Talent Source Network Community Partners Meeting

In September, twenty-two of our Talent Source Network (TSN) community partners gathered at the NCWorks Career Center on Executive Center Drive to learn about TSN’s referral process and share best practices for connecting Mecklenburg County employers to a quality talent.

Organizations represented at the event included the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, Vocational Rehabilitation, Urban League, the Department of Social Services, Goodwill and the Charlotte Area Fund.

The agenda included a presentation by Adam Town, Senior New Product Specialist at Indeed.com of their beta version of Indeed Start, which was created specifically to provide organizations tools to help job seekers with barriers get jobs. The hope is that this app can be adapted to connect all partners and their clients to TSN-sourced jobs and track results.

Conversation throughout the morning was dynamic and passionate. This was a very engaged group who shared a lot of workforce intel and useful feedback -- including their desire for quarterly face-to-face meetings!


Youth Complete IT Boot Camp with Lowe's
Charlotte Works partnered with Lowe's to provide five students with a 2-week IT Boot Camp in September. Participating youth were from our NCWorks NextGen program operated by ResCare and from CPCC.

During the two weeks, Lowe's provided extensive hands-on training in IT Service Desk, End User Computing and Technology Service Center. They were given exposure to the corporate environment at Lowe’s Mooresville campus and the Uptown Charlotte Tech Center. The youth completed their training and expressed an interest in pursuing a career path in IT at Lowe's. 
Charlotte Works Participates in CTE Parent Night
On October 2, staff from Charlotte Works participated on the 2019 CTE Parent Night Panel at West Charlotte High School.

Workforce influencers gathered from various industries to talk about all things college and career readiness. They also offered advice to help parents and staff aid in the preparation of their young scholars. 

West Charlotte High School organized an awesome event that highlighted their very own CTE courses as well as youth organizations and higher ed institutions from the Charlotte area. 
Board of Directors ‘Spotlight:’ Beth Butler
Company: Disability:IN North Carolina

Title: Executive Director
 
How did you get involved with Charlotte Works?
 
As the Executive Director of Disability:IN North Carolina, I represent a business led non-profit that empowers NC employers to achieve disability inclusion and equality. A fully integrated workforce system requires a fully integrated workforce, inclusive of the talents of North Carolinians with disabilities.
 
Why is workforce development so important to you?
 
Despite a strong labor market, just 39% of working age North Carolinians with disabilities are employed versus 76% of those without disabilities. If just 1% of unemployed persons with disabilities joined the U.S. labor force, the GDP could get a boost of up to $25 billion. That should be important to every North Carolinian.
 
What excites you most about the direction of Charlotte Works and how will you contribute to it?
 
Our Charlotte Works vision says it best, we want the Charlotte region to be home to the nation’s most integrated workforce system, providing a highly-skilled workforce for a global economy. My work is to educate and empower businesses to promote cultures of inclusion that welcome highly-skilled persons with disabilities into our economy, including those entrepreneurs with disabilities leading successful small businesses across our state.
 
Best piece of career advice you have received?  
 
I’ve been legally blind since birth so as an attorney with a non-visible disability the best career advice I have received reminds me that success is on the other side of my comfort zone.
 
What are your hobbies/interests?  
 
I was raised in South Florida, so I love the water, boating, fishing, water-skiing, and walking on the beach. I love it all! I love college football (Let’s go Mountaineers!! and Roll Tide!!) and if I have anything left on Sundays, the Panthers are my NFL team. I also play bridge. I’m also hopelessly addicted to the Hallmark Channel.