The following is a press release from Duke Energy.
Cape Fear Community College today announced a $200,000 investment from Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas. The funds will be used to connect students with hands-on training and career development opportunities through CFCC’s Power Line Technician Program.
The investment will be used for tuition and equipment for the program, including trucks, trailers, poles and line worker toolkits.
“There is a tremendous need for power line technicians in our region,” said Jim Morton, CFCC president. “We are very pleased to be working with Duke Energy to offer this training program for our area. This partnership will help us provide highly-trained employees to meet industry demands in this lucrative field. The college is excited to connect students with this opportunity.”
Representatives from Duke Energy presented the grant to CFCC today during a ceremony at CFCC’s Advanced and Emerging Technologies building, followed by student demonstrations.
“We rely on the skills and expertise of line workers to power our daily lives and depend on this vital role in maintaining and growing the state’s energy infrastructure,” said David Fountain, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “We’re pleased to partner with Cape Fear Community College to cultivate training and education opportunities for line workers of the future.”
This grant is part of Duke Energy’s $35 million investment in North Carolina’s Community Colleges’ focus on technical education and support of business and industry. Applications were reviewed by a committee of representatives from Duke Energy, NC Community College System and NC Department of Commerce.
About Cape Fear Community College
Serving more than 20,000 students each year, Cape Fear Community College is the sixth largest community college in the North Carolina Community College system and a major economic development partner in southeastern NC. Dedicated to providing world-class workforce training and higher education for the citizens of New Hanover and Pender counties, CFCC offers 45 Career and Technical Education degree programs and more than 90 Career and Technical Education diplomas and certificates in a wide range of areas. Cape Fear Community College offers six College Transfer degree programs and several Career and College Promise programs for qualified high school students. CFCC was founded in 1958 and is located in Wilmington, Castle Hayne, Surf City, and Burgaw. For more information, visit http://cfcc.edu.
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About Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to address the needs of the communities where its customers live and work. The foundation provides more than $30 million annually in charitable gifts. The foundation’s education focus spans kindergarten to career, particularly science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), early childhood literacy and workforce development. It also supports the environment and community impact initiatives, including arts and culture.
Duke Energy employees and retirees actively contribute to their communities as volunteers and leaders at a wide variety of nonprofit organizations. Duke Energy is committed to building on its legacy of community service. For more information, visit http://www.duke-energy.com/foundation.
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