Davidson County Community College

LEXINGTON — Davidson County Community College announced a $196,264 investment from Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas to connect students with hands-on training and career development opportunities.

“It is very exciting to be awarded this grant at this time,” said Carolyn Davis, program director of corporate training and workforce development. “Business and industry in Davidson and Davie counties are coming together to form Apprenticeship Consortia, and this allows the college additional funding resources to support that initiative.”

The investment, from the Duke Energy Foundation, will be used to expand the apprenticeship programs and opportunities for students in partnership with Kurz Transfer Products, Ingersoll Rand and Avgol.

“By purchasing specialized equipment for training and offering scholarships to cover educational expenses for apprentices, this funding will provide opportunities for more than 40 people in our communities to gain the necessary skills that fit industry needs in positions with competitive salaries,” Davis said.

The grant is part of Duke Energy’s $35 million investment in North Carolina’s community colleges’ focus on technical education and support of the local marketplace.

Individual community colleges were invited to apply for funds through the North Carolina Community Foundation and the Foundation for the Carolinas. Applications were reviewed by a committee of representatives from Duke Energy, the N.C. Community College System and N.C. Department of Commerce.