SANFORD -- Central Carolina Community College's Industry Services office is providing a unique training program -- the Manufacturing Academy, which is held at the college's Innovation Center at the Lee County Industrial Park.
"The Manufacturing Academy is in response to a request from our Industrial Advisory Board for potential employees with basic manufacturing skills," said Cathy Swindell, CCCC's Director of Industry Services. "The pool of candidates is shrinking, but the need is growing."
The Manufacturing Academy is designed to provide the skills needed to excel in today's manufacturing environment. Emphasis is placed on the fundaments of manufacturing, including: manufacturing concepts; teamwork and communications; problem solving; hands-on, technical skills; quality; and math and measurements.
Kendall Crawford, Industry Trainer/Coordinator, is the Manufacturing Academy instructor. He notes that industry is looking for people with experienced skill sets. "We needed to start getting people with those skill sets the experience of training, so that when they show up to the manufacturing site, they're not cold," Crawford said. "They know what a forklift is. They know how to read a gauge. They know what problem solving is."
Classes are limited to 12 participants on a first-come basis. The first class is under way, with Class Two set for April 15-30 (deadline to register is April 10) and Class Three set for May 6-21 (deadline to register is May 1). Classes meet from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
The 80-hour program consists of three weeks (16-32 hours per week) of classroom and hands-on training. The Manufacturing Academy incorporates hands-on training activities with equipment in the Innovation Center, such as mechanical, hydraulics, pneumatics, and assembly. A certificate of proficiency and 8.0 Continuing Education Credits (CEU) will be granted at the end of the program.
For more information on the Manufacturing Academy, contact Cathy Swindell at 919-718-7212 or Pamela Fincher at 919-718-7490, or visit the website www.cccc.edu/industryservices or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/InnovationLee. To register, contact the Student Support Center at 919-718-7500.
Members of the Manufacturing Academy Class One are pictured, left to right: Takina Bristow of Sanford, Annette Monroe of Sanford, Willetta McIntyre of Fayetteville, Kimetha Sellers of Olivia, instructor Kendall Crawford, and Nicholas Farmer of Laurinburg. Manufacturing_Work_DSCF5676_1b.jpg
Four members of the Manufacturing Academy Class One (seated, left to right) Annette Monroe of Sanford, Kimetha Sellers of Olivia, Willetta McIntyre of Fayetteville, and Takina Bristow of Sanford discuss a class project as instructor Kendall Crawford listens.