A note from us
Welcome to Awake58 — a weekly newsletter with the latest updates on community college news and events. If you were forwarded this email, you can sign up for the Awake58 newsletter here, and you can find last week’s edition on our website.
This week’s edition is by Alli Lindenberg Semon, director of engagement at EdNC.
Employers and colleges work together in new ways to create lasting good jobs in western North Carolina… WakeWorks Youth Apprenticeship Academy to launch with $4 million investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies… LatinxEd helps Latine students and families navigate pathways to college and career success… Plus, new data on how North Carolina is doing as a state…
Happy summer, and welcome back to Awake58! For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Alli Lindenberg Semon. I started at EdNC back in 2019 and have been fortunate enough to meet many of you over the years. I’ve had the privilege of visiting 26 of our 58 community colleges, and it’s a personal goal of mine to visit all of them.
The mission of the community college system is personal for me. My mom was a first-generation college student and graduated from Rockingham Community College in the 1980s. She went from working in a textile mill as a teenager to landing an accounting job at a bank in the big city of Greensboro in just a few years. Community college made that social mobility possible for her and changed the trajectory of her, and consequently my family’s, life.
That’s just one of the reasons I am thrilled to share some good news coming out of western North Carolina. I know my mom’s story isn’t unique, and that’s a good thing, because community colleges are transforming lives by preparing students for and connecting them to good jobs all over the state and nation.
In western N.C., employers and colleges are working together in unprecedented ways to create lasting good jobs through Good Jobs WNC. Catalyzed by the wreckage left by Hurricane Helene, the collaborative effort is bringing together 11 community colleges, employers, foundations, and regional partners around a shared goal of connecting 1,200 residents to good jobs over the next three years in high-demand sectors.
Good Jobs WNC hosted several workshops over the last few months with the goal of creating space for employers and community colleges to connect and strategically plan in real time. Recently, 30 employers and representatives from the 11 community colleges met for Good Jobs WNC’s latest workshop to review high-quality labor market intelligence and strategize for their planning applications.
“I think what’s exciting for all of us and for the colleges is that you’re seeing exactly what we thought was possible, which is an employer and college co-designing a process that will lead to good jobs and good job outcomes for more people in their community in the long term,” said Nation Hahn, managing director at the John M. Belk Endowment.
The planning applications, due at the end of June, will summarize the key elements of the college’s plan, including their target sector and occupations, program approaches, employer partners, and intended outcomes. Colleges may apply for up to $300,000, which can be allocated across one or two years.
If you’re looking for a deep dive into Good Jobs WNC, you can read our coverage here.
Until next time,
Alli Lindenberg Semon
Director of Engagement, EdNC
EdNC reads
Around NC
State Board of Community Colleges will not meet in June | Although the State Board does not typically meet in June, the presidential search committee previously identified June 19 as the date when a finalist for the next system president and CEO would be selected. That timeline has since been pushed back, and the State Board will next meet on July 16-17.
Bill would provide children of first responders with free community college tuition | The Family Support for Those Who Serve Act is intended to help recruit and retain public safety workers in agencies facing staffing shortages. Read more.
Blue Ridge nursing efforts highlighted on national stage | Learn more about Blue Ridge Community College’s efforts to strengthen the nursing workforce pipeline in this EdNC perspective.
‘College could cost you nothing’ | The Hechinger Report has a new article out on the challenges facing the upcoming rollout of Workforce Pell. Forsyth Tech is highlighted for their efforts to market the program to students through a simple slogan.
JetZero breaks ground on $4.7 billion Greensboro campus | The groundbreaking on Monday marked the start of what state leaders call the largest job commitment in North Carolina history, as the project is expected to create 14,500 jobs. Guilford Tech President Anthony Clarke said the college is working with regional partners to expand aviation and advanced manufacturing training opportunities.
Strengthening veteran support through through Registered Apprenticeship | Canines for Service helps Veterans regain independence through expertly trained service dogs. In 2023, the nonprofit launched an apprenticeship program to help address challenges recruiting and retaining qualified staff.
Other higher education reads
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