Business

BRCC wins $200,000 grant for brewery training

By Bill Moss, Published: August 24, 2012

Blue Ridge Community College has won a $200,000 grant to help train workers for jobs with the three new craft breweries that are coming to the area.The Golden LEAF grant will fund a comprehensive upgrade of advanced manufacturing training in Henderson and Transylvania Counties.

This state-of-the-art training is tied to gaps in the workforce identified by local manufacturers.

"There continues to be a misconception in our area about the availability of manufacturing jobs," Blue Ridge Community College President Molly A. Parkhill said in a news release. "Employers in Henderson and Transylvania Counties are hiring and estimate they will need more than 1,000 skilled workers in the next five years. However, these employers often find it difficult to hire workers with the advanced skills needed in their workplaces. Our enhanced manufacturing programs are designed to fill that gap."

Topping the list is training in fluid handling and packing for the Sierra Nevada brewery in Mills River, New Belgium in Asheville and Oskar Blues in Brevard.

The centerpiece of the Golden LEAF Grant and the advanced manufacturing training is the launch of the BRCC's new Mechatronics Engineering Technology program. The grant will fund additional equipment needed to train associate degree students in fluid handling processes.

"There is significant demand for training in fluid or wet handling processes due to the recent influx of craft breweries as well as the area's current chemical and packing manufacturers," said Chris English, dean for applied technology at Blue Ridge Community College.

The grant also funds equipment and renovation needed to offer mechatronics courses to high school juniors and seniors. "One of the most critical parts of developing a skilled manufacturing workforce is preparing younger workers to embrace the new world of advanced manufacturing," commented English. "The Golden LEAF grant will enable Blue Ridge to offer college-level mechatronics engineering technology courses to high school juniors and seniors at their high school."

The high school mechatronics program is slated to begin at Brevard High School in 2013. Plans are underway to offer the mechatronics courses for high school students in Henderson County next year as well.

In order to provide the highest level of upgrade to the advanced manufacturing offerings, BRCC is negotiating partnerships with four-year colleges to allow Blue Ridge students to continue their engineering training at the bachelor's degree-level.