The Greenville Eastern North Carolina (ENC) Alliance’s vice president of business development, Uconda Dunn, is visiting the United Kingdom this week as part of a 20-person delegation comprised of North Carolina government officials, university and community college leaders, and economic developers. The delegation arrived on June 19 and will stay through June 23 for the mission that’s focused on clean energy and workforce development.
“It is an honor to be asked to be a part of this North Carolina delegation to the United Kingdom,” shared Dunn. “I look forward to representing eastern North Carolina and sharing the story of our community and our emphasis on workforce development and industry alignment.”
The delegation will visit Liverpool, Manchester, and North Wales to learn more about how industries of the future such as electric vehicles, offshore wind, aerospace and more can contribute to economic development and increased trade and investment. Sample engagements include a tour of Jaguar Land Rover’s electric vehicle factory outside of Liverpool and a fireside chat on the intersection of marine energy and workforce development with policymakers and business leaders in Wrexham (Wales).
On Wednesday, Dunn will serve on a four-member panel focused on workforce development. Dunn and Jennifer Mundt, assistant secretary of clean energy economic development for the North Carolina Department of Commerce, will represent North Carolina. They will be joined by two other panel members from Wales to discuss opportunities, challenges, policies, and the future of workforce development in North Carolina and North Wales.
“I’m most excited about the information sharing and learning more about clean energy and how North Carolina can play a role securing opportunities in the supply chain,” added Dunn.
On Friday, the delegation will also participate in the second North Carolina-United Kingdom Memorandum of Understanding working group meeting in Manchester. This is the second working group meeting and follows on from the first meeting that took place in Raleigh in January. Co-hosted by the UK Department for Business and Trade and British American Business Council Carolinas, the June working group meeting will take place at Etihad Stadium in Manchester and will be co-chaired by UK Minister for Exports Lord Offord and North Carolina Secretary of Commerce Machelle Baker Sanders. Attendees will also include representatives from several leading UK businesses that have an interest in deepening trade and investment ties with the state that was recently ranked as the best state to do business in the United States. Event sponsors include Womble Bond Dickinson, TNEI, and Zenobe.
Media Relations Contact:
Maria Satira
Director of Marketing and Communications
Greenville - Eastern North Carolina Alliance
satira@encalliance.com
252-414-2875
