Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments 2019 Annual Banquet presentation featuring NC Commerce Secretary Tony Copeland, Carolinas Gateway Partnership CEO Norris Tolson, NC Community College System VP of Economic Development Maureen Little, and Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments Executive Director Robert Hiett. Moderated by President of Joyner Media & Strategies David Joyner.

1. Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments
2019 ANNUAL BANQUET

2. David Joyner
President
Joyner Media & Strategies
Master of Ceremonies
Banquet Call to Order
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

3. Doug Hughes
Chairman
Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments
Welcoming Remarks
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

4. Robert Hiett
Executive Director
Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments
Opening Comments
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

5. Banquet Theme – Workforce Development
1. Partnerships established in the
region to develop a skilled
workforce.
2. State perspectives about
training efforts underway
within the region.
3. Employer discussion and
feedback panel.
4. Recognize recent training
graduates.
Program Highlights
Event Co-Sponsor & Coordinator

6. What We Do
The UCPCOG works with local, state, and
federal partner agencies to bring resources
into the region, and deliver governmental
services and programs.
Program areas of focus include:
• Community Planning & Development
• Data and Mapping
• Economic Development Planning
• Aging Services
• Workforce Development

7. Workforce - How We Do It
The UCPCOG serves as the regional Economic
Development District, and works with partners
to obtain funding for infrastructure.
• $42 million in community & economic
development projects since 2014
The Turning Point Workforce Development
Board (TPWDB) provides oversight for job
training services within the region.
• 9,000+ citizens are trained each year
The UCPCOG Area Agency on Aging’s Senior
Community Service Employment Program
(SCSEP) provides training for older workers
(55+).
• 35 employment partner organizations

8. Norris Tolson
Chief Executive Officer
Carolinas Gateway Partnership
RAMP East Overview
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

9. Regional
Advanced Manufacturing Pipeline for Eastern
North Carolina

10. Twin Counties New Job Growth:
• Triangle Tire - 800
• Corning - 150
• Pfizer - 800
• Cummins - 200
• Other Nash County - 200
Projects
2,150 New Jobs
Twin Counties Current Job Postings:
(as of 10/17/2018, Source: JobsEQ
online job postings)
~1,500 Current Job Openings
3,650Jobs that will need to be filled and on the
market in the next 18-24 months!
Twin Counties Job Market Stats

11. Mission
To provide existing & new industries within the
RAMP East region a sustainable output of trained
and ready candidates for new & existing jobs within
the advanced manufacturing industry sector.

12. Goals – FY 2019
• To graduate a total of 800 students in FY 2019 from the Advanced
Manufacturing Institute from all the 8 community colleges in the
region.
• To increase industry support for the program by becoming industry
champions of the AMI course.
• To increase communication and outreach efforts to the public and
industry about the opportunities to engage and enroll in RAMP East.
• To continually gain validation from industry and general public that
the process provided all necessary resources to increase
employability.

13. RAMP East Partners
Economic Development
• Carolinas Gateway Partnership (driving force)
• Region’s EDOs
Workforce Development
• Turning Point (Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson, Halifax, Northampton)
• Region Q (Pitt, Martin, Beaufort, Hertford, Bertie)
• NCWorks
• Northeast Career Pathways
Community Colleges
• Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson, Halifax, Martin, Pitt, Roanoke-Chowan, Beaufort
Local K-12 Institutions
Community/Industry Organizations
NC Governmental Partners
• NC Commerce
• NC Community College System

14. RAMP East v. AMI
• RAMP EAST – partnership
• AMI – education

15. RAMP East Service Region
Turning Point Region (counties
in yellow)
1. Edgecombe
2. Halifax
3. Nash
4. Northampton
5. Wilson
Region Q (counties in red)
1. Bertie
2. Martin
3. Pitt
4. Beaufort
5. Hertford

16. Target Audiences
K-12
(especially 9th –
12th )
Adult
Learners
(25 years of age
& +)
Military
(both retirees &
exiting)

17. Advanced Manufacturing Institute
(AMI)
The Advanced Manufacturing Institute is designed to prepare students for a career in the
manufacturing industry sector.
Pre-requisites (or highly preferred to be successful) to the program are:
• High school diploma or High school equivalency diploma
• Completed the CRC with a Bronze Level or higher
Participants will complete the following modules (total of 96 hrs.):
• Introduction to Manufacturing
• OSHA 10
• Math for Manufacturing
• Lean Six Sigma
• Problem Solving
• Working Smart
Additionally, students will be
provided resume and
interviewing skills towards the
end of course.

