Award Winners Named For Excellence In Workforce Development | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Greensboro, N.C. - Governor Pat McCrory announced the 2014 recipients of the Governor's Awards for Excellence in Workforce Development today. Two companies and four North Carolinians will receive the recognition tonight in Greensboro. The awards honor individuals and businesses for outstanding accomplishments and contributions in helping North Carolina achieve its workforce development goals.

    "Our hard-working and highly skilled workers are key to our economic development strategy," said Governor McCrory. "I congratulate these award recipients for their determination, innovation and commitment to helping make North Carolina's workforce the nation's best."

    The NCWorks Commission recognized these outstanding individuals and businesses as part of the 2014 Workforce Development Partnership Conference in Greensboro.

    Award recipients are:

• Brian C. Mitchell, Asheville: Governor's Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Adult Participant. When Mitchell came into the Mountain Area JobLink in Asheville in 2009 seeking financial assistance for training, he had few marketable skills, a sporadic work history, and had not worked in nearly two years. Through his hard work and perseverance, he has earned an AAS Degree in Electrical/Electronics Technology at Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College and additional training in Computer Engineering Technology. After a challenging job search, he now works for TE Connectivity in Fairview, North Carolina as a Manufacturing Maintenance Technician II and is earning a solid wage. Mitchell's son gave his life purpose, his mother gave him discipline, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) gave him a hand, and his true character gave him the strength to succeed.
• Dominique Staton, Sanford: Governor's Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Young Adult Participant. Staton believes the support and the opportunities given to her as a WIA youth participant motivated her to do better in school, avoid trouble, and set higher expectations for herself. She utilized the program to gain valuable experience to compete in the today's job market. She has successfully completed work experiences during three summers and she served as an assistant to the commander of the ROTC program at her high school. As a result, she has gained leadership experience and several employment skills that she can use both now and in the future. Her career goal is to become a maxillofacial surgeon, starting with a Dental Science degree from UNC Chapel Hill.
• Alexis M. Lacewell, Elizabethtown: Governor's Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Teen Participant. Lacewell enrolled in the WIA Youth Program at the age of 14 and has developed into a well-respected, accomplished, and disciplined pillar among her peers. She has received numerous academic and community honors, including the USMC Scholastic Excellence Award and the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award. She has a strong interest in the medical field and has attended the Health Academy Summer Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, volunteers at local nursing homes, participated in paid work experience at Bladen Medical Associates as a Medical Records Assistant, and completed the Nursing Fundamental I course at East Bladen High School. Lacewell plans to attend Appalachian State University and pursue her desire to become a physician.
• Josephine Wallace-Koonce, Kinston: Wayne Daves Award for Outstanding Achievement in Workforce Development. Wallace-Koonce is lead instructor and instructional coordinator for the Human Resources Development (HRD) program at Lenoir Community College. She is respected by her peers, as well as the students she serves, because of her customer service. She is known for resolving complicated situations with students ranging from the rehabilitation of customers attempting to re-enter the workforce, to students who have barriers to employment such as limited sight or mobility issues. Wallace-Koonce has a smile that is contagious and always has a "thank you" which sets the tone for great customer service.
• Transportation Impact, Emerald Isle: Governor's Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Outstanding Employer. Transportation Impact, LLC, an Inc. 5000 Company, is a privately held parcel spend management firm located in Emerald Isle. Founded in June 2008, the company helps clients that annually spend $200,000 or more on commercial parcel shipping services to reduce those costs through small package negotiation and parcel auditing services. The company strives to uphold civic integrity through charitable contributions and public service. Transportation Impact's staff is committed to making a difference in the lives of its fellow employees and of those in and around its community. Since its inception, the company has donated more than $250,000 toward funding scholarships and various community projects, helping families in need and provides on-the-job training options for its staff, 45 percent of whom are women and young adults.
• Caterpillar Registered Apprenticeship and Pre Apprenticeship Program: Governor's Award for Excellence in Workforce Development, Innovative Partnership. The Registered Apprenticeship program at Caterpillar, Inc. in Sanford creates a pathway for high school students to earn vocational credentials necessary for work. Upon completion, each apprentice has in hand, a high school diploma, the NC Career Readiness Certification, a welding credential and an apprenticeship certificate. The Clayton-based Pre Apprenticeship in Product Assembler students earn a certification in Industry Safety, a credential in Caterpillar Production System Assembler Qualification and an apprenticeship certificate. Both programs address the needs of the students, the industry and the community by combining resources and creating partnerships that strengthen the pathway of success for students to gain marketable skills.

    In April, Governor Pat McCrory announced NCWorks, a new partnership between the N.C. Department of Commerce, the N.C. Community College System, and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction to improve the state's workforce system. Through the NCWorks initiative, partners will create a stronger alignment of services and resources to meet the workforce needs of businesses, connect North Carolinians to technical training and quality careers, and use data to monitor and assess program outcomes. For more information about NCWorks, visit www.nccommerce.com/ncworks.

    The N.C. Division of Workforce Solutions is a part of the N.C. Department of Commerce. For more information about the division, visit www.nccommerce.com/workforce.

• Contact: Crystal Feldman
•     govpress@nc.gov