Focused on the Future

The Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board, Inc. (ECWDB) is a non- profit organization located in New Bern, North Carolina. Serves Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Wayne Counties. A twenty-eight member board of directors governs ECWDB in partnership with the local elected officials. The ECWDB is the administrative/fiscal agent for the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funds appropriated by the North Carolina Department of Commerce to operate employment and training services in a nine county local area. The ECWDB annual budget is $6 million. The ECWDB contracts its programs with reputable organizations throughout the nine counties who provide services in their local NCWorks Career Center serving both the job/training seeker and employer populations. In Onslow County, over $748,000 have been awarded to Coastal Carolina Community College and Onslow County Schools for this fiscal year to provide training and employment services. About ECWDB:

Mission: Our mission is to ensure that our workforce development system is customer focused, demand- driven, and accountable for preparing our current and future workforce to meet the changing needs of a highly-competitive global economy. Focused on the Future

The ECWDB's role is to ensure that the local workforce development system is employer-driven and responsive to meeting the employment and training needs of both job seekers and employers. Specifically, the ECWDB: Coordinates rapid response meetings with employers who are downsizing or facing a plant closure. Serves as a point of contact for business, industry and the public sector to identify solutions that address their workforce needs; Promotes strategies to encourage life-long learning and improve workplace skills; Assists in the development of new training programs to benefit the region's workforce; Conducts planning, oversight and evaluation of local workforce development programs to include the NCWorks Career Center system; Offers advice regarding workforce policy and programs to local elected officials, employers, education and employment agencies, and citizens; Coordinates with economic development efforts to promote the region's availability of qualified workers. Reviews local agency plans and grant applications for workforce development to ensure coordination of services. Focused on the Future

Certified WorkReady Communities The ECWDB provides web-based access to job seekers who want to take a pre-assessment for the Career Readiness Certificate. This service is FREE. Over 40,500 citizens within our nine county region hold a CRC Over 500 local employers endorse the Work Ready Communities Initiative NCWorks Certified WorkReady Counties for our area include: Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, and Wayne

Focused on the Future NCWorks Certified Health Sciences Career Pathways application submitted January 2015 This employer-led initiative resulted in the ECWDB partnering with the region’s seven community colleges and nine public schools systems to develop a pipeline to fill current and future healthcare occupations.

Focused on the Future NCWorks Career Centers are located in each of our nine counties From July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015, our local centers served over 40,000 customers

Focused on the Future NCWorks Services to Jobseekers: Skills Assessments Provide information on high demand occupations Career Planning and Development Occupational skills training Refer to other support services Job search assistance Resume preparation Preparation for Career Readiness Certificate

Focused on the Future Services for Employers Employee recruitment and screening Tax credit and hiring incentive information Research materials on labor and industry trends Workshops, seminars and job fairs Skills testing of job candidates Worldwide Interactive Network (WIN) courseware for incumbent and prospective employees Rapid response services Training services for employees Workplace literacy training

Focused on the Future Services for Youth Tutoring, study skills training, drop-out prevention strategies Alternative secondary school offerings Paid and unpaid internships, including job shadowing Occupational skill training Leadership development opportunities Adult mentoring Comprehensive guidance and counseling Financial literacy education Entrepreneurial Skills Training Labor Market Information Services Comprehensive guidance and counseling

Focused on the Future

A special thank you to our Onslow County Workforce Development Board Members Rick Stout, Onslow County Schools Shannon Vitak, Vocational Rehabilitation Karl Zurl, Division of Workforce Solutions Former Board/Consortium Members: Don Harris, Stanadyne - Retired Ralph Leeds, Division of Workforce Solutions - Retired Mona Padrick, Chamber of Commerce - Retired Dr. Kathy Spencer, Onslow County Schools - Retired Focused on the Future

Questions For addition information please contact: Tammy Childers, Executive Director Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board 1341 S. Glenburnie Rd│ New Bern, NC Ph: (252) │