Duke Energy grant supports workforce development

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The Duke Energy Foundation has given $30,000 to the Spartanburg Community College Foundation to help high school seniors and individuals pursuing a GED through Cherokee County Adult Education achieve training and gain employment.

About 22% of Cherokee County's population over the age of 25 has no high school diploma or GED, according to a news release. The Duke Energy Foundation grant will help fund a partnership between the Cherokee County School District, the Cherokee County Adult Education and Spartanburg Community College to identify students to participate in Operation Workforce Training, a new program offering a chance for success to participating students.

"We hear from commercial and industrial customers all the time about the shortage of skilled individuals for positions in general industry in the Upstate," said Rick Jiran, vice president for community relations for Duke Energy, in the release. "It is critical to support programs like this that build a pipeline of qualified workers for the businesses that call our region home."

Students enrolled in the Operation Workforce Training program will receive 65 hours of training. The program is designed to train 25 students starting this summer with the goal of placing 25 program participants in full time employment or enrolling in additional educational opportunities by March 2019, the release said.