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| For Release: IMMEDIATE | Contact: Norman Smit |
| Date: June 28, 2004 | (919) 807-7181 |
Note: This is intended as a sidebar to the earlier release today from the U. S. Department of Labor.
NC Community College System celebrates Federal biotech grant for Forsyth Tech
Raleigh: North Carolina Community College System officials today congratulated Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem on its selection as the lead college for a national $5 million U. S. Department of Labor biotechnology grant. The other grantees are New Hampshire Community College, Indian Hills Community College (Iowa), Bellevue Community College (Washington State), and Miracosta Community College (California).
The grant award was made today (June 28, 2004) by U. S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao at Piedmont Triad Research Park in Winston-Salem.
Dr. Larry Keen, Vice President for Economic and Workforce Development of the North Carolina Community College System, said that the grant once again underscores the role that community colleges play in preparing the workforce for 21st century jobs.
"North Carolina is already a presence in the biotech industry. The fact that a North Carolina community college was selected to lead five premier colleges nationwide to establish a 'National Center for the Biotechnology Workforce' shows how true the North Carolina Community College System's motto of 'preparing a world-class workforce' really is," he said.
Forsyth Tech also shares with Guilford Technical Community College responsibility for one of the six BioNetwork Centers in the North Carolina Community College System. Funded in large part by GoldenLEAF, North Carolina's BioNetwork Centers disseminate information, curricula and skills to all of the biotech community colleges in North Carolina.
Susan Seymour, Director of BioNetwork, said today's grant from the US Department of Labor will strengthen the capacity of community colleges across North Carolina to meet the workforce education and training needs of the biotech industry. "Not only will this grant benefit the Triad enormously," she said, but with BioNetwork, "developments made possible through it at Forsyth Tech can be rapidly communicated statewide and benefit all of North Carolina."
For details of today's grant, contact the U. S. Department of Labor at 202-693-4676. For details of Forsyth Technical Community College's participation, contact the college at 336-723-0371.
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