Workforce Training Center Being Developed

By Betsy Finklea
An effort is underway in Dillon County to develop a workforce training center.
The idea is not a new one having been brought to the table by economic development and school officials some time age, but became more urgent recently as these same officials are working to keep the training for the new Wyman-Gordon facility here in Dillon County. The training would be much larger than only serving Wyman-Gordon – the goal would be to supply skilled workers for all industries in the county.
At a recent Dillon County Board of Education meeting, the development of the workforce training center was discussed. Chairman Richard Schafer said it was one of the most fast-tracking, fast-moving scenarios that is probably more beneficial to Dillon County than the board has ever dealt with. Schafer said that a few weeks ago the two superintendents (Ray Rogers and Dr. John Kirby), Jerry Strickland of Dillon County ATEC, Rep. Jackie Hayes, Dillon County Public-Private Partnership Chairman Haywood Proctor, and Dr. Ron Bartley of Northeastern Technical College met to discuss a Workforce Training Center for training workers for plants. He said everyone was aware they had a major industry moving to Dillon County and their main concern and main goal is worker training.
Schafer said that he got a phone call that alerted him that they had a potential problem. It was alarming to think, he said, that county council had invested all of this money, and all of the training was fixing to be done in Florence. Schafer said, in his opinion, that if you train workers in Florence then the workers are probably going to come from Florence instead of Dillon County where your tax dollars are being used to pay for that out here. He said their goal was to transfer the training of employees for Wyman-Gordon to Dillon County where they would have the opportunity to train Dillon County residents to work at Wyman-Gordon. “That was our total goal,” Schafer said.
Schafer said at that round table, it was clearly discussed and understood that we can do that. “We have the ability to train those employees in Dillon County,” Schafer said.
Schafer said the needs to do the training was discussed including equipment. “It was decided that we will put together a plan to fund this training program for Wyman-Gordon no matter what it takes,” said Schafer.
Training will take place at ATEC and NETC. The training program is massive.
Public-Private Partnership Board Chairman Haywood Proctor said the training is a critical factor to Dillon County people getting the jobs. “We want our people in Dillon County to get the jobs,” Proctor said.
He discussed their initial effort to get a center about a year ago. He said he and others are on conference calls with Wyman-Gordon two to three time a month. He said they are ready to move. He said it never occurred to him that the training would not occur in Dillon County. “We need to have control of the training in Dillon County. We need to do our own training,” said Proctor. He said 95 percent of the training could be done in Dillon County, but some would have to be done at the SIMT building at Florence-Darlington Technical College. He said they have some funding to buy some equipment. He wants the resolution to bring attention to the urgency of getting trained.
NETC will be offering courses. Anyone interested can call 774-1402 for more information. Proctor said that you have to have training. Hiring is about a year away.
Schafer said one must also have to pass WorkKeys training, a background check, and a drug test. It is offered weekly at Adult Education and 1th grade public school students are required to take WorkKeys.
Proctor said they were going to have to go ahead with the training before they build a building. He said the vision is still to locate everything on the NETC campus.
The Dillon County Board of Education passed a resolution in support of a Workforce Training Center. All voted in favor of the resolution except Nancy G. Finklea, who abstained.
Proctor, Schafer, and Dr. Ron Bartley of NETC appeared at the Dillon County Council meeting to discuss the Workforce Training Center. Proctor commended county council for getting the jobs and said they were working on the training. He said the training was really coming together. He presented them two packets of information.
raining. He said the training was really coming together. He presented them two packets of information.
He said it takes more than a high school diploma these day s to get a job. He said they were trying to put together things to get Dillon County people trained for these jobs. The next training session will begin the first of May.
Councilman Randy Goings asked if the training guaranteed a person to get a job. Proctor said it helps them get a foot in the door, and Bartley said it would move them to the top of the list. Bartley discussed some of the training.
Schafer asked if we can’t train the workers in Dillon County, where’s the benefit? He said until they cash a paycheck in Dillon County they get no return on their investment and the economy will not get better. Schafer said they were going to do the training program. He said there was discussion about the costs, but asked what the cost was if they didn’t do it here.
Schafer said they have the students ready and they were getting the students ready to go on to college. He said their job was to make sure they have a trained, skilled labor force.
Mike Tyler, a Public-Private Partnership Board member, said the economic development board was part of the glue that helped hold this together.
County Council Chairman Buzzy Finklea said he could see this was in good hands and thanked them for what they were doing.
At the April 21st meeting of the Dillon County Board of Education, the Workforce Training Center was discussed again. Schafer said they have been meeting with all of the people at the table and are progressing with the project. He said they are looking at timelines, who’s going to be involved and at what level, etc.
Dr. John Kirby said there are two phases to the training -training for underemployed and training for the unemployed. He said this will be some of the short term training going on that will be taking place the first year. After the plant is constructed, the first jobs will be grinders. The will need mechatronics and CNC machinist training, which NETC will help them with.
The heart of the program, the lifeline will be the students coming out of high school, who are getting training. This will be long-term. The hope is that Wyman-Gordon will hire on and complete the training. This will help provide a steady supply of employees.
“We need to get some folks in Dillon County these first jobs,” said Kirby, who said these people could serve as examples.
He said they will be doing adult training and school training. Kirby said this is achievable, and it was a great challenge for Dillon County to be able to do this.
Schafer said there is a great deal going on and many people working on this doing a great job.
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If you would like to watch the videos of the meetings where this was discussed, please visit www.the dillonherald.com and watch:
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EDUCATION: Video: Dillon County Board of Education March meeting