Pillowtex Project Update

October 2005

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

Presented by:

Jeanie Moore, Vice President, Continuing Education Programs

Dr. Nicholas Gennett, Pillowtex Project Coordinator

National Emergency Grant Partners

• North Carolina Community College System

• N.C. Employment Security Commission• N.C. Department of Commerce• Centralina Workforce Development Board• Rowan County Job Link Center• Cabarrus County Job Link Center• Center for Applied Research, CPCC• Life Builder Ministries• Quantum Resources• Kannapolis City Schools• Rowan-Salisbury Schools• Midway United Methodist Church• North Kannapolis Methodist Church

Defining the target population

Pillowtex Company wide layoffs - 7,650

Pillowtex North Carolina layoffs – 4,790

Cabarrus County RESIDENTS laid off – 2,592Rowan County RESIDENTS laid off – 1,392

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College service area reachable residents as

of August 1, 2004 – 3,702

Statement of Intentions

Through Its Involvement in the NEG Funded Pillowtex Project Grant, Rowan Cabarrus Community College Intends to:

● Develop comprehensive database and tracking, and client evaluation systems for assessing participant involvement and satisfaction with services rendered by this College.

● Work closely with state employment services, Workforce Development Boards, One-Stop Career Centers and other community based agencies to develop a comprehensive job training/job placement menu for former Pillowtex employees.

● Devise a variety of means to alert former Pillowtex employees of the various services available to them through RCCC and other area community colleges.

● Provide informational, as well as advising and counseling, services for Pillowtex employees designed to acquaint them of the many opportunities for education and training available to them at RCCC.

● Provide opportunities for Pillowtex employees to satisfy their desire to complete their GED credential at RCCC.

● Enroll former Pillowtex employees in a wide array of credit and non-credit instructional programs designed to provide these individuals with new, relevant job skills.

● Create new short-term technically oriented training programs that are responsive to areas of job opportunity in the Rowan-Cabarrus and Greater Charlotte regions.

● Provide job-seeking skills (HRD) and other related coping skills for former Pillowtex employees who are interested.

Approved by Senior Leadership Team 2/04/04

RCCC penetration into Pillowtex population (to date)

From Fall 2003 through Fall 2005 the college has enrolled 1,921 (52%) of the Pillowtex eligibles residing in Rowan and

Cabarrus counties.

In addition, college staff provided direct services to 3,432 (92%) of the population.

Direct services included, but were not limited to: Advising and Counseling

DISCOVER and placement testing Job seeking skills workshops

Seminars Referrals to other agencies

Resume assistance Cosmetology Services

Enrollment by CategoryFall 2003 – Spring 2005

• Basic Skills (ABE, GED) 536

● ESL 206

● Short Term Occupational (Cont Ed) 608

● Curriculum 730

● Total 1,967

(duplicated numbers )

Outcomesas of

October 2005

Credit Programs

• Curriculum retention Spring 04 to Spring Curriculum retention Spring 04 to Spring 05 -05 - 481 of 578 (83.2%)481 of 578 (83.2%)

• 74 students received certificates74 students received certificates

• 81 students received 1 year diploma 81 students received 1 year diploma (3 outstanding student designations)(3 outstanding student designations)

• 27 students received Associate Degree 27 students received Associate Degree (1 outstanding student designation)(1 outstanding student designation)

Continuing Education Programs

GED graduatesGED graduates 241 of 536 (45%)241 of 536 (45%)

GED graduates enrolling in GED graduates enrolling in 204 204 additional programsadditional programs of studyof study

Pharmacy Tech GraduatesPharmacy Tech Graduates 1313

Nurse Aide I GraduatesNurse Aide I Graduates 137137

Nurse Aide II GraduatesNurse Aide II Graduates 3131

Phlebotomy GraduatesPhlebotomy Graduates 2323

Major challenges to project success

• Limited economic recovery producing sustainable living wage jobs as we shift from manufacturing based economy to a service industry based economy

• Wage expectations of displaced workers• Current “buyer’s market” for employers; entry

level jobs require experience• Lack of job-seeking skills “savvy”• Critical survival needs of clients superseded

educational/training commitments• Lack of computer skills and access to personal

computers• Trade legislation restrictions for students enrolled

in Basic Skills/ESL (52 week limit)

Lessons LearnedNeeds prior to implementation of Rapid Response:

●Well-articulated, organized effort among partners regarding policies, legislative mandates, programs and procedures.

●Single, universal release form to ensure sharing of common-client confidential information.

●Integrated approach among agencies to deal with job training/job placement.

●Publication geared to unique population (alternative translations, specific content, appropriate photographs, etc.)

Lessons Learned continued

Our experience indicated that these students, as a group:

●Were weak academically and required significant developmental opportunities in reading, math, English usage and technical skills.

●Required a very supportive, “up front” environment to help them transition to college students.

●Once transitioned, were very dedicated, committed and successful college students.

