By Holly Desrosier
Craven Community College (Craven CC) and BSH Home Appliances have teamed up to enhance the Manufacturing Career Pathway (MCP) program in an effort to provide more job opportunities in the area. This updated variation of the program is the latest development in Craven CC’s ongoing mission to meet the needs of the community.
BSH, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of home appliances, is expanding the workforce at its New Bern manufacturing and assembly lines to meet the high demands for its products. Working in collaboration with Craven CC and Blue Arbor Staffing (BAS), BSH is seeking to add approximately 50 new employees to its current workforce.
Craven CC will offer a MCP program from March 11 to April 11 to help train and screen potential employees. The MCP will be dedicated specifically to the initiative to enhance the success of individuals wanting to start a career with BSH. Classes will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Bosch Advanced Manufacturing Center on Craven CC’s New Bern Campus.
BSH is a manufacturing powerhouse and a main source of employment in the area. According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, BSH is the fourth-largest employer in Craven County. Additionally, Forbes predicts a strong outlook for North Carolina with job growth expected to rank among the strongest in the country over the next five years. With the progressive job market and a constant need for trained employees, now is the perfect time to enroll.
“The best candidates for these programs are those individuals who are looking for a career opportunity in a manufacturing environment,” said Eddie Foster, Craven CC executive director of environmental safety and corporate training. “They can be individuals that are looking for a career change or starting their career. These positions are for those who are willing to work and have the understanding that these are entry-level positions that, with hard work and determination, can lead to great careers.”
The program will provide participants with thorough training in a number of classes, such as Intro to Manufacturing, Forklift Operator Certificate, Lean Yellow Belt, OSHA 10-Hour Safety, Workplace Ethics and Intro to Microsoft Word. Students will also receive hands-on training with mock simulators.
Upon successful completion of the program, BAS will arrange an interview between the students and BSH. Candidates chosen after the interview process will start in a temporary position and work toward permanent placement.
“It is a win for both the college and BSH in that they know they can depend on the college to provide a quality training program in a timely basis to meet their needs,” said Foster. “The training programs provided give BSH a competitive edge in the industry by having a highly competitive workforce.”
Craven CC’s long-standing relationship with BSH was established with the start of the first apprenticeship program in 1984. Even after three decades, Craven CC and BSH (known then as Bosch) have remained committed to community connections and workforce readiness over the years. In 2008, Craven CC opened a new 30,000-square-foot building at the New Bern Campus to accommodate the college’s array of business and information technology programs. The building was dedicated as the Bosch Advanced Manufacturing Center, which provides state-of-the-art training in manufacturing methods and processes to support BSH and other industrial employers.
The MCP program was instated last June to train participants in the wide range of skills and knowledge required to succeed in the manufacturing industry. BSH generously donated a clamshell forklift to the program in November to help students with credentialing and forklift training.
“We know that when we need support for our programs, whether it be an equipment need or to assist in an apprentice program, they are there for us,” said Foster.
At the end of the last MCP program in December, 55 percent of students were offered direct hire positions with local industries, 18 percent of students chose to further their education through Craven CC by enrolling in a trade program and 100 percent of students were asked to complete applications for potential employment through local employment agencies.
Craven CC and BSH have successfully combined education and manufacturing to produce hundreds of highly trained students and job opportunities. The longevity of this partnership demonstrates its impact and effectiveness—one that will benefit the community for years to come.
Scholarships are available to help with registration fees. For more information, contact Foster at 252-638-3919 or fostere@cravencc.edu. To register, contact Cat Johnson at 252-633-0857 or johnsonc@cravencc.edu.
This article also appeared in the Sun Journal.