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| For Release: IMMEDIATE | Contact: Public Affairs |
| Date: Sept. 13, 1999 |
North Carolina Tops in Worker Training -- Again!
RALEIGH --
For the second year in a row, North Carolina's worker training programs have been ranked number one in the country by professionals who help industries choose sites for new and expanding plants.
Expansion Management magazine asked top site selection consultants to list states with the best training programs for its "Ratings 99" issue, due out in October. North Carolina came out on top, just as it did in 1998.
According to Expansion Management, "No single issue is as important to corporate site selectors than is work force quality and availability. When it comes to going from the short list to the winner's circle in the competition for corporate relocation, it is often the quality of the work force training program that spells the difference for the winning community."
North Carolina's Community Colleges are the state's primary providers of worker training and retraining. H. Martin Lancaster, president of the Community Colleges System, said, "I am proud that industry professionals recognize and appreciate the value of the worker training programs in our 59 institutions. Economic development has been a major focus for the Community College System since its earliest days. It will be even more important in the future."
Worker training programs in the North Carolina Community Colleges System include New and Expanding Industry Training; Focused Industrial Training for major established industries and hundreds of occupational extension and technical training courses and program.
"A large part of the success North Carolina has had in recruiting new industries lies in the strength of our workforce," said Rick Carlisle, Department of Commerce Secretary. "Companies want workers who are well trained and able to maintain their skills at a competitive, productive level. Our outstanding community college system is to be commended for doing such a fine job."
This is the second major national recognition for North Carolina's worker training programs in the past two months. In July, the Education Commission of the States honored North Carolina with its State Innovation Award, citing the state's comprehensive worker training programs as an example for other states to follow.
For information about economic development programs in the North Carolina Community Colleges System, contact Scott Ralls, Director of Economic Development at 919-733-7051 ext. 407. Call your local community college for information about specific training programs in your area.
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