Workforce Development and Education

Maui County, Hawaii-Since the mid to late 1990s, MEDB has invested half its resources into STEM pipelines to prepare students for the jobs the organization seeks. One of the most successful programs is Women In Technology, which supports STEM training for women and minorities. MEDB estimates over 25 percent of Maui’s STEM jobs are held by women and minorities today, a major increase over the less than 1 percent in 1999.

Garett County, Md.-One of the county’s most successful workforce training initiatives is Garrett College’s Career Technology Training Center, which offers state-of-the-art labs, classroom instruction and access to advanced computer technologies. In 2006, the county board of commissioners established the Garrett County Scholarship Program guaranteeing any county high school graduate two years of free tuition at the county’s public community college. In the fall of 2011, 189 students received this scholarship. Attendance at Garrett College rose from 80 in 2006 to 111 in 2010.

Augusta-Richmond County is setting the groundwork to develop a highly-skilled workforce.

Augusta-Richmond County, Ga.-Businesses looking to operate here are attracted by its education and workforce development programs. For example, Starbucks has coordinated with Augusta Technical College to train its employees—the college will support training sites as well as on-campus interviews for students seeking jobs at the new plant. Meanwhile, Augusta Tech’s nuclear-engineering program is preparing students for employment at Plant Vogtle, a nearby nuclear plant undergoing expansion. A new magnet high school that opened in 2013 introduced technical skills to students at younger ages.

The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, located in Prince George County, Va. Photo courtesy of the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing.

Prince George County, Va.-Rolls-Royce, Virginia State University, Virginia Tech, and the University of Virginia have partnered to dedicate part of Crosspointe Centre to the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, a research facility investigating manufacturing solutions and providing training to future workers. Newport News Shipbuilding, Siemens and others have joined the partnership and will provide $400,000 each. Virginia State University will add new faculty who specialize in advanced manufacturing, while Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia will hire 11 new faculty members at engineering schools. When the center opened in March 2013, 50 students received internships.

Those interested in reading the complete NaCo report can see it here.

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