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| SCC has recently secured more than $1.5 million in grant funding from Golden LEAF Foundation and Duke Energy Foundation. Patricia Cabe (second from left) of the Golden Leaf Foundation presents a check for the first - and largest - of these grants to, from left: Conrad Burrell, SCC Board of Trustees; John Herrin, SCC Board of Trustees; Sonja Haynes, dean of workforce innovations at SCC; Chris Davis, ConMet general manager; Lynda Parlett, SCC's director of institutional development; and Don Tomas, SCC president. |
As general manager of ConMet, Chris Davis has plenty to be excited about these days.
The Golden LEAF Foundation and Duke Energy recently funded a trio of advanced manufacturing training grants, which combined are worth $1.5 million, to Southwestern Community College and its partners.
The funding has ensured that ConMet and other manufacturers throughout western North Carolina can train their employees on the latest technology for years to come.
But there’s one aspect of all these developments that excites Davis even more.
“The greatest benefit is going to be for people we’ve not even met yet,” Davis said last Friday when Golden LEAF officially presented a grant check totaling more than $850,000 for the Community Assistance Initiative - the first of two grants from that organization - to SCC, Swain County and ConMet officials.
“Think about the kids coming through high school right now who are wondering what they’re going to do with their lives,” Davis added. “They have an option to get more technical training right here. That’s going to allow us to stay here five, 10, 15, 20 years or longer.”
At Friday’s check presentation, Golden LEAF vice president Patricia Cabe announced another grant application from SCC will be funded for Essential Skills for $470,000. SCC’s portion of $220,000 is for advanced manufacturing training equipment, which will be installed in the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center.
The Duke Energy Foundation grant funds of $250,000 will help equip SCC’s Jackson Campus for certificate, diploma and degree programs in computer engineering technology, electronics/electrical technology and robotics.
Lynda Parlett, SCC’s director of institutional development, wrote the applications incorporating Swain County as a key partner in the first grant. Community partners throughout Swain, Jackson and Macon Counties include ConMet, DuoTech Services, TekTone, Franklin Tubular, Jackson Paper, Caterpillar, Hometex, Shaw Industries and Tri-County Community College. Tri-County, incidentally, will receive the remaining $250,000 from the second (essential skills) grant from Golden LEAF.
As part of the first – and largest – Golden LEAF grant, a full-time STEM education coordinator will be hired by Swain County Schools to help high school students enter this education and training pathway.
Don Tomas, president of SCC, said the three grants mark the first three phases in an effort to close skills gaps identified by area industries.
“We’re excited about the partnerships we’ve created and communication lines we’ve opened,” Tomas said. “Receiving these grants is a game-changer for SCC and our service area.”
The programs funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation will take place in the room where Swain County Commissioners currently hold their regular meetings.
“We want people to be able to stay and work here,” said Phil Carson, chairman of the Swain County Commissioners. “We’re going to have to find a new place for our meetings, but that’s not a problem. This building is for education. So people can stay and live here.”
