Newsmakers: Strengthening Economic Mobility in the Triangle

The Community College to Career Pipeline
More high schools are providing students with a faster path to a college degree, and more community colleges are trying to figure out how to best prepare students for the workforce. What is the role of accelerated and dual-enrollment programs in the state’s economic future?
Central Theme: How are North Carolina’s community colleges enabling economic mobility in the Triangle?

• Are Triangle school systems/students taking advantage of dual enrollment opportunities in a way that is maximizing its potential to benefit the community?
• What high-school oriented programs are contributing to long-term career preparation?
• How might short-term credential programs enable long-term career growth?
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of closely linking higher education with employers/workforce goals? How nimble are these programs, and how resilient are they in a job market disrupted by AI?

This event will have two panel discussions. The first panel will be with Dr. Scott Ralls and Dr. Holley Nichols, and more speakers will be announced soon.