Workforce Development
Job creation and economic growth in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County are only possible if we have a well-educated, well-trained workforce available to fill those new jobs. The Chamber’s Workforce Development initiatives are designed to ensure that we will be able to meet the demand for qualified workers by promoting student achievement, creating career awareness, and helping prepare students to meet the demands of our knowledge-based, globally competitive economy. These initiatives include:
- Real World Connections is a program that brings business people together with students in small groups or one-on-one to give the students a sense of what is involved in different career paths.
- Career Specific Partnerships show students what they can expect from careers in four key professional areas – Finance, Hospitality & Tourism, Construction, and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) – to help them get a head start on their career decision.
- Classroom Speakers Program includes local business and community volunteers who are willing to share their expertise with students in the classroom. Speakers bring relevance to a particular topic, helping students understand the connection between the curriculum and the real world of work. Speakers also provide teachers with additional curriculum-related resource expertise. Click below to get involved.
Classroom Speakers Program
Construction Industry Council
The Construction Industry Council is made up of area construction professionals and educators who work together to bring more students into the construction fields, producing the next generation of architects, craftspeople and skilled and semi-skilled tradespeople. There are not enough people going into the skilled trades to fill positions left vacant when employees leave. These jobs offer lucrative career opportunities for young people emerging into the current workforce. Addressing the heavy demand for skilled workers is a Chamber priority. Council meetings focus on topics relevant to construction industry professionals and on strategies to promote the industry to the emerging workforce.
For more information, please contact Rodessa Mitchell at (336) 728-9222.
Construction Career Days
To address the skilled workforce shortage, the Chamber’s Construction Industry Council, in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Transportation, hosts a two-day Construction Career Days event.
With about 1,200 students from Forsyth and surrounding counties in attendance, this event exposes high school students to the vast array of exciting opportunities and career paths available in the industry. Students learn about the latest equipment, tools, and industry innovations through interactive, hands-on activities, the operation of heavy equipment, and one-on-one conversations with skilled-trade professionals and educators.
