Gaston Innovation Group Inc

GASTON INNNOVATION GROUP, INC., DBA TECHWORKS GASTON, WAS FORMED FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITIONS FOR CITIZENS OF GASTON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, BY STIMULATING JOB GROWTH THROUGH DIGITAL INCLUSION, SMALL BUSINESS FORMATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY. THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THE ORGANIZATION WILL BE DEVELOPING AND DELIVERING ARE BADLY NEEDED IN GASTON COUNTY DUE TO THE CHALLENGING ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTY. GASTON COUNTY HAD THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (BY AT LEAST .5%) OF ALL THE NC COUNTIES CONTIGUOUS TO AND INCLUDING MECKLENBURG COUNTY AND THE HIGHEST POVERTY RATE AMONG NC COUNTIES IN THAT SAME REGION. TECHWORKS GASTON ADDRESSES UPWARD MOBILITY FOR THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME POPULATION BY EXPANDING ACCESS TO HIGH SPEED INTERNET, AS WELL AS SPECIALLY-DESIGNED CODING AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY CLASSES, A DIGITAL ROADMAP WITH DIGITAL LITERACY TOOLS AND TRAINING, AND PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL COLLEGES AND K-12 SCHOOLS, AND OTHER ORGA

K-12 STEM CLASSES1,031 YOUTH SERVED IN 2022 WITH K-12 STEMROWING & ROBOTICS SUMMER CAMP, JUNE- JULY 20222 VIDEO GAME DESIGN CAMPS, JULY AND AUG 2022ROBOTICS CLASSES AND FIRST LEGO LEAGUE COMPETITION CLASSES, JAN THROUGH DEC 2022SUNDAY CODING CLUB CLASSES, JAN THROUGH DEC 2022, BOTH ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH CLASSESDREAM CENTER ROBOTICS CLASSES- AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR UNDERSERVED, 2 DAYS PER WEEKGROWTH ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET (GEM) TRAINING, JAN THROUGH MARCH 2022, MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH AND A FEW ADULTS. GEM COMBINED WITH ROBOTICS TRAINING STARTING APRIL 2022. SUMMER CODING CAMP IN JUNE 2022 FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YOUTHMIT EDGERTON FLASHLIGHTS COURSE, OCT 2022, AGES 9-13 CITY OF BELMONT HELPED SUBSIDIZE K-12 STEM AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES WITH $330,000K FROM THE NCDOC DIRECTED STATE GRANT.CHARLOTTE SIM GRANT FUNDED $5K FOR K-12 STEM COURSES

PEARSON VUE CERTIFICATION TESTING CENTERTECHWORKS IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR CERTIFICATION TESTING APPROXIMATELY 4-5 DAYS/WEEK. IT'S THE ONLY PUBLIC CERTIFICATION TESTING CENTER IN GASTON COUNTY. WE HAVE PAID PROCTORS WHO MANAGE THE TESTING CENTER. 491 TESTERS USED THE CENTER IN 2022.TECHWORKS TESTING CENTER WAS CLOSED FROM FEB 2022 THROUGH AUG 2022 FOR AN INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE. THE DAVID BELK CANON FOUNDATION PROVIDED A $25K GRANT TO PAY FOR THE TESTING CENTER UPGRADE AND HELP SUBSIDIZE THE OPERATING COSTS FOR THE TESTING CENTER.CITY OF BELMONT HELPED SUBSIDIZE THIS COUNTY WIDE BENEFIT, ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH TECHWORKS, WITH $50K FROM THE NCDOC DIRECTED STATE GRANT.

VARIOUS ADULT ENTREPRENEURIAL AND TECH DAILY COURSES193 ADULTS SERVED IN 2022 WITH VARIOUS COURSES AND TRAININGMONTHLY LUNCH & LEARNS FOR ENTREPRENEURS DRIVE SALES WITH DIGITAL MARKETINGCYBERSECURITY FOR SMALL BUSINESSDEAL DESK SESSIONS WITH SEASONED ENTREPRENEURS/INVESTORS PMP ADULT CERTIFICATION COURSE IN JULY 2022 FOR 12 ANALYTICS PATHWAY- EXCEL, ETC (4 PART SERIES) CITY OF BELMONT HELPED SUBSIDIZE THE ADULT EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES WITH $120,000K FROM THE NCDOC DIRECTED STATE GRANT.