According to a news release, the new certificate and credentialing programs, offered through the college’s Center for Innovation and Workforce Development, aim to help aerospace and manufacturing industry employers fill vacant job positions, with demand for skilled workers in those industries reaching an all-time high. These programs will include technician training in advanced manufacturing production, aerospace electrical assembly, aerospace quality, aerospace structures, apprentice tool-making, CNC lathe production, CNC machining center production, composites manufacturing and repair, industrial automation and quality assurance, among other subjects.
"As we were reminded when President Biden and Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl visited our state earlier this year, North Carolina is a national leader in aerospace manufacturing," Greensboro College President Lawrence Czarda said in a public statement. "Our institution is transforming its offerings to help our region remain at the forefront of this and other industries. By preparing the skilled workers of tomorrow, Greensboro College is building on its essential role in our community to help ensure the continued success of companies throughout our region. We look forward to seeing our students thrive as our local economy continues to grow."
The professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers ranked North Carolina sixth in the nation for aerospace manufacturing attractiveness in 2021, and the state is home to aerospace companies such as GE Aviation, Cyril Bath, HAECO, Honda Aircraft Company, Raytheon Technologies and Spirit AeroSystems. The announcement noted that with 13 percent employment growth from 2015-2019, North Carolina's aerospace and manufacturing sectors grew three times more than the national average during that time, adding that North Carolina's 450,000 manufacturing workers comprise 10 percent of the state's workforce.
"There are many factors that aerospace companies consider when making decisions about where to locate their operations," said Kevin Baker, executive director of the Piedmont Triad International Airport, which generates an estimated $6 billion for the regional economy every year. "Every company we speak to identifies the availability of a trained workforce as their top concern. The Piedmont Triad has deep bench strength in the industry, but demand for skilled workers is constantly growing. As such, the new aerospace and manufacturing programs at Greensboro College are an essential element of an evolving workforce pipeline that will prove vital to our region's ability to compete now and long into the future."
NC Works Executive Director Chris Rivera said in a public statement that he expects demand for aerospace and manufacturing workers to grow. The news release said the state has plans for an additional 9,500 manufacturing job openings in the coming months, with companies such as Toyota, Boom Supersonic and VinFast setting up shop in the region.
"When we look at data specific to the number of individuals we have placed into employment in the manufacturing industry, we're at about 6,500 people per year – and that figure is poised to increase,” Rivera said.
