Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute is partnering with the North Carolina Community College System’s Customized Training Program to offer customized training assistance in support of local businesses in the region.
CCC&TI is currently partnering with Continental Structural Plastics, Stallergenes Greer Laboratories, The Marlin Company and Timber Wolf Forest Products to offer on-site employee training specifically designed for each company.
Customized training has long been provided by North Carolina Community Colleges. The program works to provide company-specific instruction as a component of the state’s economic development efforts. North Carolina was the first in the nation to deliver such training to local businesses and over the past 50 years has trained more than 36,000 employees and served nearly 900 companies. Through the network of the 58 community colleges in the NC Community College System, the program serves all 100 counties in North Carolina.
Training programs cover a wide variety of needs for new and expanding businesses including pre-hire training, programs for productivity enhancement and technology investment. For existing businesses, services focus on immediate training needs and range from training assessment and instructional design to providing on-site training for personnel involved in the direct production of goods and services.
Continental Structural Plastics is the most recent company to take advantage of customized training through CCC&TI. The company’s Lenoir facility manufactures a variety of components for the automobile, heavy truck and HVAC industries. The facility has recently scheduled several CCC&TI courses, including CPR, First Aid and Confined Space, and hopes to schedule more in the future.
“We were excited to learn about the variety of available training options at CCC&TI,” said Tracy Gray, Plant Manager of Continental Structural Plastics’ Lenoir facility. “In addition to established courses and certifications that our employees need, we’ve also had conversations about customized training solutions that focus on specialized skills and equipment. It’s a real convenience to have access to these programs, as well as a tremendous cost savings to the company.”
College officials recently toured the Lenoir facility and discussed several ideas with company officials for developing additional customized training options in the future.
Stallergenes Greer, Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company specializing in treatments for respiratory allergies that has operated in Caldwell County since 1904. Courses provided by CCC&TI for Stallergenes Greer will help train employees in the validation and documentation procedures that help the company meet federal regulations for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Training is also being provided in the areas of preventative maintenance, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines, report writing and Auto CAD design, just to name a few.
The Marlin Company, which is celebrating 25 years of business this year, formulates, blends and labels a variety of liquid and powder chemicals with a number of applications. Those applications include auto care, antimicrobials, pool chemicals, industrial cleaner and textile additives, and lumber marking products among others. Marlin has provided employment to 25 full-time staff members for the last several years. For Marlin, CCC&TI has provided training in the areas of First Aid and CPR, forklift operation, confined space, OSHA 10 hour training. Additional OSHA required training in the areas of Lock-out / Tag-out, fall protection, and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response will be provided soon, as well. CCC&TI will also be conducting Lean Manufacturing and 5S training to improve efficiencies and minimize waste. Marlin has also requested leadership training using the Total Responsible Person (TRP) model, which is designed to create a culture of responsibility, cooperation, respect, and teamwork among co-workers.
When asked about the training received, CEO and Owner Marty Waters stated “Marlin takes immense pride in each of our employees and is committed to providing the training and education necessary to allow them to grow personally as well as professionally. The level of training provided has far exceeded our expectations. Every trainer we have had so far has been very knowledgeable about the subject being presented and has presented the training in a professional manner,” said Waters. “College personnel have been accommodating and willing to work with us to schedule training in a way that had minimum impact on production requirements.”
Timber Wolf Forest Products, established in 1998, manufactures component parts for the furniture and cabinet industries. They have approximately 45 full time employees. CCC&TI will provide several types of safety training modules for Timber Wolf employees including First Aid and CPR, OSHA guidelines training, fire extinguisher training, blood borne pathogen training and forklift training. In addition, the college will also facilitate training in basic computer skills, effective communication and lean manufacturing.
CCC&TI is also currently planning and developing customized training programs for several more businesses in the area. Rick Shew, Employer Services Director for CCC&TI, says that the college is ready to assist existing businesses and new businesses alike with whatever training needs may arise. “Our goal is to enhance the growth potential of companies in our region while also preparing the local workforce for successful employment in these emerging industries. A well-trained workforce is essential for economic growth,” said Shew. “Our flexibility and wealth of resources across the state give us the unique ability to help meet the demands of just about any type of business or industry.”
For more information on Customized Training through CCC&TI and the North Carolina Community College System, contact Employer Services Director Rick Shew at 828-759-4635 or email rshew@cccti.edu.
