The purpose of this grant was to provide funding to the Town of Lewiston Woodville to establish the Bertie Workforce & Education Vitality Center. The Center supported job seekers through education, coaching, technical/vocational training, and career placement, and provided the training and opportunity to earn third-party certifications that prepared students to meet the needs of employers. The Center offered programs demanded by the industry, including those provided at Roanoke Chowan Community College’s (RCCC) Universal Technical Training Center in construction trades, heavy equipment operation, agribusiness, welding plate certification, production technician, truck driver training (CDL), and other programs. By leveraging a partnership with RCCC, supported by RCCC’s recently awarded USDA distance learning grant, distance learning at the Center made it possible for an estimated 150 west Bertie residents and students from surrounding counties to complete the “seat time” for certification courses. The Center and RCCC worked together to provide transportation to RCCC’s Ahoskie campus for required hands-on training. Participants also received assistance from the Hive House, a local nonprofit organization that had received funding from the Kate B. Reynolds Foundation and others to provide a wide range of supportive services to individuals in the community. Golden LEAF funds were used for the renovation and upfit of the building, furnishings, and some operating costs.
