Replacement Worker, Not Included

How does the saying go, “two things are inevitable, death and taxes”? That might be true, but they forgot to add one other thing—change. In an ever-changing industry, especially during a fluctuating economy, states are fighting to keep their economies alive.

In North Carolina alone, furniture, textile, automotive, marine and other manufacturing sectors were shrinking in the fluctuating economy. “It became apparent that North Carolina residents needed training for the jobs of the future,” says Ron Bolick, director of the Greensboro-based Advanced Composite Research and Training Center. “Several of us had been working in aerospace, transportation, aviation and composite research and manufacturing areas since the early 90s and saw these as the future path. We began relating this information to the North Carolina Departments of Economic Development and spoke with several companies, encouraging them to build new facilities and manufacturing centers here.” However, the companies unanimously wanted higher education and training centers focused on training potential and current employees. Meanwhile, a tobacco settlement corporation called Golden Leaf, Inc. had already begun working with several counties to bring new jobs to the area and created a grant for workforce training. Together, the Golden Leaf Foundation and North Carolina A&T State University proposed the Advanced Composite Research and Training Center.

The center focuses on training displaced workers to provide them the training they need for new jobs by instructors from the composites industry, NASA, military and academic centers. “So far, we’ve trained students, professors, researchers, Air Force personnel and manufacturing plant personnel from various companies and universities—even outside of North Carolina,” says Bolick. “Already, our students have found jobs at a variety of well established companies.”

However, the increase in manufacturing resulted in a paucity of workers. In aerospace alone, Spirit, HondaJet, Timco and others chose to expand their businesses in North Carolina. “We did a survey across the state that showed there weren’t, and still aren’t, enough people to fill jobs coming in the near future,” says Bolick. “Airbus alone needs 1,500 people for its new facility and there aren’t that many people in the area! So, we’re trying to get people to move back, offering incentives. But who will take their jobs? We need more than a temporary fix.”

The group turned to the future generations. They spoke with college and high school students, asking them, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” and found (no surprise) that most had no idea. Of more concern, however, was the fact that students weren’t coming out of school with strong mathematics, engineering or technical knowledge. In an effort to rectify this problem, and raise the next crop of composite manufacturers and aerospace engineers, the group created the SOAR (Summer Orientation to Aerospace/Engineering/Sciences/Technology Retreat) program for the students.

Now, not only can students participate in the government-run community college online program or take classes in the summer, which allows them to graduate with a four year college degree in two years, but they can participate in the SOAR program as well. This summer, beginning in June, will be the first time the center has catered specifically to the rising generation. “Through a study done by Golden Leaf and the universities, we found that upon entering college, students were not ready to progress to the next level of training due to deficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM),” explains Bolick. “Through the camp we strive to pique students’ interest in various careers. We believe if they can gain some hands-on experience and speak with career professionals and have fun doing it, they will be more serious about STEM skills needed to get those jobs.”