Special Guests: Wendy Johnson, Director of Workforce Development, Western Piedmont Council of Governments [email protected] 828.485.4273 Adrian Tait, Director, High Country Workforce Development Board [email protected] 828.265.5434x130 Jeanne Turner-Simms, Career & Technical Education Coordinator, Hickory Public Schools [email protected] 828.322.2855 Websites & Resources Certified Work Ready Communities workreadycommunities.org/ NC Chamber...

The North Carolina Community College System embarked on a strategic planning initiative called Align4NCWorks to secure North Carolina’s role as a national leader in workforce development through collaboration, innovation and local impact. The plan is to connect with and build on the Governor’s NCWorks initiative, Jobs Plan and other state efforts, while drawing on the models and ingenuity of local communities. Best practices that are scalable have been identified in both parts of the State....

Catawba Careers is an innovative video driven website created as a new media option to post and advertise career opportunities in the Catawba Valley. The website features Hot Job! Videos specific to local positions featuring people who are currently working for area businesses. These videos are designed to appeal to young adults in high school, college, and beyond. The intention is to bring a greater awareness of our local companies and the positions available with links to the education and...

Hickory Young Professionals recently recognized the Top 10 Under 40 in Catawba County.  Education Matters hosts Tracy Hall & Todd Ashworth welcome as in-studio guests 2 of those 10 young professionals (Lindsay Keisler & Heather Benfield) who are making a positive impact in their careers as well as their community.  Find out why they were chosen for this honor and the ways that they would like to see other young professionals get involved in education and community leadership...

Education Matters is back and now in full implementation. This episode's guests have been working diligently to implement the innovative ways we are connecting students from 8th grade to 12th grade to local career opportunities, while helping them to be aware of the training and education needed for those jobs.   Special Guests: Trina Williams, Career & Technical Coordinator for Hickory Public Schools [email protected]   Jeanne Turner Simms, Career Development...

Women in North Carolina face many challenges in the areas of economic security, poverty, health, well-being, employment, earnings and political participation. The Women's Resource Center works to improve lives and empower women through workforce development, advocacy, enrichment programs and community partnerships. They serve wormen and families in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba. Special Co-host: Wanda Horvath, Counselor for Students with Disabilities and Special Programs at...

Apprenticeship Catawba is an exciting new partnership between local advanced manufacturers, Catawba and Alexander County schools and Catawba Valley Community College. Did you know jobs in Mechatronics and Computer Integrated Machining are in demand? Would you: Enjoy a career working with robots, computer aided design or electronics? Want an oportunity for a college scholarship and NO student loans? Want to take a college classes your junior and senior years in high school at no cost to...

Special guests: Roxy Poovey Public School Liaison at Catawba Valley Community College [email protected] (828) 327-7000 x4594 Laurie Wegner Director of Admissions at Catawba Valley Community College (828) 327-7000 x4618 Resources: CVCC Website NC Dept. of Public Instruction Website

Did you know that high school seniors across North Carolina  have the opportunity to earn a NC Career Readiness Certificate (CRC), a portable skills credential powered by the ACT National Career Readiness Certification?  This credential gives employers and students a uniform, standard, objective measure of key workplace skills. It certifies that a person has the skills that are transferable between industry sectors and across jobs within a sector. North Carolina  is one of eight states across...

Special Guests: Todd Ashworth, Chairman of Hickory Youn Professionals; Financial Consultant with Renaissance Financial Managers Lindsey Lawhon, HYP Member and the Executive Director for the Council on Adolescents of Catawba County For More Information: Hickory Young Professionals Website: www.hickoryhyp.com Contact info: Todd Ashworth [email protected] 828.322.1111 Council on Adolescents of Catawba County Website: www.coacatawba.org Contact info: Lindsey Lawhon...

Special Guests: Scott Millar, President of Catawba County Economic Development Christa Francisco, Human Resource Manager at Sarstedt, Inc. David Waechter, President & CEO of Verdanté BioEnergy For More Information: Catawba County Economic Development Corporation: www.catawbaedc.org Sarstedt, Inc: www.sarstedt.com Verdanté BioEnergy: www.verdantebioenergy.com

The time is now!  What do you do, where do you go and how do you get there?  Tracy and Lamar welcome local seniors to the table as they tell us what is going through their heads just days before graduation!   Special Guests: Shaquille Smith, Senior from Hickory Career & Arts Magnet Runy Lee, Senior from Challenger Early College High School Austin Fry, Senior from Newton Conover High School Lynsey Braim, Senior from Newton Conover High School For more information: Challenger High...

We welcome Sonya Fleming, Director of Organizational Learning at Catawba Valley Medical Center ([email protected]) and Tonja Pool, Catawba Valley Community College Program Director of Emergency Medical Science ([email protected]) as we discuss the opportuinities in Healthcare education!  More than doctors and nurses... the possibilities are endless!           For more information: Catawba Valley Medical Center Website: www.catawbavalleymc.org   Catawba Valley Community...

