Iredell Economic Development Corporation and Their Partners Are Recognized with the Fusion Award for Iredell Ready at the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce’s SAGE Awards
Iredell Economic Development Corporation, along with their partners, Centralina Workforce Development Board, Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, Iredell County, Iredell-Statesville Schools (ISS), Mooresville Graded School District (MSGD), and Mitchell Community College (MCC), was awarded the Fusion Award at the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce’s SAGE Awards and Annual Meeting at the Statesville Civic Center on February 15, 2024 for their work on Iredell Ready.
Led by Iredell Economic Development Corporation, Iredell Ready is a county-wide workforce initiative for the purposes of cultivating career exploration, promoting lifelong learning, and closing the skills gap for Iredell County employers. The award follows the initiative’s first Workforce Forum in September 2023, where they unveiled their newly designed workforce dashboard that serves as a “one-stop shop” resource to help students and residents, kindergarten through retirement, identify opportunities to pursue career pathways and employment with businesses in Iredell County. Additionally, the Iredell Ready initiative will serve to further strengthen partnerships with businesses by supporting their recruitment, retention, and pipeline development efforts to build a skilled workforce.
“It is an honor for Iredell County to receive the Fusion Award and be recognized as one of the participants that came together in partnership to create a pathway for citizens, whether they are students, unemployed, currently employed, or even retired to navigate their next steps in life,” shares Melissa Neader, Chair of Iredell County Board of Commissioners. “Satisfying employment is more than just a job, it is a way of enriching your life, giving back and inspiring others! Having a starting point like Iredell Ready is priceless. I was involved in the initial stages of planning, and as this project took shape and I watched the momentum for opportunity build, I realized this tool could change peoples’ lives. I am pleased to be a part of Iredell Ready and proud of Iredell County and all those who have come together to make it happen!”
Iredell Ready also further demonstrates the commitment of the founding partners to help Iredell County achieve workforce attainment goals contributing to the State of North Carolina’s goal of achieving two million North Carolinians earning a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030.
“I’m incredibly grateful to our partners for their passion, dedication, and vision in creating Iredell Ready,” says Jenn Bosser, President & CEO, Iredell County Economic Development Corporation. “We are just getting started. Our goal is to reach every student, parent, resident, and business in Iredell County to help them realize their opportunities for a career pathway and prosperous future in Iredell County.”
David Hollars, Director of Centralina Workforce Development Board, shares his pride in the work being done in Iredell County. “The Centralina Workforce Development Board (WDB) is proud to be a founding partner in Iredell Ready, a great, locally driven initiative helping to create pathways for Iredell County residents now and for the future. The Centralina WDB and our NCWorks Career Centers remain committed to the Iredell Ready goal of building the talent pipeline, aligning curriculums, and skilling and reskilling the workforce in Iredell County.”
Shannon Viera, President of the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, agrees commitment and collaboration are the keys to success for Iredell Ready. “Incorporating the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce into the Iredell Ready initiative underscores our commitment to workforce readiness. The success of Iredell Ready hinges on collaborative partnerships, prioritizing access to vital information and resources. We take pride in this recognition and eagerly anticipate the next phase of Iredell Ready.”
To learn more about the Iredell Ready initiative, please visit www.iredellready.com.
ABOUT THE SAGE AWARDS
SAGE is the Statesville Area Growth & Excellence awards program created by the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce to highlight all the exceptional work businesses, organizations and communities are doing to make Statesville an exceptional place to live and work. The awards are given based on innovation, advocacy, education/workforce, growth, and other metrics as well as to showcase what is happening in and around the community. Six new awards were added to the program in 2024. For more information about the SAGE Awards & Annual Meeting and the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, visit www.StatesvilleChamber.org
ABOUT IREDELL READY
Iredell Ready is a workforce initiative founded by the Iredell Alliance to align, identify, and enhance strategic priorities across the workforce development pipeline from early childhood education to retirement. Working with industry partners, career seekers, and students, Iredell Ready is creating a diverse, equal, and inclusive environment for the citizens of Iredell County to grow. Our mission is to cultivate career exploration, promote lifelong learning opportunities, and close the skills gap for Iredell County employers. Through a strategic vision and with the combined efforts of industry and workforce development partners, Iredell Ready will attract, train, and retain an educated and skilled workforce that advances Iredell County’s economic prosperity. For more information, visit www.iredellready.com.
ABOUT IREDELL COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Iredell County Economic Development Corporation (Iredell EDC) is a 501(c)6 private-public partnership dedicated to the growth and success of Iredell County. Iredell EDC promotes economic growth and stability in our community by supporting the creation of new jobs and encouraging investment. They accomplish this through new business attraction, support of existing industry, building a world-class workforce, and collaboration with our community to build economic prosperity for all. Established by the Iredell EDC, the ICEDC Foundation is a 501(c)3 that supports specific economic development initiatives that create jobs, investment, and resources to minimize the tax burden to the local community. Iredell EDC has been the lead organization to bring together the key stakeholders across the County to develop the Iredell Ready effort. www.iredelledc.com
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