By Josh Bergeron
josh.bergeron@salisburypost.com

ROCKWELL — East Rowan will be the first site of a new job-training program developed by County Commissioners Vice Chairman Jim Greene.

Dates and times are not yet final. Greene said he is working with the town of Rockwell to pick a location for the classes. He discussed the program with Rockwell officials Tuesday and updated county commissioners on the progress during their annual planning retreat on Thursday.

“We are hoping to make these jobs available and try to get the word out that this is a way for you to be employed,” Greene said at Thursday’s meeting. “You may be working part-time now with no benefits. … The jobs that we make available will be full-time jobs with benefits (such as) health insurance and retirement.”

The program aims to bring training for manufacturing jobs to various areas of the county. Greene hopes to provide training to people who are unemployed and underemployed.

Classes would be provided through the N.C. Manufacturing Institute, which previously brought classes to East Spencer. The institute was started in 2014 as a result of meetings with leaders of Rowan and Cabarrus counties. When employers hire a person trained by the Manufacturing Institute, the company pays $1,000 for future participants after the hired person stays with the company for a period of time. County leaders say graduates ideally would have a job offer immediately after completing the Manufacturing Institute classes.

In November, county commissioners allocated $100,000 to help start Greene’s program.

Greene said 12 of the 14 people who participated in East Spencer’s classes graduated, but he’s unsure about how many are currently employed in a full-time job by a manufacturing company. For Rockwell and other locations, Greene said he hopes to attract at least 20 participants in the job-training classes.

The presentation on Thursday did not require a vote by the county commissioners. But they tossed around ideas for the job-training program.

Commissioner Craig Pierce asked Greene whether it would be possible to expunge a misdemeanor once program participants graduate.

“It would be more of an incentive to be in the program,” Pierce said.

He said the same offer shouldn’t be available for felony charges on someone’s record.

Greene said he was not sure whether misdemeanor criminal charges could be expunged but that he likes the idea.

Next up, Greene said, he will attempt to bring the job-training program to Salisbury’s West End community. Other sites may include China Grove and Cleveland.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.