Despite an economy still in recovery, well-positioned businesses in our community expect to see growth in the coming year.
Those primed for success are those that understand their market and where they fit into it.
You can see the same principle at work when looking at Beaufort County Community College and its partnership with Beaufort County Schools.
BCCC plans its curriculum based on the needs and demands of Beaufort County.
The college has found its niche and strives to offer coursework relevant to the community it serves.
That community includes Beaufort County high school students, those who plan to pursue associate’s and bachelor’s degrees as well as those who plan to find a trade.
The North Carolina Commission on Workforce Development assessed the state’s labor force demand and supply in the coming years.
The commission identified a few key trends that have affected Beaufort County.
North Carolina’s traditional “middle jobs” – those that paid a family-sustaining wage and required minimal formal education or training – are disappearing, said a commission report.
As traditional manufacturing industries have continued to downsize, areas like Beaufort County have continued to look for ways to bridge that gap.
Our county has been fortunate to have the Beaufort County Partnership for Development, an organization under the Committee of 100, which brings business, industry and political leaders together to work towards that common goal.
Perhaps, one of the best aspects of the partnership has been the inclusion of local education leaders.
Through the partnership, BCCC President Barbara Tansey, Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Don Phipps and BCS Career Technology Education Director Stacey Gerard have been able develop BCCC’s welding program to respond to a growing demand and bring speakers and mentors into classrooms.
As the commission reported, “The future prosperity of all North Carolinians depends on achieving higher educational attainment levels for all citizens.”