Our guest this month, Dr. Amy Loyd, is the director of the Pathways to Prosperity Network, a coalition of nine states including NC. Pathways to Prosperity is a partnership between Jobs for the Future and Harvard University’s School of Education. Anyone interested in education's link to economic development owes it themselves to read Harvard University's excellent Pathways to Prosperity report. When you read the report, you'll find it underscores something we've known in Catawba County for...

What is entrepreneurship? And how does it help the economy? Joining hosts Tracy Hall and Lamar Mitchell this episode, are Gary Muller (Department Head of Business Programs and Coordinator of the Jobs Creation Center at Catawba Valley Community College) and Jeff Neuville (Director of the Small Business Center at CVCC). They discuss entrepreneurship initiatives on the high school and college levels, and talk about the programs at CVCC that prepares students to enter the business world. For...

Some innovations in manufacturing have come to Conover, NC that are opening the door for unique educational opportunities for area students.  Dan St. Louis & Donald Duncan sit down with hosts Tracy Hall and Lamar Mitchell to discuss these developments and how the public and private sectors worked together to bring about the Conover Station and Manufacturing Solutions Center.   For more information visit www.manufacturingsolutionscenter.org and www.conoverstation.com

The Education Matters podcast welcomes Dr. Dan Brigman, Catawba County Schools Superintendent and Kathryn Nelson, junior at Fred T. Foard High School and Girl Scout to discuss some major initatives going on in our school systems to help combat bullying.  See the details below to get more information! Rachel's Challenge: www.rachelschallenge.com Stand Up Speak Out in Catawba County: www.standupspeakoutcv.org

Now is the time to "Celebrate Cultural Diversity"!  Join Tracy and Lamar as they welcome their guests, Idris Stover, Vice President & Manager for BB&T's Affirmative Action & Diversity Programs and Steve O. Hunt, Executive Director for CVCC's Office of Multicultural Affairs, to this latest episode of Education Matters.     You can find out more at:  BB&T's Diversity Statement   http://bbt.com/bbtdotcom/about/diversity/default.page CVCC Office of Multicultural...

This episode, Education Matters is proud to present a new campaign by the Future Workforce Alliance called "Get NOT Out of Your Life". FWA intends to significantly increase the percentage of working-aged adults who attain degrees, earn certificates, or complete other advanced training beyond high school that has a direct relevance to the region's workforce. Listen in as Lamar and Tracy are joined for further info by some key players in this initiative and learn what you can do to assist...

When schools look at streamlining their budgets the Arts are often the first programs cut.  In studio today with hosts Tracey Hall & Lamar Mitchell are two folks with some thoughts on why keeping the Arts around is vital to having a complete, well-rounded education.  Kim Ellington, Director of the Potters’ Workshop, discusses how the pottery traditions of Catawba County influence Art Education while Brian Morris, Department Head for Applied & Fine Arts at Catawba Valley Community...

As usual, the Education Matters team addresses the major topics in Catawba County education.  Join us this episode as we welcome Dr. Garrett Hinshaw, President of CVCC, Dr. Walter Hart, Superintendent, Hickory Public Schools, and Dr. David Stegall, Associate Superintendent, Newton-Conover Schools to the microphones.  The guests today have a vested interest in the future of education and feel a lot depends on the community involvement through local businesses.  The importance of partnerships...

Education Matters goes outside their “norm” this month by bringing on some unique guests – students! Tracy and Lamar welcome Logan and Jacob from local high schools to speak about their current internship and apprenticeship. Is it guiding them to their ideal career path? Or does the “real world” intimidate students? Sharon Turner, the Career Development Coordinator for Catawba County Schools, steps in to explain the benefits of programs like these and how local businesses are not only helping...

In this episode of Education Matters your hosts Tracy Hall and Lamar Mitchell invite guests Trina Williams, Career and Technical Education Coordinator for Hickory Public Schools, and Geoff Crosson, The Discovery High School English Department Chair for Newton-Conover City Schools, to discuss the growing trend of the nontraditional high schools who create a unique learning environment to both cultivate and educate the youth of the Catawba Valley. These educational institutions include...

This episode of Education Matters brings a round table discussion featuring your hosts Tracy Hall and Lamar Mitchell with guests Dale Mull, president of Flowers Baking Company in Newton, NC; Carol Moore, science curriculum coordinator of Catawba County schools; and Karen Cale, career and technical education director for Catawba County schools. These panelists engage in a discussion involved the recent Education Matters Extreme STEM Tour that took place in Catawba County during the month of...

In this week’s episode of Education Matters, Lamar and Tracy tackle the issue of disadvantaged youth, opportunities provided for them and the effects of poverty on the education of young people. Astonishing statistics set the stage for an in depth discussion on the trials that disadvantaged youth face, the stress that poverty has on their education and health, and the importance of communication within a community. Special guests Alanda Jackson, executive director of the Hickory Housing...