Catawba Valley Community College issued the following announcement on February 07.
Catawba Valley Community College and the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy have received the prestigious Distinguished Partners in Excellence Award from the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.
02/07/2022
Furniture-Academy-Award-2022
Established in 2006, the Distinguished Partner in Excellence Award recognizes an exemplary employer, business or industry group that has demonstrated decisive involvement and firm commitment to the professional development of its employees and/or to the development of North Carolina's workforce through its partnership efforts with one or more of the 58 community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System.
“This recognition represents our commitment to providing a quality workforce for our employers,” said Catawba Valley Community College President Dr. Garrett Hinshaw. “However, this would have never been possible without the commitment and efforts of the furniture industry in this region. It truly is what happens when entities come together to solve real problems through extraordinary partnerships.”
Launched in 2014, the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy (CVFA) is an industry-driven training program designed through extensive collaboration to prepare students for in-demand, highly skilled jobs. Students are trained in one of seven career paths, each resulting in a stackable industry credential.
Having a need for approximately 3,000 workers in the Catawba Valley region, the CVFA has grown to partner with more than 35 manufacturers and occupies a 38,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility.
"The CFVA has been a godsend not only for our furniture companies in the Unifour area but for the entire upholstery industry,” said Bill McBrayer, Human Resource Manager for Lexington Home Brands. “Many community colleges across our state, as well as the country, have used our model to mimic an academy at their schools. CFVA is an excellent example of how private industry, partnering with the community colleges, can move the needle for workforce development.”
To date, 100 percent of students who have completed the program have been hired by local furniture companies.
Founding industry partners are Century Furniture, LEE Industries, Lexington Home Brands, Sherrill Furniture and Vanguard Furniture.
Supporting partners for the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy include American Home Furnishings Alliance, Atlantic Packaging, Autoquip Corporation, Bassett Furniture, Bradington-Young, City of Newton, CR Laine, Dimension Wood Products, DUO-Fast, Ethan Allen, Fairfield Chair, Fairgrove Furniture, Gabriella White, Geiger International, Gerber Technology, Harris Handling, Haworth Health Environments, HBF/HNI, HSM Solutions, Hickory Chair, Image Industries, Leggett & Platt, NC Works Career Center Catawba, Precedent, Restoration Hardware, Southern Carlson, Synder Paper, Sutter Street, TCS Designs Inc., TB Arhaus, Unifour Foundation, Universal Furniture, United Sewing and Wesley Hall, Inc.
"Sherrill Furniture is proud to be one of the founding partners of the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy,” said Paula Daniels, Director of Human Resources for Sherrill Furniture Company. “This partnership is key to developing our next generation of craftspeople. The success of CVFA attracting and developing new talent is critical to sustaining our outstanding community of furniture experts into the future".
This partnership serves as a model to create a pipeline of furniture workers for the largest industry cluster and economic driver in Hickory.
"Receiving the Distinguished Partners in Excellence Award is such an honor,” said Tammy Smith, Vice President for Human Resources for Vanguard Furniture. “The collaboration between local furniture manufacturers and CVCC lead to the development of the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy. Our industry needs employees who are excited to continue the strong tradition of furniture craftsmanship and the academy is vital in developing and training the next generation of craftspeople. Students can graduate with confidence knowing that they will have many career options available to them."
For more information on the Catawba Valley Furniture Academy, please visit CVCC Catawba Valley Furniture Academy or contact Jennifer Eversole at 828-327-7000, ext. 4294 or email lfulbright@cvcc.edu.
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Original source can be found here.
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