City of Charlotte and Central Piedmont Enter a Workforce and Education Partnership
August 2, 2022The City of Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College formalized a partnership for workforce development and education during a signing ceremony on Monday.
The partnership will provide better access to education, job training, career counseling and more for city employees and Central Piedmont students. For employees who do not currently hold post-secondary credentials, the city will pre-pay tuition and associated fees at Central Piedmont toward an associate degree or certificate programs. By offering a pre-payment program, the partnership is promoting upward mobility and removing a financial barrier.
"It's important we invest in our employees and provide opportunities to join our workforce," said City Manager Marcus D. Jones. "Through this partnership, we are preparing and reskilling our workforce for jobs of the future."
Central Piedmont students will also have the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience through City of Charlotte apprenticeships, co-ops and internship programs. The city has 13 registered apprenticeship occupations with 36 combined former and current participants. The co-op program is new and there are two participants in the year-long program. The city has more than 25 career fields students can explore, from construction to administration.
"Central Piedmont is thrilled and proud to establish this partnership with the City of Charlotte," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, college president. "The college is eager to welcome and work with City of Charlotte employees as they seek further education and the re-skilling needed to advance their careers. At the same time, we are delighted our students will have the opportunity to gain invaluable experience and skills through work-based learning programs with the city. We believe this partnership, in time, can become a model for other cities and colleges to implement."
Central Piedmont offers more than 300 degree, diploma and certification programs through its six campuses located throughout Mecklenburg County. In addition to receiving a quality education, program participants will also have access to a variety of the college's student support services, including tutoring, coaching, career counseling and more.
Together, the City of Charlotte and Central Piedmont Community College are creating opportunities for upward mobility for city employees and the community.
Apprenticeship 2000 Program - CPCC
September 7, 2011Apprenticeship Programs at the Community College? A European concept with an American Twist... Rebooting Charlotte's workforce
"Years ago there was a big shift. Everybody needed to have a liberal arts education so that you could be a critical thinker and solve problems," says Kenny Colbert of The Employers Association. "Now we're moving back toward the more technical orientation because somebody has to do the work."
"They're looking for someone who can troubleshoot that has core skills in specific areas like PLC programming, pneumatics and circuit analysis," says Chad Ray, Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at Central Piedmont Community College. Read more