South Piedmont Community College was awarded a $5,000 grant from Wells Fargo to help low-to-moderate income students in Union County enroll in noncredit, short-term training programs that lead to sustainable employment and address local workforce needs.
“Thanks to this grant, Union County residents who could not previously afford short-term training now have the opportunity to prepare for jobs that can close the economic gap,” said Dr. Maria Lander, Dean of Professional Occupations and Public Services at SPCC.
South Piedmont conducted an economic overview and program demand gap analysis in August 2018 that showed a significant gap between the number of job openings and the number of graduates in a few noncredit, short-term programs in our service area. To satisfy this community need, the Career in a Year program was developed. It focuses on careers in demand where certifications can be earned in less than a year.
Currently, the Anson Advantage scholarship program allows Anson County residents with financial need to enroll in noncredit, short-term programs at no cost to them. The funding from Wells Fargo will now allow Union County residents facing financial need the same opportunity in programs like air conditioning and refrigeration, welding, plumbing, electrical, machining, construction, and commercial driving. Prior to this, Union County residents had very few options to pay for this type of short-term training.
Training students in less than a year at no cost will help reduce poverty and inequality for county residents and address labor needs for our local employers.