CCC joins landmark NSF initiative to build America’s next energy workforce

Staff reports | Cleveland Community College

SHELBY, N.C. — Cleveland Community College (CCC) has been selected as a workforce development partner in the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas, known as the Carolinas Grid Engine, a regional initiative that could bring more than 10,000 jobs to the Carolinas while modernizing the nation’s electric grid, strengthening domestic energy supply chains, and preparing workers for high-demand energy careers.

"As an organization dedicated to workforce excellence and economic mobility, Cleveland Community College is honored to be part of this transformative regional partnership," said CCC President Dr. Jason Hurst. "The Carolinas Grid Engine aligns closely with our mission of preparing students for high-demand careers while helping address one of our nation's most significant infrastructure and energy challenges."

As a workforce development partner, CCC will help develop the skilled workforce needed to support emerging energy technologies through STEM education, career connected learning, apprenticeships, and industry partnerships. The college’s involvement reflects its ongoing commitment to creating pathways to family-sustaining careers while supporting economic growth in Cleveland County and throughout the region.

Led by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and supported through the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines program, the Carolinas Grid Engine brings together more than 100 partners across North and South Carolina to help solve one of America’s most important infrastructure challenges while strengthening the regional economy, creating jobs, and accelerating technologies that improve U.S. competitiveness.

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The Carolinas Grid Engine will receive an initial $15 million over two years, with the potential for up to $160 million over 10 years. The initiative will support the development of new technologies, strengthen domestic manufacturing and supply chains, and expand workforce development opportunities across a 36-county region in North and South Carolina.

Earlier this year, when the Carolinas Grid Engine was selected as a finalist for the Regional Innovation Engines program, Hurst participated in the NSF site visit at UNC Charlotte. The site visit represented the final stage of the NSF review process and highlighted the strength of the Engine's cross-sector partnerships.

The Carolinas Grid Engine seeks to advance new technologies for transmission, distribution, and generation while creating a thriving domestic manufacturing ecosystem and reducing the time required to move innovative grid technologies from research to deployment.

Through partnerships among universities, community colleges, K-12 school systems, industry leaders, utilities, government agencies, and economic development organizations, the initiative will position the Carolinas as a national hub for energy innovation and workforce development.

For Cleveland Community College, participation in the Carolinas Grid Engine represents an opportunity to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand employer partnerships, and create new opportunities for students and residents across Cleveland County while supporting the nation's energy future.

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This is a press release of CCC.

The Shelby Independent.