Central Piedmont Community College is thrilled to announce that the application cycle for the Coca-Cola Consolidated Apprenticeship Program is now open. This hands-on learning opportunity is designed to "earn and learn," providing paid apprenticeships to stimulate interest in high-demand positions in the manufacturing, equipment repair, and logistics sectors at Coke Consolidated's facilities in the Charlotte area.

Application Cycle Now Open:

Central Piedmont is accepting interest inquiries for the program, which begins in Summer 2024 and spans 12 months. After expressing interest, Coke Consolidated will contact candidates to provide additional information and to complete the application process. During the program, apprentices will work approximately 20 hours weekly while completing three to four college courses each semester. Apprentices will transition to full-time positions upon successful completion of the program.

Coke Consolidated launched an apprenticeship program at Central Piedmont Community College in spring 2023 to provide formal learning through Central Piedmont and on the job experience in high-demand skilled labor positions in the following business areas at Coke Consolidated: manufacturing, equipment services and fleet maintenance at our Charlotte-area facilities. 

Program Details

Eligible applicants will gain paid experience through part-time roles at Coca-Cola Consolidated and its transportation subsidiary Red Classic Transportation, alongside financial support for career certificates, preparing them for positions such as:

• Manufacturing & Warehouse Mechanic: Including the completion of Industrial Automation Technician I & two certificates
• Diesel Mechanic (Red Classic Transportation): Including the completion of Over the Road Specialist I & two certificates
• Equipment Services Reconditioning Technician: Focusing on HVAC and electrical skills, including an HVAC-R Technology specialization in Industry Introduction

The fundamental requirement for these apprenticeships is a high school diploma or an equivalent qualification.

Information Sessions:

Central Piedmont invites prospective candidates to attend an Information Session to engage with representatives from Coke Consolidated and the college. These sessions offer detailed insights into the apprenticeship program and the career certificates that can pave the way for a future at Coke Consolidated.

Central Piedmont is proud to work with Coke Consolidated to offer these apprenticeships, reinforcing our dedication to creating career pathways that align with industry needs and student success.

For complete program information, visit cpcc.edu/coke.

The Duke Energy Foundation has given Central Piedmont Community College a grant of $48,000 to support the college’s utility line worker program.

The grant is part of $350,000 the Duke Energy Foundation is providing to support 11 community colleges across North Carolina working to create a pipeline of skilled line workers that will help meet the energy industry's future workforce needs. With this additional funding, the Foundation has awarded more than $6.7 million over the past five years in support of workforce development programs with a focus on the energy sector.

“Central Piedmont Community College thanks the Duke Energy Foundation for its investment in Central Piedmont's utility line worker program," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president. "The generous grant will benefit our students directly by helping them purchase the equipment and materials they need to start the program. We appreciate the Duke Energy Foundation's support and partnership as the college works to train individuals in a high-skills, high-demand field.”

As Duke Energy (DUK NYSE) executes its clean energy transition, the need for a skilled workforce is growing rapidly. Line workers play an integral role in a more efficient, more reliable digital grid. The company’s investment into line worker training programs and coordination with community colleges will result in a more diverse talent pipeline for the utility industry.

“Given North Carolina’s tremendous growth, line workers are essential to strengthening our infrastructure and allowing our communities to thrive,” said Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. “These grants are one way we can create access to workforce development opportunities across the state, helping ensure our workforce diversity reflects the communities we serve, live and work in.”

Central Piedmont announced the creation of its line worker program in late 2022 and began conducting classes and training in late-July 2023. Duke Energy provided a start-up boost by giving the college a grant of $500,000. The Pike Corporation also helped by providing much needed equipment to establish the program at the college’s Harper Campus.

The program’s first class graduated on Dec. 15. The six new graduates will help meet a growing need in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region for well-trained, highly skilled utility line workers. As Central Piedmont continues to grow the program, its goal will be to produce more than 100 graduates every 12 months.

As part of the program, students undertake a rigorous curriculum and achieve a 580-hour academic and field training goal. Students who complete the 16-week program will be able to enter the workforce quickly and will have earned multiple, specialized industry training credentials, including OSHA, CPR, Arc Flash Safety for Utilities, Bucket Truck Rescue, Class A CDL License, Pole Top Rescue, and Work Zone Flagger.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates about 23,000 openings for line installers and repairers will be available each year, on average, over the next decade. With this trend in mind, the college, Duke Energy and Pike have partnered to develop a pipeline of diverse, skilled, and talented utility line workers by investing in the education and career development of local, Mecklenburg County citizens.

Visit the college website for more information about the utility line worker program at Central Piedmont, or call 704-330-4223.

Central Piedmont Community College held its 2023 winter commencement on Dec. 14, in Charlotte. Approximately 630 students “marched” and received their college credentials during the morning ceremony. More than 1,380 students were eligible to graduate.

