Enhancing NC’s Workforce Through Education

Enhancing NC’s Workforce Through Education?

The workforce is evolving. More jobs than ever require post-high school education and training. Credentials earned after high school may open many doors, but the journey toward them isn’t always easy.?

For many students, a college degree can be a ticket to a better future. It can provide opportunities and a pathway to success. However, for first-generation college students, the journey to a degree is often a rollercoaster ride of challenges and rewards.?

According to the Online Journal for Workforce Education and Development, nearly 50% of today’s college students are considered first-generation. This means that neither of their parents has a college degree, and they are the first in their family to attend college.?

Kelis Johnson, a first-generation college student at NC State, shares that her journey has been a challenge. She admits that she didn’t feel as prepared as some of her peers when she arrived on campus.?

“I feel like people who come from parents with degrees are taught from the very beginning of how to approach someone, how to network with someone, how to make your connections known with that person,” said Johnson.??

Zane Reep, another first-generation college student, echoes the same sentiment. Reep struggled with finding resources to pay for college, especially since his family faced financial difficulties growing up.?

“It’s just the resources, and it’s the knowledge,” said Reep. “It’s just about knowing what’s out there.”?

Despite these challenges, Johnson and Reep are determined to succeed. Johnson believes that the biggest thing she has learned as a first-generation college student is being able to advocate for herself.?

“This is what I want,” said Johnson. “How can I get there?”?

For Reep, earning a college degree is a historic accomplishment for himself and his family.?

“I’m very excited that I can not only make my mom proud but also feel pride in myself that I have managed to accomplish this goal,” said Reep.?

The graduation rate for first-generation students is low. Only 20% of adults whose parents have no college experience completed their degrees, compared to 60% of those who had at least one parent with a bachelor’s degree.?

However, Johnson and Reep are determined to beat the odds. With their college education, they hope to make a positive impact in their communities and avoid the financial struggles their families faced growing up.??

“My vision is to change the world, but I want to do that through changing public health behaviors of certain communities,” says Johnson.?

As first-generation college students, Johnson and Reep understand the challenges they face. However, their determination, resilience and drive prove that anything is possible. With their college degrees, they are breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations.?

Removing Financial Barriers to Post-Secondary Education?

Many high school graduates dream of pursuing higher education but are unable to afford the steep tuition fees. However, Davie County community leaders have found a solution to this financial barrier.??

Ignite Davie, a college promise program, offers free tuition and fees for high school graduates who attend the local community college.?

In just two years, this program has made a significant impact on the lives of students, their families and the community.?

Ignite Davie began in the fall of 2020 and has immediately tripled enrollment at Davidson-Davie Community College. It aims to target students who don’t pursue post-secondary education due to a lack of resources.?

“We knew that probably about a third of students at the high school who upon graduation didn’t go anywhere post-secondary,” said Susan Burleson, Executive Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Davidson-Davie Community College. “And so, that was really initially the audience that we were thinking about targeting, that we really wanted to make sure students who maybe didn’t have the resources would have the resources to pursue post-secondary education.”?

Darrin Hartness, President of Davidson-Davie Community College, states that the Ignite Davie program is helping solve a student debt crisis.?

“Students who participate in this program will not have major debt from their first two years of college,” said Hartness. “Debt that would follow them as they’re trying to start their first career or even start their family.”?

Terry Bralley, President of Davie County Economic Development, says Ignite Davie is not only providing opportunities for students, but it’s helping fill workforce needs and enticing families to move or stay in the area.?

“The goal really is to get your community to become younger and have a younger workforce,” said Bralley. “I believe in today’s world, families will move here knowing that they can get two years of college education paid for. That’s a big bonus.”?

The Ignite Davie program is a homegrown effort built on local partnerships. It has a unique twist that makes it different from other college promise programs. Students have a stake in the game and are involved not only in their coursework but also in volunteer service, giving back to a community that has invested in them.?

For Merritt Killian, a sophomore at Davidson-Davie Community College, the program has made a huge difference in his post-secondary education journey. He wants to pursue medical school in the future and believes that saving some money early on has been a big help.?

