Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco today announced two companies and four North Carolinians as recipients of the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Workforce Development for 2009. The awards honor individuals and businesses for outstanding accomplishments and contributions in helping North Carolina achieve its workforce development goals.
“North Carolina’s workers are productive, hard working and highly skilled, and these companies and individuals in particular have demonstrated a commitment to building on those strengths and our state’s workforce excellence,” Crisco said. “I congratulate these award winners for their determination and innovation in helping make our employees among the very best in the nation.”
The N.C. Commission on Workforce Development recognized the recipients Oct. 8 at an awards ceremony during the 2009 Workforce Development Partnership Conference in Greensboro. Award recipients are as follows:
Kathleen Grant, Greensboro: Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Adult Participant. Kathleen Grant turned a layoff into a life-changing and career-enhancing opportunity. Following a skills assessment, educational recommendations and career guidance from the Greensboro JobLink Career Center, Grant completed a nursing program in December, passed a licensure exam and started work as an LPN charge nurse in January.
Tayler Lewellyn, Greensboro: Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Youth Participant. Tayler Lewellyn, faced with an uncertain future after life responsibilities interrupted her education, enrolled in services through the Workforce Investment Act Youth Program. Lewellyn earned her high school diploma, completed a college program and is now employed as a nurse’s assistant. She is also training to become a registered nurse.
Teresa Mejia-Santos, North Wilkesboro: Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Older Youth Participant. Teresa Mejia-Santos enrolled in WIA and local JobLink workshops with the goal of becoming employed to help her husband support their two children. Mejia-Santos has now completed her GED, successfully used her Spanish skills at a community work experience program and secured fulltime work as a collections associate.
Sandra J. Shepard, Jacksonville: Wayne Daves Award for Outstanding Achievement in Workforce Development. Sandra Shepard is the WIA consultant in the Jacksonville Employment Security Commission Office. Along with her Onslow County JobLink center work, she is an instructor at Lenoir Community College. Shepard – a mentor and “go to” person for colleagues – has developed an employer OJT brochure, a Displaced Worker pamphlet and a WIA newsletter.
PCS Phosphate, Aurora: Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Employer. PCS Phosphate, a multi-national mining company, is the largest employer in Beaufort County. The company employs more than 1,000 local residents and 2,000 contract workers of various professional, skilled and non-skilled trades in construction and chemical processing. PCS Phosphate offers a progression training program for every employee within the Aurora facility, and has partnered with the Region Q Workforce Development Board and many other area partners to assess and train employees in a variety of occupations.
Storm Technologies Inc., Albemarle: Governor’s Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Employer. Storm Technologies, a privately owned company founded in 1992, provides a variety of services such as consulting, technical direction, general and comprehensive inspections, performance testing service, fabrication, and airflow management systems. The company has created a training program that allows field service technicians to bring their skill levels closer to the level of their engineers. Storm provides on-the-job training and cross training for newly hired employees and encourages its staff to attend Stanly Community College. The company, in partnership with a variety of local agencies, also encourages employee involvement with organizations that champion workforce development.