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NCCBI News

Workforce Summit Develops Ideas for a New Economy

G
ordon Myers (left), the outgoing NCCBI chair who also heads the North Carolina Economic Development Board, released a detailed list of recommendations on improving the workforce and economy of North Carolina during a statewide Workforce Development Summit in Greensboro on March 1.

The recommendations were the product of two days of sessions, during which the state’s leading economic developers, educators and private industry representatives met with the governor, lieutenant governor, commerce secretary, members of the General Assembly and others to discuss workforce issues.

 “North Carolina is already ahead of the curve in workforce development in many ways,” Myers said. “We have tremendous resources already — great people, great employers, and among the finest community college and university systems in the nation. Now is the time to bring all the pieces together under the banner of prosperity for all of North Carolina. I believe our summit’s recommendations provide actionable, realistic tactics to make this goal a reality.”

Here are the recommendations:

Improve School Curriculum: Encourage work ethic, character, and other “soft-skills.” Enhance career opportunity training in middle and high schools through additional training and certification for teachers and counselors.

Increase Participation: Facilitate business participation in determining education curriculum. Coordinate, at the cabinet level, curriculum in the K-12, community college, and university systems.

Sharpen Focus: Emphasize retention of existing businesses.

Enhance Marketing: Better market existing one-stop employment services, through a statewide marketing program and enhanced web portal.

Improve Administration: Review the best practices for delivering workforce training, unemployment insurance, business climate, and economic development among competing states, and establish performance benchmarks for North Carolina. Consolidate workforce training programs within the state government for the purpose of coordinating efforts, establishing a common vision, and strengthening the one-stop system.

Leading up to the summit, seven regional workshops were held across the state to capture the input of local communities and employers. Issues raised during the regional workshops were tackled head-on by summit participants in a number of work sessions and round table discussions.

“Our community college system has long played a vital role in workforce development, so we were pleased that representatives from nearly 30 of our community colleges participated and provided substantial leadership and guidance,” said Myers at the summit’s conclusion. “Our recommendations take into account the diversity of North Carolina’s workers and their needs, as well as what we have learned about the current state of North Carolina’s economic base and our projections for the future. We believe putting these recommendations into action will save jobs in North Carolina by giving our existing employers a competitive edge in workforce development, as well as create new jobs by attracting new companies to our state through workforce development.”


Legislative Conference: Even as the NCCBI staff was occupied with final details for the Annual Meeting, the biggest event of the year for the association, work also was taking place on the next item on the calendar ­— the annual Legislative Conference. The event is widely anticipated as the official kickoff of each year’s session of the General Assembly because it’s when the business community officially discloses its legislative priorities for the year.

This year’s Legislative Conference will be on May 30 at the North Raleigh Hilton. The event will begin with a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and concludes after a 1 p.m. luncheon.

The evening before the conference, NCCBI will hold the Legislative Reception at the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The reception usually is attended by several hundred members plus a majority of legislators. Please watch your mail for updates and registration materials on the Legislative Conference.


Council of Associations: The initial meeting of the NCCBI Council of Associations was held on Feb. 11 at NCCBI with approximately 45 association executives in attendance. The group was formed to promote communication and idea-sharing among the dozens of business associations that are members of NCCBI.

Leslie Bevacqua, vice president of governmental affairs, discussed the recent session of the legislature and asked for help in getting a constitutional amendment to limit the length of legislative sessions passed. A panel composed of Sondra Davis of the Governor’s Office, Norma Mills of the Senate President Pro Tem’s office, and Meredith Norris of the Speaker of the House’s office discussed the appointment to boards and commissions process in their respective offices.

The council is open to executives of all statewide trade associations that are members of NCCBI. The group will meet three times a year to discuss issues of interest to association executives. Wyche will staff the group.


Staff Retreat: The NCCBI staff is extremely grateful to a number of our executive committee and board members for making it possible to have our first-ever staff retreat outside Raleigh on Feb. 26-28. Steve Miller of the Biltmore Estate provided free lodging at the new Inn on Biltmore in Asheville. David Huskins asked Craig Madison to feed the NCCBI staff one evening at the Grove Park Inn and he responded with a spectacular five-course meal in a private room at Horizons Restaurant. Tom Bradshaw paid for our breakfasts, Mac Everett for lunch, John Forlines for the breaks, and Bob Grecyzn was responsible for a great dinner in the champagne cellar of the Biltmore Winery’s Bistro Restaurant. The staff held extensive discussions on all aspects of our operation and developed a better understanding of what each staff person does. During the retreat, incoming chair Jim Hyler of First Citizens Bank in Raleigh dropped by for a visit, as did Miller and Huskins.


Membership News: New members from Feb. 1, 2002 through Feb. 28, 2002 include: Advisory Group, LLC, Raleigh; Alston & Bird, Raleigh; Barker & Lovette, Raleigh; Contract Office Furnishings, Winston-Salem; Cornerstone Bank, Wilson; Creative Services Inc., High Point; D.R. Reynolds Co., Inc., Star; Duplin County Board of Education, Kenansville; Egolf Motors Inc., Hendersonville; Johnson Controls Inc., Charlotte; LS3P Associates, Ltd., Charlotte; Mechanics and Farmers Bank, Durham; N.C. State Education Assistance Authority, RTP; Office of Norman H. Berry, Newton; Paxton Van Lines of North Carolina Inc., Burlington; Porvair Fuel Cell Technology, Hendersonville; Reidsville Chamber of Commerce, Reidsville; Robinson Lumber Co., Lenoir; Sampson County EDC, Clinton; The Wilson Daily Times, Wilson; United States Tobacco Co., Mooresville; Wayne Memorial Hospital, Goldsboro; Wilkinson Hi-Rise, Raleigh; and Winding River Plantation, Southport.

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