Yamileth Navarrete, a new 2023 associate degree graduate in Construction Management Technology, addressed her peers by delivering the commencement address. It has become Central Piedmont’s tradition to have graduating students serve as commencement keynote speakers.

“Just like me, my fellow classmates have conquered possibilities. Some are single parents looking to better themselves for the sake of their children. Others decided that at 30-years old they wanted a career change, or some deciding to turn their life around and go to college after all no matter the mistakes they have made or what life has thrown at them. We all have that motivation and discipline that has led to us standing here as Central Piedmont graduates,” Navarrete shared. “For me, my motivation has been my family. I am the youngest of three girls, or as my dad likes to joke about now that I’m in construction, the closest he got to a son.”

The ceremony marked only the second time Central Piedmont has held a winter graduation. The college hosted its first-ever December commencement in 2022 to honor its graduates who completed their programs during the summer and fall semesters. The addition of a winter ceremony allows the college to celebrate its summer and fall graduates in the same timely way as its spring graduates.

Central Piedmont’s 2024 spring semester classes will start Jan. 8. See the Central Piedmont website for information on how to apply and register for spring classes.

Each year, during Charlotte’s Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, awards are given to minority firms in various categories, including Construction, General Services, Professional Services, Supply and Manufacturing, and Diversity Advocacy, who provide excellent service throughout the year. During this year’s Charlotte MED Week awards luncheon, Central Piedmont Community College was honored as the Workforce Development Community Partner of the Year. 

This distinguished award is evidenced by the ongoing efforts and collaboration of Central Piedmont’s Small Business Center and Procurement Services teams. The Small Business Center (SBC) is an anchor for the business community, with 340 business clients counseled and 1,300 counseling hours offered in 2021-22. Aside from counseling and workshops, the center offers free small and medium conference rooms and a large classroom as a small business resource.

The Small Business Center also offers “Equity in Contracting.” An initiative providing targeted assistance to help small businesses compete to win government contracts and emphasizing diversity to create a more equitable environment. As part of the program, underrepresented businesses are helped to become more familiar with government contracting processes and certifications. Specialized 1-on-1 counseling is provided in a guided 12-week session designed to assess business readiness and receive back-office assistance, including accounting, human resources, legal assistance, marketing, and technology. Some 150 businesses have participated in the program.

The SBC also offers the “Business LaunchPad” program in partnership with Mecklenburg County’s Office of Economic Development to enhance minority- and women-owned small business participation in government contracting opportunities. Launched in fall 2021, Business LaunchPad is an exclusive, no-cost, 16-week program that includes classroom instruction, subject matter experts, guest speakers, practical exercises, and participation in “real-world’ workshops and events.

The MED Workforce Development Community Partner of the Year award is currently on display in the Small Business Center and affords open discussions with community clients who enter the SBC offices to learn about the impact of the Small Business Center within the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. 

To learn more about the free services and space utilization opportunities available through the Small Business Center, call 704-330-6736 or send an email.

Queens University of Charlotte announced that Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont Community College, has been selected as the 2023 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year. Now in its 38th year, the award and event celebrate female leaders who have made significant contributions to the Charlotte region through outstanding leadership and achievement.

Dr. Deitemeyer brings a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as Central Piedmont’s president. Her extensive and diverse background in community college administration spans over three decades across North Carolina, Kentucky, and Florida. She and her family moved to Charlotte in 2017, when she began leading the college as its fourth president.

“Kandi is a dynamic leader, educator, businesswoman, and now the senior chief executive of Charlotte’s thriving higher education landscape,” said Queens University President Dan Lugo. “Her strategic vision and unwavering commitment to student success have transformed Central Piedmont into a driving force of economic growth for Charlotte while empowering countless students and their families to achieve greater economic mobility. It is a great privilege and honor to recognize her with this year's Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year award.”

Dr. Deitemeyer, a community college graduate herself, values the transformative impact Central Piedmont has had on countless individuals and the community. She is passionate about the student experience and is unwavering in her commitment to ensuring student success.

“When I consider the women selected before me for this award, and when I reflect on the distinguished members of the selection committee, I am both honored and humbled,” said Dr. Deitemeyer. “To be chosen as the 2023 Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year is such a wonderful distinction. I am so pleased and appreciative to join such an auspicious group of women.”

Dr. Deitemeyer serves on several local, statewide, and national committees. Locally, she serves on the Charlotte Executive Leadership Council, Leading on Opportunity Council, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance’s Executive Committee, Charlotte Center City Partners Board of Directors, Novant Health Greater Charlotte Board of Trustees (Vice Chair), Charlotte Country Day School Board, and the Charlotte Regional Collaborative for a Global Workforce.

