Jason Nance’s Journey to Successful Education,Training,and Employment
Oct 14, 2016
"Before the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute,the best job I could find was serving tables," said Jason Nance,recent graduate of the NCMI.
For a while he was with Darden restaurant for ten years in which it was only enough to survive. He felt he was getting too old for it,couldn’t progress in life,and had no respect from others when told where he worked.
"It was embarrassing to see old friends and answer honestly when they asked,what are you doing now a days?" said Nance.
After Nance graduated from high school he was more than qualified to get a job and even went off to college." As an honors graduate with a 3.8 GPA he attended UNC-Charlotte for three years and majored in Civil Engineering funded by a private benefactor." Eventually the person/ company funding his education declared bankruptcy mid-semester." From this point,not only was he unable to pay for the rest of school,but it left him with $11,000 in school debt. Later he tried construction,warehouse work,and other things for a few years while always looking for something else." Nance eventually thought of the Navy."
"I signed up and spend 1.5 years in the delayed entry program before I shipped to basic training," Nance said.
He was in basic training for a month before they started the two-month process of separating him out and sending him back home because of his vision,scoliosis,and past surgeries." This time when he came home,things became worse than they were before which forced him to look for opportunities that would put him in a better place financially." Nance began working two jobs." Eventually on his second job he saw an ad from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College advertising the NCMI.
"I saw the ad for the Certified Production Technician class,went to a discovery session,and its history from there," Nance said."
Today,Nance has completed the eight-week program (NCMI) at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in partnership with Centralina Workforce Development Board." He is now employed full-time at Integro in Rowan County as Mechatronics and Assembly Technician."
"Now I have an awesome job with amazing benefits a 401k for the first time in my life,I just bought a dream 2 story home with my wife (got married in July),and my baby is due December 23rd," Nance said.
"I am working my way into engineering through the back door." Instead of starting out as an engineer with a degree,I am acquiring the skills on the job and moving up! Life couldn’t be better right now," he added.
The North Carolina Manufacturing Institute initiative was conceived in"the summer of 2014"during meetings with leaders from Rowan and Cabarrus counties from both chambers of commerce,economic development authorities,the"Centralina Workforce Development Board"and"Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Today,the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute has expanded in Iredell county. "Iredell partners are as follow: the Mooresville-South Iredell Chamber of Commerce,Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce,the Mooresville-South Iredell Economic Development Corporation,the Statesville Regional Development,and Mitchell Community College. "
The North Carolina Manufacturing Institute is a response to employers’ need for solving talent recruitment issues in order to grow and remain competitive. This initiative builds a clear and achievable pathway for people to acquire those skills in order to access good jobs in local communities.
Manufacturing firms will benefit from partnering with the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute through access to a pipeline of screened,trained,certified production technicians who can help them achieve their business goals.
The North Carolina Manufacturing Institute is specially designed to link and leverage the existing assets of Rowan,Cabarrus,and Iredell counties to solve a growing gap between regional job seekers and available positions. Its innovative funding and operational structure allows the Institute to deliver results in response to a rapidly-growing need for manufacturing employees with certified skills and verified work readiness.
Strategic Vision:"
To build a world class talent pool to support the retention and growth of regional manufacturers
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Key Focus Areas:
- Deliver training that closes the skill gap between job seekers and available jobs
- Provide services and systems to more effectively match job seekers and available jobs in the manufacturing sector
- Improve the image of manufacturing employment among job seekers,students,parents,and school personnel
Initiative Partners provide the visibility and guidance to develop the North Carolina Manufacturing Institute into an effective,sustainable and cost-effective talent supply chain initiative."
The Centralina Workforce Development Board is a proud partner of the NC Manufacturing Institute." For more information,please visit www.ncmanufacturinginstitute.com
