Beaufort County Community College, with the help of other economic entities such as Beaufort County Economic Development, Beaufort County Schools and NC Works, has really put forth a proactive effort to promote a skilled, competent workforce.

Through grants, such as the $120,000 North Carolina Back-to-Work grant designed for just that, the school has established continuing education for Advanced Manufacturing programs. Programs such as these enable unemployed people to receive training and certifications in areas of production and manufacturing, giving them not only a fighting chance in the job market, but actually align them with requirements most of these companies set for entry-level employees.

There is a real difference being made in Beaufort County. These entities, administration, etc. understand that if the current and following generations of residents are not properly trained and educated, the economy of Beaufort County will fail.

Not only are college students able to graduate or complete coursework with these certifications, but high school students who have selected a projected path of study can also graduate high school with Career Readiness Certifications, or CRCs. This promotes the advancement of people who plan on entering the workforce out of high school or after some college.

In fact, this type of proactive thinking that is being instilled in students throughout Beaufort County promotes more than just certifications and training. It gets students thinking about what they plan to do with their lives and gets them to take pride in what they love to do or what they think they may be interested in doing. At the very least, it leads them in the right direction.

It is exciting to think about how the current leadership in Beaufort County’s education realm is taking the bull by the horns and changing the attitude, and outlook, regarding education and getting a job.