North Carolina's Governor Wants Funds to Train Film Industry Workers

Courtesy of the Entertainment Economy Institute / June 2012:

Star News Online
Cassie Foss

 Gov. Beverly Perdue announced Wednesday that her 2012-13 budget will include $1 million to launch a community college workforce development program to train those seeking jobs with the film industry.

The funding would be divided evenly between Wilmington's Cape Fear Community College  and Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem to develop and offer 10 new workforce training courses.

The budget plan would still have to be approved by the Republican-led General Assembly.

During the announcement at EUE/Screen Gems Studios, Perdue, a Democrat, said the courses would be catered to specific jobs that productions need.

"The curriculum will be designed around what a specific film needs," Perdue told the crowd of state and local lawmakers, educators and film-industry craftsmen. "We will be able to promise these productions that we will have a tailor-trained workforce that will get them off the ground on time."

The five-week program would train as many as 400 people in areas such as set construction, paint and plaster work, set dressing and props, camera work, grip work, electrical and production office support, as well as wardrobe, hair and makeup.

Courses would likely be taught by local film industry professionals, she said.

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