Accountability Model

Accountability Plan Focus Year One

• Information Sharing• Student Recruitment• Student Processing• Establishing Student

Database and Tracking System

Accountability Plan Focus Year Two

• Tracking Academic Progress• Retention• Program Completion• Job Placement (career and

non-career)

Assessing Outcomes

Summer 2004Student Survey Response Rates

Curriculum Curriculum Total number of sub-populationTotal number of sub-population 552552Total number of surveys completedTotal number of surveys completed 230 (41.7%)230 (41.7%)

Continuing EducationContinuing EducationTotal number of sub-populationTotal number of sub-population 8686Total number of surveys completedTotal number of surveys completed 48 (55.8%)48 (55.8%)

GEDGEDTotal number of sub-populationTotal number of sub-population 394394Total number of surveys completedTotal number of surveys completed 177 (44.9%)177 (44.9%)

ESLESLTotal number of sub-populationTotal number of sub-population 106106Total number of surveys completedTotal number of surveys completed 92 (86.8%)92 (86.8%)

Total number of population surveyedTotal number of population surveyed 1,1381,138Total number of surveys completedTotal number of surveys completed 547 (48.1%)547 (48.1%)

Student goal in attending RCCC

• To obtain a GED To obtain a GED 226 (38%)226 (38%)

• To improve their reading, writing and To improve their reading, writing and 184 184 (30.9%)(30.9%) math skillsmath skills• To update their job skills in order to obtainTo update their job skills in order to obtain 230 230 (38.7%)(38.7%) a different joba different job• To take a few courses and go back to work To take a few courses and go back to work 157 157 (26.4%)(26.4%)• To receive training in an entirely new field To receive training in an entirely new field 246 246 (41.3%)(41.3%)• To obtain an associate’s degree and return to work To obtain an associate’s degree and return to work 210 210 (35.3%)(35.3%)• To complete a two-year degree and transfer to a To complete a two-year degree and transfer to a 20 20 (3.4%)(3.4%) four-year college or university and earn a bachelor’s four-year college or university and earn a bachelor’s degreedegree

The decision to attend RCCC

(over 70% rating of very important)

Contributing Factors % Rating Item Very Important

• Convenient LocationsConvenient Locations 93.2%93.2%

• Funding Available Through the ESCFunding Available Through the ESC92.2%92.2%• Ability to Obtain Training to Get a New JobAbility to Obtain Training to Get a New Job91.6%91.6%• The Courses and Programs OfferedThe Courses and Programs Offered85.5%85.5%• Help With Job PlacementHelp With Job Placement75.7%75.7%• Financial Aid AvailabilityFinancial Aid Availability73.4%73.4%• Open AdmissionsOpen Admissions70.0%70.0%

Pillowtex (NEG) Student Satisfaction Survey Results

RCCC has helped you in the following areas Yes Response

• Helping You Learn New SkillsHelping You Learn New Skills 82.6%82.6%

• Helping You Meet New PeopleHelping You Meet New People 79.0%79.0%

• Overall Giving You the Support You NeedOverall Giving You the Support You Need 77.2%77.2%

• Helping You Feel Better About YourselfHelping You Feel Better About Yourself 74%74%

• Helping You Feel You Will SurviveHelping You Feel You Will Survive 71% 71%

• Helping You Feel You Have a PositiveHelping You Feel You Have a Positive 70.7%70.7% Future Ahead of YouFuture Ahead of You

• Helping You Reach Your Goals in LifeHelping You Reach Your Goals in Life 63.6%63.6%

Pillowtex (NEG) Student Satisfaction Survey Results

The decision to attend RCCC again

Students were also asked “if you had it to do all over again, would you attend

RCCC?” Their responses were as follows:

Yes 545 (95.1%)No 28 ( 4.9%)

Recommend RCCC to another person?

Students were also asked if they would recommend Rowan-Cabarrus Community

College to a friend, family member or coworker. Of respondents, 564 (98.4%) said “yes” they would recommend the

College to others.

Pillowtex (NEG) Student Satisfaction Survey Results

CAREER TRAINING

JOB PLACEMENT IN FIELD OF TRAINING

CREATION OF CAREER LADDER (lifelong learner)

How do we define SUCCESS?

The transition from training to employment – factors for

consideration● Of the 1,921 who enrolled in RCCC programs, approximately 26% are still attending classes. Substantial numbers of NEG-funded students will complete programs of study in Spring 2006.

● In order to retain educational benefits under the grant, students must be full-time which limits employment options.

● Several hundred of the former Pillowtex workers have either withdrawn from the labor pool or are unreachable.

● ESC definition of substantive earnings is critical in order to understand what constitutes “employment”.

● Many are coping with underemployment.

●Non-enrollee Survey●Employer Survey●ESC Wage Transcripts●RCCC Student Survey

““Connecting the Connecting the Dots”Dots”

Preparing the final report for Preparing the final report for Department of LaborDepartment of Labor

Employment to Date:A Moving Target

As of October 2005:●Approximately 26% are still enrolled (full-

time enrollment requirement)

●43% of enrolled students have some recorded wages

●71% of non-enrolled clients have some recorded wages

●Early data suggests that there is still significant underemployment

Results of Employer SurveyIn a survey of employers who have hired 4 or more former Pillowtex employees, the following general observations were made:

These workers:●Have a demonstrated strong work ethic.●Are loyal, punctual, and dedicated.●Are somewhat lacking in technical skills

(computer applications)

Overall, employers are very satisfied with the quality of this retrained workforce.

Comments/Questions?