RALEIGH: Federal funds provided to North Carolina after the largest single permanent layoff in state history have enabled North Carolina’s community colleges to provide valuable assistance to workers who lost their Pillowtex jobs last year. While the funds are being expended, close to one million dollars is still available to meet the need.

The unprecedented job losses created by the closing of the Pillowtex plants meant near economic devastation for a region of North Carolina. A large portion of the 4,800 displaced workers turned to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury for retraining, education and counseling. Many more are anticipated in the future. This put a strain on the college that would not have been bearable without emergency funds from the federal government.

A National Emergency Grant (NEG) sent $2.5 million to the North Carolina Community College System and $2.1 million was allocated specifically to Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, located in the area where the job losses were most severe. To date the college has committed $1.5 million serving the needs of 1500 new students who turned to the college after losing their Pillowtex jobs. The college has used the money to add faculty and facilities for the influx of students. The emergency grant also covers tuition that goes directly to the students.

Rowan-Cabarrus wants to ensure that when the present NEG grant expires in August, there are new funds headed their way to continue to serve those students in need. That is what they told US Labor Secretary Elaine Chao last week when she visited the college to check on the progress of former Pillowtex workers. The college wants the assurance of Chao’s support for a new grant request.

The NEG process dictates that no new grant may be requested until funds from the present grant have been expended. While it is certain that Rowan-Cabarrus will use all of the $2.1 million allocated to the college for services, a subsequent grant cannot be requested until they have spent what they have.

Dr. Stephanie Deese, Director of Workforce Initiatives at the North Carolina Community College System, will work with Rowan-Cabarrus officials and the Department of Commerce, Division of Employment and Training (DET) to prepare the grant request for presentation. "We plan on meeting with the college in May or June to make an assessment of the needs and to determine the resources necessary to support those needs," said Deese. "Once that has been completed, the state will apply for additional resources to support the college in their continued work with the dislocated workers from Pillowtex."

-NCCCS-

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