Jeanie Moore, vice president of continuing education programs at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, will make a presentation this week at the Alabama College Association’s 2008 conference in Mobile.
Moore will discuss in depth Rowan-Cabarrus’ experience working with and retraining displaced workers from Pillowtex and other local manufacturers.
Moore’s presentation, “From Looms to Labs,” chronicles the community college’s reaction and response to the 2003 closing of Pillowtex and the ensuing mass layoff, leading to the college’s involvement in the development of the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.
Shortly after the local Pillowtex plants closed, Rowan-Cabarrus partnered with other local agencies to secure a $2.5 million National Emergency Grant to provide education and job training programs for the displaced workers.
Rowan-Cabarrus’ effective use of the grant and its work to retrain former Pillowtex workers earned the college a prestigious Outstanding Workforce Development Provider Award from the U.S. Department of Labor in 2005.
On June 24, Moore testified before a U.S. House panel hearing in Washington. A subcommittee of the House Committee on Science and Technology sponsored the hearing titled “American Decline or Renewal? Part 2 ń The Past and Future of Skilled Work.”
The discussion focused on how the loss of jobs to other countries affected Americans and their communities and looked at successful models of community redevelopment and programs that serve displaced workers.
One outgrowth of Rowan-Cabarrus’ work with former Pillowtex employees is the college’s creation of the R3 Center. Located in Kannapolis, the R3 Center is a career development center established to assist workers who are unemployed or under-employed.
The center’s mission is built on three Rs ń a refocus on individual skills and interests, retraining and further education and partnering with other workforce development agencies to secure career-oriented re-employment.
The R3 Center helps adult workers assess and profile their aptitudes, training, academic credentials and future career interests to develop a plan for career growth.
The R3 Center partners with other workforce development agencies, including the Centralina Workforce Development Board, JobLink Career Centers of Cabarrus and Rowan counties, N.C. Employment Security Commission and other area community colleges.
For more information about the R3 Center and its services and programs, call 704-216-7201, or visit the center’s Web site at www. rowancabarrus.edu/r3center/.
Real Estate Investors group meets Dec. 4
The Concord Area Subgroup of the Metrolina Real Estate Investors Association will meet Dec. 4 at McCabe’s restaurant, 316 Brookdale St., Kannapolis.
The group meets the first Thursday of every month. A dinner and networking is available between 6 and 7 p.m., with an educational program beginning at 7 p.m.
Mike Landers of Foam Insulators of North Carolina will speak to the group on Dec. 4. He will talk about five types of foam insulation in areas such as crawl spaces, exterior walls and rafters and for purposes such as sound deadening and pest barriers.
For more information, contact Cherrathee Hager, subgroup coordinator, at 704-490-2001, or chager6@carolina.rr.com.
Massey joins Uwharrie Capital
ALBEMARLE ó Roger Dick, president and chief executive officer of Uwharrie Capital Corp, says Mike Massey has joined Uwharrie Capital Corp as senior vice president and director of administration.
Massey’s background and experience include more than 30 years in human resource management, process management and purchasing/procurement in the manufacturing industry.
“Mike has the strong management abilities to oversee our enterprise-wide human resources and facility operations, Dick said in a press release “He has exceptional interpersonal and team building skills and the ability to build solid community relationships.”
Massey received his associate of arts degree from Wingate University and his bachelor of arts degree in social science and economics from Hendrix College in Conway, Ark. He is a member of First Lutheran Church in Albemarle and is an sssistant scoutmaster for Troop 82 in Albemarle.
He lives in Albemarle with his wife, Melanie, and children Patrick, 13, and Ryan, 9.