“This program, looking back at it, I would do it a hundred times over again,” said Killian. “There were just so many opportunities, so many incentives for students like me to pursue an education after high school, whether that be technical or transfer degree.”?

The Ignite Davie program is paid for by the community through donations. Community leaders hope to expand their efforts soon into Davidson County as well.?

Opening Career Paths for Inmates through Education?

More than half of formerly incarcerated people hold only a high school diploma or GED. These credentials do not have the value in today’s job market that they had a generation ago.?

When someone is sent to prison, it often feels like the end of the road. However, for many who serve their time and get out, reintegrating back into society with a job and a future can be a significant challenge.?

The good news is that a growing trend among correctional facilities is to provide post-secondary education to those who choose to enroll. Nearly half of the people who participate in these programs are less likely to end up back in prison.??

One program that is being seen as a model for others is in Pamlico County. The Human Service Technology (HST) program is a unique associate degree program offered in partnership between Pamlico Community College and Pamlico Correctional Institution.?

It centers around learning life skills, including how to write a business letter, promote teamwork and improve anger management.?

For Adonis Adkins, who enrolled in the program, it taught him how to control his emotions and understand others better. Today, he runs a successful trucking dispatch company outside Charlotte.?

The HST program is the brainchild of Jim Ross, President of Pamlico Community College. When he got invited to visit the prison on his second day at work back in 2018, he saw that something was missing. The prison already offered courses in horticulture, carpentry and plumbing, but Ross felt that there was a gap.?

He worked with local and state leaders to fill this gap, and today the HST program is the largest of its kind in the state.?

“This program gives them a new mindset when they leave prison—they are now a college graduate,” said Ross. “This self-image allows them to go out and not only change their life for the better, but it keeps their kids from going into crime.”?

The partnership between the college and the prison is a key factor in making this program a success. However, bridging the cultural gap between the two has been a challenge at times.?

Inmates who are institutionalized have a different sense of both the classroom and themselves.?

“I had a guy one day that was about to tear up and said, ‘You called me mister.’ I’m like, ‘Well, you are,’” said Ronald Scott, Chair of the Human Service Technology program at Pamlico Community College. “Nobody ever showed them that kind of respect in there.”?

The Pamlico Prison Education Program faces challenges like space and teaching staff, but instructors focus on the end goal, which is helping to build a skilled workforce.?

“Just because you’re failing and you’ve gotten in trouble doesn’t mean you can’t do things that make our lives better,” said Ed King, Chair of Correctional Education at Pamlico Community College. “We’re constantly reminded about staffing shortages, shortages in some of the vocational areas. We’ve got these people. We just need to make sure they have those skills.”?

Adonis Adkins says the skills he learned in the HST program helped him not only do better in business but also gave him the tools to create a better life for himself. He also notes that fellow inmates become friends and even colleagues.??

“It gives you a feeling of, ‘Okay, maybe I’m not in here by myself,’” said Adkins. “And you start having to start making friends, and you start having guys that you can rely on, or at least have somebody to talk to.”?

Adkins says getting sent to prison does not have to be the end of the road. Post-secondary education programs like the one in Pamlico County are providing inmates with the skills and tools they need to successfully reintegrate into society. With the right education and training, these individuals can lead productive and fulfilling lives, breaking the cycle of recidivism and building a better future for themselves and their communities.?

#ncIMPACT #CommunityCollege #College #University #Workforce ?

David Hurst is a producer and reporter for?ncIMPACT , a multiplatform series produced by?PBS North Carolina ?in association with the?UNC School of Government .?

Hosted by UNC Professor Anita Brown-Graham, season five of ncIMPACT visits communities, organizations and businesses across North Carolina that are developing creative solutions to critical issues like health care, education, employment, the economy and the environment. Watch Fridays at 7:30 PM on PBS NC and stream anytime with the PBS App.?

PBS North Carolina ?provides quality content and services to engage communities, enhance education, enrich lives and tell the stories of North Carolinians.?