She is an active member of the North Carolina Association of Community College Presidents. As a commitment to future community college leadership, she serves as an advisory board member for the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at North Carolina State University. Nationally, she is a member of the Roc Solid Foundation Board and has served as an executive board member of the American Association of Community Colleges. 

The distinction of being named Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year has been given to prominent figures in the Charlotte community including Diane Morais, president of Consumer and Commercial Banking at Ally Financial Inc; Tanya S. Blackmon, former executive vice president and chief diversity, inclusion and equity officer for Novant Health; Dena Diorio, Mecklenburg County Manager; Peggy Brookhouse, former president of Luquire George Andrews (LGA); and Carol Lovin, executive vice president and system chief of staff for Atrium Health.

The Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year award will be presented to Dr. Deitemeyer at a Queens luncheon March 7, 2024. To find out more about the luncheon and previous winners go to: https://www.queens.edu/attend/charlotte-businesswoman-of-the-year/ 

The Town of Matthews recently officially recognized Central Piedmont Community College in honor of the college’s 60th anniversary. On Sept.18, the college marked 60 years since it first opened its doors to students and began its work of service to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.

The proclamation, signed by Matthews Mayor John Higdon, commends the college for providing “a robust education to students in a variety of programs, providing personalized and flexible learning that fits what, when, and how individuals choose to learn.” Further, the proclamation states that Central Piedmont provides “higher education opportunities, occupational programs, community education, workforce, and economic development opportunities that add to the area economy and address crucial workforce needs, empowering students with essential skills for future success.”

Central Piedmont’s Levine Campus opened in 1998 and is located in Matthews and is the college’s second-largest campus. Central Piedmont has provided educational opportunities since 1963 the North Carolina General Assembly passed the historic state community college bill. Opening as a fully integrated institution, the college combined the Central Industrial Education Center programs on Elizabeth Avenue and Mecklenburg College on Beatties Ford Road.

Today, with six campuses and two centers, Central Piedmont offers nearly 300 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, plus an array of non-degree offerings. Central Piedmont enrolls approximately 43,600 students annually in for-credit programs, continuing education, and basic skills courses, making it one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas. Over the years, over 100,000 individuals have earned credentials at Central Piedmont.

Over the next year, college advertising and printed materials will include an anniversary call out, “60 years of serving our community.”

Read the full proclamation.

Central Piedmont Community College proudly announced the installation of a new monumental sculpture, "Synergy," created by renowned artists Hanna Jubran and Jodi Hollnagel-Jubran of J&H Studio Inc. Hanna and Jodi, co-owners of J&H Studio Inc., have created many sculptures nationally and internationally.

The contemporary sculpture, spanning 16'6" in height, 12" in width, and 9' in depth and made from stainless steel and bronze, integrates a series of motivational words inspired by Central Piedmont's mission, vision, and values. Complementary benches were installed near the sculpture, featuring academic disciplines within the arts and humanities.

This initiative was made possible by the generosity of anonymous donors passionate about integrating the arts and humanities into students' perspectives. They believe that these branches offer students a chance to understand the past, better analyze the present, and achieve a more informed outlook on the future.

The global selection process for the sculpture began in the fall of 2021 and saw over a dozen submissions from across the US and Canada. After a rigorous process, the college's Public Art Committee, leadership, and donors narrowed the selection. 

The installation of "Synergy" was also facilitated by several in-kind donors and friends of Central Piedmont, including Concrete Supply, Showalter Construction, Black Diamond Crane & Rigging, Metrolina Steel Erectors, Henry Batten, Glenn Sherrill, and Carl Showalter.

Central Piedmont Community College invites community members, students, and visitors to witness the beauty and message of "Synergy," located on the quad of the college's Central Campus.

Central Piedmont Community College, one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas, celebrated its 60th anniversary on September 18, 2023. In recognition of this significant milestone, Mayor Melinda Bales of Huntersville, North Carolina, has proclaimed September 18, 2023, as "Central Piedmont Community College Day."

"Central Piedmont Community College is our community's first stop for postsecondary education and workforce training," Mayor Bales stated in the proclamation. "Central Piedmont has provided 60 years of service, connecting the past, present, and future for this community," she added.

About Central Piedmont Community College

Founded on September 18, 1963, Central Piedmont Community College serves more than 43,600 students across six campuses in Mecklenburg County, including the Merancas Campus in Huntersville, which has been operational since 1990. The institution offers various skill courses, continuing education, and for-credit programs.

A Vital Role in Higher Education

Central Piedmont Community College plays an essential role in the regional higher education landscape, offering an outstanding education to citizens. The institution encourages civic engagement among its students, faculty, and staff. 

