Cleveland State Strengthens Workforce Development, Names New Director

Monday, October 28, 2019 12:00 AM
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(Cleveland, Tennessee) – Over the past two decades, Andrew Lindberg worked in plant management and director roles. In these positions, he spent countless hours helping workers learn to do their jobs well. And while he may not have known it until recently, these years of experience uniquely prepared him for his new role as Director of Workforce Development at Cleveland State Community College.

Why make the leap from plant management to CSCC?

“I like to give back to the community, and this position allows me to do just that,” Lindberg said. “Workforce Development at Cleveland State improves lives and the businesses in our region. We train people for skilled positions so they can better perform their daily duties. It’s fulfilling and satisfying lead and be a part of these transformations.”

CSCC’s Workforce Development provides personal and professional development and continuing education courses to employees and employers alike. Depending on the needs, training may be online or in-person. For those in-person courses, employees and/or employers visit the CSCC campus or have the Workforce Development team come to them.

Regardless of the training mode, employers and employees always benefit from the college’s robust offerings. And when a need arises that isn’t met with the program’s current offerings, the Workforce Development team builds a training program tailored to meet the specific needs presented.

As director, Lindberg leads the department and makes sure the trainings are managed and met. He does this by overseeing the department’s staff members, services, and budget. But he doesn’t just operate behind the scenes. He also spends plenty of time in the community, maintaining good working relationships with city and county leaders that Cleveland State CC serves.

Sherry Crye, Director of Workforce Development for the Cleveland-Bradley County Chamber of Commerce, is one professional Lindberg works with. Primarily serving high school students, Crye sees Cleveland State’s services as more than a nice addition for the area. From her perspective, CSCC’s Workforce Development is a vital part of our economy.

“When dealing with a current or prospective company, we have to assure them that something is being done to prepare their workforce,” Crye said. “With Andrew’s background in manufacturing, he’s perfect for the job.”

Dr. Patty Weaver agrees wholeheartedly. Since becoming Assistant Vice President of Workforce and Economic Development at Cleveland State, she has seen the program’s grow exponentially, serving more than 100 companies in the college’s five-county area. In just the last two and one-half years, Dr. Weaver stated that the program has seen a 53-percent increase in training hours. These training hours focus on topics ranging from electrical maintenance and conversational Spanish to leadership and change management.

And as exciting as the past has been, Dr. Weaver expects bigger things moving forward. She’s particularly excited about Lindberg’s background in lean manufacturing, an efficient and waste-resistant approach to manufacturing that has changed the face of manufacturing.

“We wanted someone with experience working in business and industry and sales, someone who has strong communication and interpersonal skills, and is an innovative thinker who has a passion for learning,” she said. “Andrew is that person. I’m excited for him to take on this role and am extremely confident in his abilities to lead the Workforce Development Team in the expansion of our programs.”

To learn more about how you or your company could benefit from Cleveland State’s Workforce and Economic Development, call (423) 478-6256 or visit ClevelandStateCC.edu.

CSCC is the College System of Tennessee’s College of the Year for 2019. The local institution received the Statewide Outstanding Achievement Recognition, or SOAR, Award after being named the College of the Year honor during an awards ceremony last March.

The College System of Tennessee is the state’s largest public higher education system, with 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology and the online TN eCampus serving more than 110,000 students.