Forsyth Tech and Greater Winston-Salem Inc. have been selected to participate in the Sustainable College-Employer Partnerships initiative to strengthen collaboration between community colleges and local chambers of commerce, better align education with workforce demand, expand work-based learning opportunities, and build stronger pathways to employment.
This effort is led by Achieving the Dream (ATD), a national nonprofit dedicated to helping community colleges transform to promote student success and community vibrancy, in partnership with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Foundation, and is supported by JPMorganChase.
Across the cohort, the work spans six industries: aviation, defense, advanced manufacturing, business, healthcare and cybersecurity/IT. Many of these sectors are priorities for JPMorganChase’s Security and Resiliency Initiative (SRI), a $1.5 trillion, 10-year plan to strengthen industries critical to national security and economic resilience. In addition to mobilizing capital, the initiative aims to help address the workforce shortages constraining production and innovation in key sectors.
As one of eight community college–chamber teams selected nationwide, Forsyth Tech and Greater Winston-Salem Inc. will work together with participating employers over the next two and a half years to identify regional workforce needs, shape education and training strategies, and expand opportunities for students to gain work-based experience and connect with careers.
“No single organization can solve workforce challenges alone,” said Lenore Rodicio, Ph.D., president and CEO of Achieving the Dream. “When community colleges, chambers of commerce, and employers work together, they can build stronger pathways from education to employment that benefit learners, businesses, and communities alike. Through our partnership with the ACCE Foundation, we look forward to supporting these relationships as they develop sustainable models that can serve as examples for colleges across the country.”
“Vision 2030 challenges us to be Future-Ready by Design, and that means building education and workforce pathways in close partnership with the people and organizations shaping our region’s economy,” said Dr. Janet N. Spriggs, president of Forsyth Tech. “This initiative will help us deepen our work with Greater Winston-Salem Inc. and local employers so students have clearer connections from learning to meaningful careers, and businesses have access to the skilled talent they need to grow.”
Throughout the initiative, Forsyth Tech and Greater Winston-Salem Inc. will receive individualized coaching and technical assistance from ATD and the ACCE Foundation, engage in virtual and in-person peer learning opportunities, and implement strategies to strengthen long-term employer partnerships.
This opportunity builds upon the deep collaboration that already exists between our two organizations. Under the umbrella of Forsyth Works, we operate multiple programs collaboratively, including customized training and economic expansion assistance for growing companies, enrollment acceptance for Senior Academy, and the co-location of the Chamber and Forsyth Tech Small Business Center in downtown Winston-Salem.
“A strong workforce pipeline is the number one need for employers making location decisions and the number one opportunity for those seeking to grow in their careers or enter the workforce. We are proud of our work with Forsyth Tech to align education pathways and employer needs, and excited about the opportunity to further strengthen those efforts in this program,” says Mark Owens, President and CEO of Greater Winston-Salem Inc.