of whom are highly skilled professionals who need new skills in order to succeed in the workplace of tomorrow.”
 
Unemployment levels in Charlotte remain around 11.9%, close to the 12.8% high seen in January of this year, according to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission. Unlike other areas of the country that saw the traditional entry level jobs eliminated first, Charlotte lost many professional level jobs.
 
CPCC’s Corporate and Continuing Education (CCE) will use the funds from Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation to provide training and career advising services appropriate for the highly-skilled displaced professionals in the Charlotte region. The training funds will be used to award scholarships for participants to attend CCE training courses such as project management and business analysis.
 
Businesses are looking for workers with new skills in process improvement, sustainability, financial services and supply chain management. CCE courses available for financial aid will include: Six Sigma training, LEED AP Homes Exam Preparation, Insurance Pre-Licensing and Certified Supply Chain Professional Exam Preparation just to name a few. The scholarships will pay for the displaced workers to participate in training programs that all have high growth outlook according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
 
The second component of the grant is funding for hiring new career coaching resources for the College’s Career Professionals Center at the Harris Campus.  It is the only local center to offer an assessment and competency-based approach to helping participants identify their transferable skills.  The Center staff work with participants, both in a workshop setting and one-on-one, to reposition their skills and their job search to target areas and industries with anticipated job growth.  The one-on-one career coaching is a critical component of the assistance and support needed by unemployed and underemployed professionals and paraprofessionals.  Currently, the need in the community far exceeds the Center’s staffing and capacity.

Mary Vickers-Koch, Harris Campus Dean and Dean of Business and Industry Learning Services said, “The CPCC program funded by this generous grant from Wachovia Wells Fargo is unique, because it focuses on skilled professionals and helping them get the credentials they need to succeed in a highly competitive marketplace.”
 
CPCC is still in the process of determining how the scholarships will be awarded. Vickers-Koch said information for the applicant process is still in the works and will be released in the next few weeks.
 
Kendall Alley, Wachovia Wells Fargo Charlotte Region President and contributions committee member, commented, “The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation is pleased to be able to support CCPC’s efforts to build a stronger community. By providing help to displaced workers, CPCC will be a making powerful contribution to the future of Charlotte. This aligns perfectly with Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation’s core funding priority of building strong communities.”
 
The Wachovia Wells Fargo Foundation is a private foundation that provides grants to eligible 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations to support four primary focus areas: Education, Community Development, Health and Human Services and Arts and Culture. The mission of The Wachovia Foundation is to build strong and vibrant communities, improve the quality of life, and make a positive difference.
 
Central Piedmont Community College is the largest community college in North Carolina, offering close to 300 degree and certification programs, customized corporate training, market-focused continuing education, and special interest classes. CPCC is academically, financially and geographically accessible to all citizens of Mecklenburg County. In 2002, the National Alliance of Business named CPCC the Community College of the Year for its response to the workforce and technology needs of local employers and job seekers through innovative educational and training strategies.

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This release prepared by Marcia Brashear, 704.330.6612. An archive of CPCC news releases is at http://www.cpcc.edu/college-news.