For the eighth time in the past 17 years, Southwestern Community College has received significant national recognition.
SCC was one of ten finalists for the “Instructional Programs and Services” category of the annual Bellwether Award – a nationally recognized honor that focuses on cutting-edge, trendsetting programs worthy of replication.
As part of the process, SCC representatives accepted an invitation to make a presentation at the Bellwether Futures Assembly back in February in San Antonio, Texas.
“An Innovative Partnership to Address Regional Workforce Needs” was the title of SCC’s presentation. It’s centered around the college’s Table Gaming School, a 10-week, 190-hour program that trains individuals for some of the highest-paying jobs in Western North Carolina.
The Table Gaming School is offered in collaboration with Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, which covers tuition expenses for – and provides guaranteed employment to – everyone who successfully completes the training.
Representing SCC and Harrah’s at the Bellwether Futures Assembly were Dr. Don Tomas, SCC’s President; Scott Sutton, SCC’s Dean of Workforce Continuing Education; Dr. Barbara Putman, SCC’s Executive Vice President for Instruction & Student Services; Mitchell Balicki, Harrah’s Manager for Training-Table Games; and Rene Jimenez, Supervisor Training-Table Games.
“We are honored to have been selected as a category finalist for such a prestigious national award,” said Dr. Tomas. “Our partnership with Harrah’s is a tremendous success. Since 2013, we’ve trained nearly 3,000 individuals for fulfilling, well-paying jobs right here in our service area.”
