Goodwill in NC Looks to Adapt MHI CTE Textbooks

Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont to integrate MHI’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) program content.

By Patrick Davison—

With MHI and Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont both located in Charlotte, NC, the two organizations have connected over their mutual objectives: Serving those who seek education and training to remove barriers to employment and operations throughout the supply chain seeking qualified workers.

For that reason, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont—which has long offered its clients a forklift training certification program with an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety class—has been exploring how to integrate elements of MHI’s Career & Technical Education (CTE) program content and resources into their course.

The forklift training, which currently runs for five days and takes place once or twice per month, is free to Goodwill clients. Taught by National Safety Council of North Carolina-certified instructors, individuals receive hands-on instruction in lift truck design, vehicle safety inspection, moving with and without a load, and picking up and stacking a load. Special conditions involving trailers, ramps, elevators, and pedestrian safety are also addressed. Successful class completion results in a three-year renewable North Carolina General Industry Forklift certification and OSHA-10 safety card.

Yet, in speaking with its current employment partners, the organization saw the potential to add more content to the curriculum, extending it with a second week. Hence, the connection with MHI.