| For Release: IMMEDIATE | Contact: Public Affairs |
| Date: April 12, 2001 |
COMMUNITY COLLEGES HELP DISPLACED WORKERS
Laid Off Workers Find
Community Colleges a Place of Solace
Unfortunately, layoffs are a part of life in the 21st century economy. This is especially true in North Carolina. According to statistics released in late February by the U.S. Bureau of Labor, North Carolina lost more manufacturing jobs than any other state in 2000.
Community colleges all over North Carolina are answering the call to help displaced workers. The following are just three examples.
Tri-County Community College, Murphy
On the Friday before Christmas 2000, 329 workers at the Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) plant in Andrews lost their jobs when the 15-year old plant closed. Fortunately for the former OMC workers, Tri-County Community College (TCCC) was prepared to offer immediate assistance.
"The job losses at Levi-Strauss and Baker Furniture in the past two years really prepared us to help the OMC workers more quickly and efficiently," said Bo Gray, Public Information Officer at TCCC.
Just two days after Christmas, college officials opened the campus to help the workers apply for unemployment benefits and begin the search for new jobs. Staff and students were on hand to answer questions and help people fill out forms. Volunteers surveyed the groups for training interests and needs. TCCC staff members gave advice on resume preparation and job interviews. Many of the staff members were on vacation but came in to help anyway.
Terrie Kelly, Director of Institutional Advancement at TCCC, told the Andrews Journal that the workers took a great interest in the classes available at TCCC especially when they learned that school administrators waived deadlines for those interested in enrolling at the college.
"I don’t think some of the people were aware of the financial help available to them," Kelly said. "We also have information on starting small businesses."
Dr. Norman Oglesby, President of TCCC, said that 89 of the OMC workers enrolled in courses at the college. Oglesby told The Cherokee Scout that community leaders and area business people helped the college meet the needs of the additional students. "We’re using more utilities, we started some new classes, hired temporary staff and allowed students to start late," he said. College officials report a surge in welding, auto mechanics and information technology courses.
The new TCCC students can look to Diane Owl of Murphy for inspiration. Owl, a 20-year employee of Levi-Strauss, had already earned her G.E.D. when the company closed two years ago.
"Levi’s told us they would pay for us to go to school and even buy us computers," Owl said. "The college administration and faculty bent over backwards to help in the transition. I had not been in a formal classroom for nearly 25 years, so I was apprehensive as to whether or not I could achieve what was expected of me."
Owl said that the instructors at staff at TCCC wanted her to succeed even when she felt overwhelmed by her assignments. "I never thought about giving up," she said. "The college staff was flexible and very supportive all the way through. The education I received and the skills I have developed have given me a whole new direction in life."
Owl graduates in May with an A.A.S. degree in Office Systems Technology. She is a recipient of the System’s Academic Excellence Award and plans to pursue a bachelor degree.
Piedmont Community College, Roxboro
Piedmont Community College in Roxboro has also been a positive force in a community hit hard by recent layoffs and closings. Since December 1999, Person County has experienced the closings of the Tultex, Wolverine and Fleetwood plants as well as layoffs at Crown Crafts.
"When Tultex announced it was closing (December 1999), we set up sessions – they were called ‘Coping, Hoping and Taking Control Sessions’ – for the former Tultex employees," said Dr. Jim Owen, President of Piedmont to the Roxboro Courier-Times.
Just as in the case of TCCC, Piedmont staff members gave up part of their Christmas vacation to help the former Tultex employees fill out forms and begin a new job search. Bonnie Davis, Public Information Officer for Piedmont, told the Courier-Times that she believed "the college’s response to Tultex was "one of Piedmont’s finest hours."
Ten months after Tultex closed, Crown Crafts announced it would lay off more than half of its 400-person work force. Piedmont worked with the Crown Crafts management, the local Employment Security Commission and the NC Department of Commerce Rapid Response Team. Employees were surveyed – the results lead to five one-hour sessions held for Crown Crafts employees. A job fair was also held at the plant. A number of Crown Crafts employees took a workshop from Randy Reynolds, Director of the Small Business Center at Piedmont, on how to start their own business. Classes on interviewing and resume preparation were also held.
The closing at Fleetwood Homes also lead to similar sessions. Terri Hamrick, Director of the Human Resources Development Program at Piedmont, said that while closings and layoffs may seem similar to outsiders, there are in fact a number of differences.
"For example, we learned that Fleetwood had a number of non-English speaking workers," she said. "We provided these Spanish speaking employees with an orientation session in Spanish. We also gave them information about English as a Second Language classes at Piedmont and at Vance-Granville Community College, because a number of the non-English speaking Fleetwood employees lived in Oxford."
Hamrick said the management at Fleetwood wanted their employees to find other jobs. "They allowed our staff to come on site and provide two 10-hour Job Seeking Skills Training classes to 45 of their employees. This allowed these employees to leave Fleetwood with a professionally prepared resume and training in job search."
Hamrick pointed out that everyone in the community has pulled together to help their fellow citizens. "I see a real sense of community here," she said. "Everyone is being very supportive of each other."
Davis said that a number of displaced workers decided to become full-time college students at Piedmont. "It is a wake up call for some," she told the Courier-Times. "They say ‘I can use this opportunity to get my degree.’"
Central Carolina Community College, Sanford
In December just before Christmas, the Swift Denim Mill closed its doors in the Harnett County town of Erwin. The decision meant that 740 people lost their jobs.
Jerry and Myrtle Blake were two of those people. "You feel betrayed," said Jerry. "There were hurt feelings. It makes you mad. It was a combination of feelings."
Both Jerry and Myrtle Blake are feeling more optimistic these days, in part because of Central Carolina Community College (CCCC). Jerry enrolled in the computer hardware repair and troubleshooting curriculum on the Harnett County campus. Myrtle is a student in the office system technology (OST) curriculum.
"I am doing great," said Myrtle. "I’m having a blast learning. My lowest grade so far is an 87 in English. The teachers can train us. They just have to have patience with us older people. We’re not used to this. You can teach an old dog new tricks."
At least 147 of former Swift Denim workers are attending curriculum classes at Central Carolina, according to Kathy Tinsley, campus counselor for CCCC. Tinsley said that another 60 are enrolled in the college’s GED program and an additional 56 are enrolled in occupational extension classes. Tinsley said the new students are eager to learn.
"I just love 'em," she said. "Their willingness to take on new things despite being scared is wonderful. What is so cool is they set an example for our other (traditional) students by being early for class, not just prompt, by their work ethic and their commitment. Most of them have been out of school for 20 to 30 years; I can't imagine how intimidating that must be to come back."
Tinsley said that advisors met in advance and worked out schedules for the Swift Denim workers so they would not have to struggle with registration. "And now instructors are offering extended office hours, extra tutoring sessions, and we are planning workshops on study skills, stress management and financial aid planning."
Former Swift Denim employee Johnny Hall said CCCC has been very helpful during a difficult situation. "If it weren't for the college, we would be out job hunting and there is no market that pays anything in what we were doing (at Swift Denim)."
NOTE: Under guidelines of NAFTA, eligible displaced employees can receive free job training and other benefits. For information on NAFTA, contact your local Employment Security Commission. For more information on job skills training, contact your local community college.
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