The mission of the North Carolina Community College System is to open the door to high-quality, accessible educational opportunities that minimize barriers to post-secondary education, maximize student success, develop a globally and multi-culturally competent workforce, and improve the lives and well being of N.C. citizens.
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Creating Success: Students
Creating Success: Programs
- NC Community Colleges have many virtual enrollment opportunities through distance education with 248 curriculum and 45
continuing education courses that may be downloaded and offered online at the local colleges.
- Faculty make up 44 percent of the 15,451 full-time employees at NC Community Colleges.
- 64 percent of all full-time faculty members have earned a master’s degree or higher.
- In 2009-10, 86 percent of first-time test takers passed their licensing or certification examinations.
Minority Male Mentoring
- In 2003, six colleges participated in the Minority Male Mentoring program, established with the goal to increase retention and graduation rates among minority males through specialized outreach.
- In 2010, 41 community colleges applied and received legislative grants of $25,000 each.
- 41 community colleges currently offer minority male mentoring programs, with seven colleges launching programs as a result of the funding.
Customized Training
- For greater than 50 years, North Carolina has offered no-cost, company-specific training to eligible companies in our state. N.C. was one of the first in the nation to offer what has become an important economic development tool.
- Training may be provided to companies that create eligible jobs, make significant investments in technology or take on critical productivity enhancement efforts.
- During fiscal year 2009-10, the Customized Training program provided customized job training to 16,346 individuals at 590 eligible companies. A total of $8,020,044 was expended at an average cost of $491 per trainee.
- These numbers represent training conducted for eligible industries through an initial allotment of training funds received by our 58 community colleges and for additional approved projects across the state.
BioNetwork
- In 2009-10, BioNetwork produced 12 virtual BioForum Webinars on topics from BioFuels to regenerative medicine, which were viewed 2,190 times. BioNetwork also delivered 59 workshops for hundreds of North Carolinians on topics ranging from strawberry DNA to viticulture. For more information on topics, visit www.ncbionetwork.org.
- This year BioNetwork helped more than 90 companies in finding graduates, connecting with local peer groups, conducting facility tours, answering training questions, and making presentations.
- In 2009-10, 4,656 students enrolled in BioWork, Capstone Center Courses, and curriculum programs — a 34 percent increase.
- Through education fairs and K-14 outreach efforts, BioNetwork helped more than 16,659 job seekers, employees and students become aware of biotechnology programs and the value of a strong math and science education — a 39 percent increase.
Continuing Education
- Workforce Continuing Education programs offer many pathways to train students. Local colleges have the flexibility to offer training as a single course or they may bundle a series of courses and offer students a certificate of completion leading to a recognized credential (licensure, certification, renewal or registry listing). These training opportunities are short-term, affordable, and have flexible scheduling.
- There are more than 900 courses available through Continuing Education programs. More than 250 courses lead to a state-regulated or industry-recognized workforce credential.
- Approximately 85 percent of all public safety personnel (fire, law, emergency) are trained at a community college.
- Community colleges represent a second chance at education for many North Carolinians. In 2008-09, 19,148 high-school students dropped out of school while NC Community Colleges enrolled 16,403 recent public high school dropouts that same year into a basic skills program (ESL, GED, Adult High School, Adult Basic Education and/or Compensatory Education).
- The number of GEDs and Adult High School Diplomas awarded in 2008-09 increased by nine percent from the previous year.
- The Compensatory Education program is offered for students with intellectual disabilities who are working to acquire skills for transitioning to lifelong independence. Annually, more than 6,000 individuals take advantage of this program across all 58 community colleges.
JobsNOW
- NC Community Colleges' JobsNOW 12-in-6 program, initiated by Governor Bev Perdue in 2009, resulted in workers earning 956 state-regulated credentials; 755 industry-regulated credentials; and 5,367 Career Readiness certificates.
- Students enrolled in one or more training components = 19,755.
- Completers of one or more training program components = 13,000
- Additional courses offered across the community colleges = 2,956
- New faculty/staff positions filled (full and part-time) = 866
- State-regulated credentials earned = 1,882
- Industry-regulated credentials earned = 1,477
- Career Readiness Certificates issued = 7,995
Small Business Center Network
- NC Community Colleges’ Small Business Center Network (SBCN) is the most extensive state-funded small business assistance program in the nation. Most seminars offered are free, or at a nominal price, and all 58 community colleges have a Small Business Center.
- In 2009-10, SBCN provided training to more than 60,000 seminar attendees, counseling to 6,425 individuals resulting in 740 business startups and 3,184 jobs created or retained.
Workforce Development
- Offered at NC Community Colleges, the North Carolina Career Readiness Certificate (NC CRC) is a nationally recognized workplace skills credential.
- Since its initial implementation in 2006, more than 80,000 individuals have earned the NC CRC credential, which places N.C. fifth in the nation for number certificates earned.