WILMINGTON — The Endowment’s recent tranche of money focuses on career opportunities and economic viability for New Hanover County residents. The organization awarded $5.1-million to two local foundations in an effort to strengthen the local workforce.
“Workforce development drives our four pillar goals,” newly appointed CEO Sophie Dagenais said in a press release from The Endowment. “When youth lack clear pathways or adults face barriers to work, everyone is held back.”
READ MORE: Endowment drops ‘interim’ tag, names Sophie Dagenais permanent CEO
The Endowment awarded $2 million to the Greater Wilmington Chamber Foundation to expand its Career and Leadership Development Academy. Open to all seventh-grade students in New Hanover County Schools, the program allows them to explore local industries with hands-on events, assessments and site visits. It also extends mentorship to students in grades 8 through 11, as students receive early exposure to varied careers in healthcare, manufacturing, construction, skilled trades, and more.
The grant will deepen these experiences between students and employer engagement, according to the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce.
“This program is about creating opportunity at scale,” CEO Natalie English said in response to The Endowment’s award. “We are helping students better understand their strengths and explore career pathways, while also helping employers build the workforce they will need to grow.”
As well, Cape Fear Community College Foundation will receive $3 million to establish a New Hanover County Apprenticeship Accelerator Program. The goal is to align postsecondary education with community employer needs, reinforcing partnerships with businesses while supporting a new generation of workforce employees.
CFCC’s Foundation also will receive a grant to replicate and implement an “evidence-based construction trades training and job placement program,” according to The Endowment. The new initiative is funded with $370,000 from The Endowment, and the rest coming from Lennar Foundation, Charles Koch Foundation, and Live Oak Bank. The program aims to prepare people for workplace safety certification, construction knowledge, and essential employability skills, and place them directly into local jobs immediately upon graduation.
Dagenais said the grants will broaden the horizons for youth and adults, to support them through varied training programs: “By aligning schools, employers, and communities, we can strengthen the systems that prepare residents for opportunity, help address labor shortages, and promote long-term economic mobility.”
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