18. Industry Champions
Industry Champions
ABB, Kanban Logistics, Keihin, LS Cable, Murdock
Webbing, Nash Building Systems, Swimways, Sara Lee
Triangle Tire
AEL Span, LLC, Air Boss of America Corp., Enviva,
Meherrin River Forest Products, New Dixie Oil
Corporation, Reser's Fine Foods, Southern Corrosion
Engineered Tank Care, Weldon Steel, Klausner, Lowes
Mestek, PENCO, Jack Farrior, Domtar, FUJI,
Weyerhaeuser, Acculink, Hyster
Cummins- Rocky Mount Engine Plant, Honeywell, New
Standard, Nutkao, Pfizer
Smithfield Foods, Sun River Service Company
Ann's House of Nuts, AR Textiles, Domtar, Penco, Syfan
AAF Flanders, Camfil, Iconic Marine Group, idX,
Oakridge Industries, PAS, P&G Manufacturing, Spinrite

19. Fall Schedules
College Dates of Program
Edgecombe Community September 9th - October 31st
Running 2 sessions - one during the day and one at night
Monday - Thursday for 8 weeks
Halifax Community August 29, 2019 – October 12, 2019
Pitt Community September 23rd - October 10th
Mon - Thur 8-5
Nash Community Exact schedule dates are being determined. Planning to have
course end of September/October timeframe.
Wilson Community Exact schedule dates are being determined. Planning to have
course end of October/November timeframe.
Roanoke - Chowan Community September - October/November timeframe
Martin Community Unknown at current time
Beaufort Community End of September - October/November; still working out
schedule
Visit www.rampeast.com to learn more!

20. Marketing & Outreach
• Please visit our website, www.rampeast.com!
• Development of a cohesive brochure, flyers, and printed materials across
the 10-county region. (PROMOTING THE SAME MESSAGE AS A UNIT)
• Strong social media outreach campaigns (ABILITY TO TARGET OUR
AUDIENCES – ALSO REFERRED TO AS “SMART MARKETING).
• Bringing the RAMP East message to multiple platforms both with the
community face-to-face and electronically through the worldwide internet.

21. Next Steps
• Continue to gain support of the partnership from community leaders, industry,
students, and from our peers/stakeholders in the economic development
game.
• Community Colleges are fine tuning their schedules to meet the needs of their
service areas.
• Begin to understand the deep issues around access to continuing education.
• Increase marketing and outreach efforts.
• Produce the best graduates in North Carolina’s history!
• Make a difference in our communities.

22. RAMP East Information Video
Please click here to view the video!

23. Maureen Little
Vice President of Economic Development
NC Community College System
RAMP East – Community College Perspective
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

24. Tony Copeland
Secretary of Commerce
North Carolina Department of Commerce
RAMP East – NC Commerce Perspective
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

25. Moderated by
David Joyner
President
Joyner Media & Strategies
RAMP East – Employer Panel
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

26. RAMP East – Employer Panel
RAMP East was created to ensure that existing and new industries located in the
region receive well trained and qualified applicants to meet their hiring needs.
Panelists:
• Bobby Piner – LS Cable
• Corey Nixon – Cummins/Rocky Mount Engine Plant
• Charles Gilmore – Sara Lee

27. Clinton Williams
Chairman
Turning Point Workforce Development Board
RAMP East – Recognition of Graduates
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet

28. Doug Hughes
Chairman
Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments
Staff Awards &
Closing Remarks
UCPCOG 2019 Annual Banquet