CPCC, 11 other schools team up for enhanced job training

Twelve community colleges in the Charlotte region are joining forces to improve job training in hopes of attracting new employers and raising the area’s global profile, Central Piedmont Community College President Tony Zeiss said.

“Regionalism really is the way to go with economic development,” Zeiss said Wednesday in an interview. The group is called the Regional Collaborative for a Global Economy. “The No. 1 incentive for most companies is the ability to get and keep skilled workers.”

Community college has become a centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s plans to shore up the middle class and help people secure well-paying jobs. Last month, Obama proposed making community college free for two years to students who keep their grades up and attend at least half-time. But the plan has been criticized by congressional Republicans, who control both the House and the Senate, and who would have to approve the spending.

In addition to CPCC, 11 other Carolinas community colleges are joining in the local collaborative: Catawba Valley, Cleveland, Gaston College, Mitchell, Northeastern Tech, Rowan-Cabarrus, South Piedmont, Spartanburg, Greenville Technical, Stanly and York Technical College.

The executive director of the regional group is Michael Almond, former president of the Charlotte Regional Partnership. Zeiss said CPCC hired him to help “keep us all moving in the right direction.”

“We want to see the Charlotte region gain competitiveness through innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Almond, in a statement. “Working together through the collaborative and partnering with the many stakeholders, we can help our employers expand into global markets while attracting more international companies.”

Here’s what the regional community college consortium plans to do:

“We are working harder to connect our training programs to the needs of business and industry,” Zeiss said. “Employers drive our curriculum.”

“That would be advanced manufacturing, transportation and logistics and small-business development, in addition to the things we already do,” Zeiss said.

“We will continue to support economic development,” said Zeiss. “We don’t want to get into economic development. We’re not actively out there trying to take the place of the Chambers.”

This story was originally published February 4, 2015 at 8:00 PM with the headline "CPCC, 11 other schools team up for enhanced job training."