DALLAS, NC – Dr. Justin Arnold has been hired as the new Associate Vice President for Economic and Workforce Development at Gaston College. He is responsible for managing Business and Industry Training, Continuing Education, and Human Resources Development. He started his new position on June 3, 2019.

 

Dr. Arnold has been involved in workforce development across a variety of sectors, including private industry, government, and community organizations. He believes that systems-thinking and cross-sector collaboration are the keys to success in workforce education. For most of his career, he lived in the state of Michigan. 

 

From 2002-2010, he served as the educational program manager for a nonprofit while working as a production lead in manufacturing. From 2010-2017, he completed three degrees while working in corporate training and volunteering as a city planning commissioner, nonprofit consultant, and Chamber board member. Most recently, from 2018-2019, he engaged in post-doc work at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as a workforce development specialist and extension faculty. 

 

Dr. Arnold received a PhD in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Workforce Development from Western Michigan University (2017), an MS in Career and Technical Education with a concentration in Corporate Training from Ferris State University (2013), and a BS in Public and Nonprofit Administration with a concentration in Economic Development from Grand Valley State University (2012).

 

“I’m excited to be a part of the Economic and Workforce Development division of Gaston College,” said Dr. Arnold. “The team of educational specialists I work with are amazing, and it feels good to be part of an optimistic and growing community. I look forward to contributing to the success of businesses and workers in Gaston and Lincoln counties.”