Proclamation Highlights

The proclamation signed by Mayor Bales highlights several important aspects of the college's 60-year history, including:

• Its role as a critical provider of postsecondary education and workforce training
• The impact of the Merancas Campus in Huntersville since 1990
• The college's efforts in connecting the past, present, and future of the community

"We're deeply honored by Mayor Bales' proclamation and grateful for the continued support of the Huntersville community," said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, President of Central Piedmont Community College. "This is a milestone not just for us but for everyone who has been a part of the college's history. We look forward to many more years of service and community impact."

Read the full proclamation.

Central Piedmont Community College has provided educational opportunities since 1963, when the North Carolina General Assembly passed the historic state community college bill. Opening as a fully integrated institution, the college combined the Central Industrial Education Center programs on Elizabeth Avenue and Mecklenburg College on Beatties Ford Road. On Sept.18, the college will mark 60 years since it first opened its doors to students and began its work of service to the community.

Today, with six campuses and two centers, Central Piedmont offers nearly 300 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, plus an array of non-degree offerings. Central Piedmont enrolls approximately 43,600 students annually in for-credit programs, continuing education, and basic skills courses, making it one of the largest colleges in the Carolinas. Over the years, over 100,000 individuals have earned credentials at Central Piedmont.

Central Piedmont became a multi-campus community college in the early 1990s, with the conversion of the North Area Learning Center in Huntersville to the North Campus, which then became the Merancas Campus in 2011. Four other campuses subsequently opened—Levine in 1998, Harper in 1999, Harris in 2001, and Cato in 2002. 

In 2012, Central Piedmont acquired WTVI, the Charlotte region’s PBS TV station located on Commonwealth Avenue in Charlotte. In 2013, the college renovated and repurposed its City View Center on Alleghany Street to house a new cosmetology degree program.

In 2013, Mecklenburg County voters dramatically supported Central Piedmont, approving $210 million in bonds for land purchases, new construction, and renovations. The college used the $210 million, plus $70 million in other county funding, to add almost one million square feet of new laboratory, classroom, and office space across five of its six campuses. The final project funded by the 2013 bonds proved to be the largest in the college’s history. The 184,0000-square-foot Parr Center opened on the Central Campus in 2022, providing a new 21st-century library, a student union with a welcome center, a 430-seat theater, an art gallery, and dozens of spaces for students to meet, study, and relax.

Also in 2022, Central Piedmont completed its five-year “Powering a Stronger Future” fundraising campaign. The effort proved a tremendous success, raising more than $66.3 million. More than 3,270 donors made gifts and pledges to the campaign, with more than half of the benefactors giving to the college for the first time. Power a Stronger Future opened with a $40-million goal, making it the most ambitious campaign in Central Piedmont’s history. When the campaign closed, it had surpassed its goal by more than $26 million, setting a new, all-time fundraising record for the college.

“We are proud as the college celebrates its 60th anniversary,” said Dr. Kandi Deitemeyer, Central Piedmont president since 2017. “Over the decades, Central Piedmont has grown into a large, comprehensive college and Mecklenburg County’s primary workforce development partner. Even though Central Piedmont is a mature college and one of the bedrock institutions in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community, its best days lie before us. We will continually seek to enhance our service to students, helping them find a path to success and a better future for each of them and their families.”

Using its social media channels, the college has been sharing historical facts and figures for several weeks leading up to Sept. 18. Students and employees will enjoy ice cream socials at each of the six campuses during the anniversary week. Over the next 12 months, college advertising will include an anniversary call out, “60 years of serving our community.”

The one-year-old Hagemeyer Library, located on Central Piedmont Community College’s Central Campus, has earned the distinction of being included in American Libraries’ 2023 Design Showcase. The annual showcase seeks to identify and highlight the most impressive new and renovated libraries in the United States.

“This year’s selections,” according to American Libraries, “represent a return to pre-pandemic normalcy and demonstrate a firm step into the future, with physical spaces designed to draw in communities, celebrate local history, and acknowledge diverse natural environments. For these overhauls and expansions, form and functionality reign.”

The 66,321 square-foot Hagemeyer Library is an anchor of the one-year-old Parr Center, the hub of student life on the Central Campus. A true 21st-century library, the Hagemeyer Library offers an abundance of indoor and outdoor study and collaboration spaces for students and community members. In addition to traditional library services, the three-story Hagemeyer provides students a Makerspace, media studios, event/meeting space, family study room, access to balcony seating, as well as designated quiet rooms, classrooms, and faculty space.

The 183,000-square-foot Parr Center opened in July 2022 and was built with Mecklenburg County bonds and other funds. The visually distinctive facility was designed by Morris Berg and Moody Nolan Architects, with construction management services provided by Rodgers and R.J. Leeper Construction. It is the largest building constructed in the 60-year history of the college.

See the Central Piedmont website for more information about the college’s library services.