Champion Scholars program focused on education, on-job experience
Applications are currently being accepted for the Champion Scholars Summer Program through Catawba Valley Community College’s Workforce Development Innovation Center.
04/15/2022
This program provides high school juniors, seniors and recent graduates with the knowledge and skills to develop an exciting new career in furniture, manufacturing, or construction.
The Champion Scholars Summer Program will not only introduce students to new career opportunities, but will provide a paid summer position as a pre-apprentice with a local furniture, manufacturing, or construction company.
Students will be registered as a continuing education student with CVCC and can earn additional high school credits.
The Champion Scholars SOFA (Students of Furniture Apprenticeship) program is a seven-week summer pre-apprenticeship program that can lead to a full Apprenticeship program, and it provides an opportunity to learn skills in our Furniture Fundamentals class. Students can receive 192 hours of paid hands-on training with one of our furniture partners and can explore a career as a skilled craftsman in sewing, upholstery, manual cutting, automated cutting, pattern-making and spring-up.
Students earn money, high school credit, college certificates, a state certificate and explore different careers in the furniture industry.
The Champion Scholars SOFA Program was formed through the collaboration of CVCC's Catawba Valley Furniture Academy, NC Community College System/ApprenticeshipNC, Western Piedmont Community College, Catawba County Schools, Hickory Public Schools, Newton-Conover City Schools, Century Furniture, CR Laine Furniture, Geiger, HBF, Hickory Chair, Lexington Home Brands, Restoration Hardware, Sherrill Furniture and Vanguard Furniture.
Career opportunities and preparation for employment in the construction field are emphasized in the Champion Scholars Construction, which includes training in core concepts such as Safety - OSHA 10, CPR and First Aid, Employability Skills, Introduction to Construction Trades and Hand/Power Tools.
In the Champion Scholars Manufacturing program, students will explore a career in manufacturing, earn continuing education credits at CVCC, while employed as a pre-apprentice with a local manufacturing company.
Student tuition, books and fees are covered by the Academy and the State Manufacturing Fundamentals – which offers students an overview of manufacturing industries in modern society. Basic and technical skills are presented to prepare students for the manufacturing environment, as well as, hands-on instruction in one or more of the manufacturing trades under the close direction and supervision of your employer.
Upon graduation, students are well-prepared to continue a career in manufacturing, and should they decide to do so. Students can elect to continue full or part-time employment with their summer employer.
» Champion Scholars Registration
» Workforce Development Innovation Center
For more information on the Champions Scholars program at Catawba Valley Community College or to register, contact Lori Miller at 828-327-7000, ext. 4284 or Kristen Wright at 828-327-7000, ext. 4297.
# # #