$235,000 Grant Will Boost ACC’s Machining Technology July 11, 2006

Released By Alamance Community College

ACC's Machining Technology curriculum has received a grant in the amount of $235,512 for the purpose of meeting the technical demands of the industries which utilize trained machinists in Alamance County.

The funds, awarded by the Duke Energy Carolinas Community College Grant Program, will be used for the purchase of equipment and software to move ACC's established Machining Technology program to state-of-the-art status mirroring that used by its collaborative partner, GKN Driveline, Inc., as well as at other machining companies in the area. It will also allow GKN to create approximately ten new positions and retain 50 in its recently expanded operation.

According to Jeff Bright, ACC's Assistant to the President for Business and Industry Services, "This enhancement to our Machining Technology program will allow us even more opportunities to provide technical training to GKN and other such businesses in Alamance County so that they may grow and expand, thus hiring more trained workers and upgrading their current workforce."

"I have often said that if I could have one thing in my community to separate us from the competition for new industry it would be the availability of trained machinists,” commented Mac Williams, president of the Alamance County Area Chamber of Commerce. “To the extent this grant will enable ACC to expand and enhance its ability to better train more people in this field, the College will be contributing significantly to the economic development success of Alamance County."

The new Machining Technology courses are expected to be implemented in September with the first graduates completing the courses by July 2007. Project manager for implementation of the grant is Phil Riggs, department head of Machining Technology.

The Community College Grant Program was established to fund training efforts to recruit new and retain existing industries in the Duke Power service area, with emphasis on grants to community and technical colleges.

Contact Information:

Vicki H. Wilson, Director
Public Information and Marketing Office
336-506-4178

Jonathan Young, Staff Writer
Public Information and Marketing Office
336-506-4122

Paige Sheehan
Duke Energy
704-382-8333, Option 1