North Carolina's progress toward statewide attainment goal

During the event, myFutureNC unveiled its proposed Workforce Act of 2026, which Holden said builds on strategies that are already working and scales them statewide.

The act would focus on four policy priorities:

1. Work-based learning: The act would expand paid, employer-led training tied to credentials by scaling ApprenticeshipNC, the state’s apprenticeship agency that helps businesses develop Registered Apprenticeship Programs to meet their workforce needs.
2. Career exploration: The act would invest in NCCareers, the state’s online resource hub for students and working adults that helps them find a career that fits their skills and interests.
3. Seamless education pathways: The act would support smoother transfer pathways across education systems through the adoption of technology to ensure students can move between institutions or return to education more easily.
4. Employer-valued credentials: The act would support NC Workforce Credentials and short-term credential grants to expand access to credentials that employers value.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 2026-27 FAFSA completion rates have outpaced those of previous years. As of mid-December, 5 million forms had been submitted nationally, representing a nearly 150% increase from the 2025-26 FAFSA period, according to a press release.

The news is good nationally and in North Carolina. The CFNC FAFSA Tracker, which is updated weekly, shows an estimated $85.5 million in Pell Grant earnings for the current cycle and a FAFSA completion rate of 39.9% as of Feb. 6, compared to 32.0% at the same time last year. So far, nearly all counties in North Carolina have a higher completion rate than they did last year at the same time.

During a Feb. 11 meeting of the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, Jeff Cox, president of the N.C. Community College System, expressed caution about the number of programs that may ultimately qualify for Workforce Pell in the state due to the program’s federally-established eligibility criteria. Eligible programs must demonstrate a 70% completion rate, a 70% job placement rate within 180 days, and a positive return on investment, demonstrated through a value-added earnings requirement.

“Just out of these initial screens — the number of hours and then the job placement and the completion rates — I think only about 4% or so of our overall short-term credential programs are going to qualify,” Cox said.

As North Carolina works to meet its statewide attainment goal — 2 million adults with a degree or credential by 2030 — initiatives across the state are advancing efforts to strengthen education-to-workforce pipelines. On Feb. 12, myFutureNC — the statewide nonprofit organization focused on educational attainment — recognized six initiatives during its annual State of Educational Attainment convening.

The recognized initiatives include:

1. Bertie Attainment Coalition
2. NC Career Coaches
3. NC Health Talent Alliance
4. NC Reconnect
5. Surry-Yadkin Works
6. The Forward Fund

The $20 million plan would grant free tuition for up to two years of community college at any of Maine’s seven community colleges for in-state students in high school graduating classes from 2020-2023. The program, called the Maine Free College Scholarship, was ultimately approved by the legislature, and has been extended to include students who graduated from high school through 2025. It has been popular, leading to significantly increased enrollment in the state’s community colleges and boosting transfers to the University of Maine System.

But in June 2025, state lawmakers declined to continue funding the program in the state budget, which Mills then signed into law.

From McDowell Technical Community College President J.W. Kelley:

“The McDowell Tech commencement ceremonies are more than formal traditions — they’re powerful celebrations of dreams realized. As I handed Emilee Brooks her diploma last spring, a young man rushed the stage, knelt down, and proposed marriage. In that moment, two dreams came true — one academic, one personal — and the crowd erupted in celebration.

Now, McDowell Tech might not be where everyone finds their soulmate, but we do believe it’s a place where everyone can find where they belong. Our greatest hope is that every student who walks through our doors discovers their purpose and finds a path to fulfill it. As our motto declares: Learn. Grow. Dream.”

Credit for prior learning | The North Carolina Community College System will join Alabama and Colorado’s community college systems in a national, evidence-based community of practice focused on advancing public policy for Credit for Prior Learning (CPL). According to a press release, the community of practice is designed to help participating systems address gaps and establish models that can be scaled nationwide. Each participating system will receive a stipend and customized technical assistance throughout the two-year program.

Direct admissions | More than 23,000 high school seniors have accepted direction admissions offers from North Carolina colleges and universities through NC College Connect — a new program that guarantees eligible students admission to partnering schools without completing a traditional application.

Male postsecondary enrollment | A new report from the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal shows that North Carolina’s postsecondary enrollment reflects national trends when it comes to male vs. female enrollment. North Carolina data shows that in 2023, men made up 41% of the undergraduate student body in the UNC System and 39% of the student body in the NCCCS.

EMS programs | North Carolina’s community colleges are working to address paramedic and EMT shortages. Southwestern Community College is among those, currently offering four different levels of EMS certification. The program is offered at two different locations and has a hybrid option as well. According to a 2025 report from the nonpartisan American Ambulance Association, the overall turnover rate among EMTs and paramedics is between 20-30% annually.

Transfer agreements | According to a recent news article, Duke’s Engineering School could soon admit transfer students from Durham Tech’s associate degree in engineering program. The article goes on to say that the program would mark the private university’s first formal community college-focused engineering transfer pathway.