North Carolina’s Forsyth Technical Community College can better equip students for the workforce thanks to a $50,000 donation from Vulcan Materials Company. The college will tap the funds to revitalize hydraulic training and equipment used at the Northwest Forsyth Center, the Transportation Technology Center and the new Center for Advanced Manufacturing.
“The donation of the needed hydraulic trainers and equipment will allow our diesel and heavy equipment students to experience hands-on training with how a hydraulic system works and how to troubleshoot and make adjustments or repair to hydraulic circuits,” said Todd Bishop, dean of engineering technology and program coordinator for computer-integrated machining.
Cape Fear Community College will use a $16,500 donation from Cypress Creek Renewables to support sustainability technology students and professional development for faculty. The funds is especially helpful in covering the cost of exam fees, such as the $125 students pay for the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners certification exam.
Georgia
Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s (GPTC) annual Manufacturers Luncheon included a special presentation: a $130,000 grant from the Dart Foundation that will help to purchase new programmable logic controller equipment.
“This grant will allow Georgia Piedmont Tech to recruit students with a keen interest in manufacturing, as well as meet the growing demand by area employers to hire workers who understand how to operate programs and machinery allowing mass customization, creating an opportunity for businesses to cut costs and save money,” said Anthony Neal, vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the GPTC Foundation.
Illinois
Highland Community College will receive $21,000 from Forreston State Bank to help the college’s role in workforce development.
Late in 2017, Forreston renewed its three-year $6,000 pledge to fund a scholarship for students pursuing a certificate or an associate of applied science degree in automotive technology, agriculture, mechatronics or advanced manufacturing. The bank also pledged $15,000 over the next three years in support of the Highland agriculture program.
Oakton Community College recently accepted a $100,000 donation from Rivers Casino that will help provide 50 scholarships to Des Plaines residents to attend the college. Rivers Casino is a longtime supporter of Oakton. Since 2013, the $448,000 in scholarship funds have been offered to Oakton students from Des Plaines. And last year, it donated $25,000 to help with the construction costs of the new student center.
Pennsylvania
At HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, students in the medical assisting certificate program have a new scholarship opportunity thanks to funding from UPMC Pinnacle. The healthcare services provider is donating up to $80,000 per year for two years for the UPMC Pinnacle Workforce Development Medical Assisting Scholarship. The donation will provide up to 20 scholarships per academic year at $4,000 per scholarship.
Virginia
Mountain Empire Community College will use a $500,000 grant to expand workforce education opportunities. The grant comes from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) and will help those trained — or retrained — for new jobs in the region.
“Being able to present workforce capabilities to those employers who are considering locating or expanding their businesses in the VCEDA region is important in VCEDA’s mission to enhance and diversify the region’s economic base,” Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director/general counsel, said in a release. “We are pleased to be able to provide this grant funding to benefit the residents of the VCEDA region.”
