By: Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood

A smoky haze hangs in the air, and firefighting helicopters fly overhead as I write this in late

March. Wildfires are raging across Western North Carolina – some burning just a few miles from both of our Blue Ridge Community College campuses. March 27 marked six months since

Hurricane Helene struck our region, and this spring, the first responders who first rescued us

from floods, now fight the fires. A new reality is sinking in: our communities must be prepared for disaster response and recovery now more than ever before.

As we celebrate Community College Month this year, I see our Great 58 in a new light. I’ve seen

firsthand how the everyday work of community colleges lays the foundation for communities to

endure and recover during the most challenging of times. Just imagine where Western North

Carolina would be today if our region’s community colleges hadn’t been training first

responders, healthcare professionals, electrical lineworkers, and heavy equipment operators all

along.

Likewise, one of the most urgent needs after a natural disaster is a skilled workforce—people

ready to rebuild and restore. Our expertise in workforce training, strong partnerships with

government agencies, and flexible course delivery make us an essential partner – and a

strategic investment – for the communities we serve.

Weeks after Helene, Dr. Jeff Cox, president of the North Carolina Community College System,

aptly said our commitment as community colleges “doesn’t end when the storm clears — it’s the foundation of the long-term recovery that will make our communities stronger.” Community

colleges are essential partners for building resilient communities, ensuring our neighborhoods,

towns, and businesses can recover – and grow stronger – after a natural disaster.

Building resilience means investing in the workforce across a number of sectors, including

skilled trades, public safety, and healthcare, to name a few. One of the most critical gaps we’ve

seen in recent months is the profound need for trained professionals who can support

infrastructure rebuilding and environmental management. Two key fields, civil and

environmental engineering, have proven vital in disaster response and recovery.

One striking example is how extensive storm damage led to a prolonged water crisis for many

residents of Western NC. You may have seen on the news how Asheville’s water system was

hit particularly hard. In each instance, it was civil and environmental engineers who assessed

the damage and designed solutions to restore access to safe water.

At Blue Ridge, we prepare future engineers to address complex situations like this. In the fall of

2024, we launched the first cohorts of our Civil Engineering Technology and Environmental

Engineering Technology programs. This was done in close consultation with industry partners

and neighboring community colleges, as well as approval by the NC Community College

System. This process ensures that our community colleges are prepared to complement one

another in meeting regional needs. The Civil Engineering Technology program trains students to rebuild critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and water systems. Meanwhile, the

Environmental Engineering Technology program focuses on restoring the environment and

protecting public health and safety. In several communities following the storm, that meant

testing the water to ensure silt or toxins were removed, so residents could drink from their taps

again.
 

Surveying is another civil engineering career seeing ever-increasing demand in the aftermath of natural disasters. By employing state-licensed surveyors as instructors, community colleges like Blue Ridge offer students hands-on experience in data management and geographic

analysis—skills essential for post-disaster recovery. The floods and landslides caused by

Helene dramatically altered the landscape, making the work of surveyors and GIS professionals

critical for mapping those changes and producing accurate topographical data used in rebuilding efforts. Blue Ridge’s new certificate in land surveying prepares students to join survey crews immediately after completing the program.

More than 600 roads and 800 bridges were damaged by the storm, primarily in Western North

Carolina. Needless to say, employees at the North Carolina Department of Transportation

(NCDOT) have been working overtime, and more trained transportation workers are desperately needed. At Blue Ridge Community College, three of our newer partnerships are helping pave the way for more workers to enter this critical field.

First, the Transportation Apprenticeship Program, or TAP+, a statewide partnership with

community colleges that launched in 2023, is a win-win model for our students and the NCDOT. As apprentices, students work 30 hours per week, gaining both pay and hands-on experience, while also spending 10 hours each week completing coursework at Blue Ridge. Furthermore, TAP+ encourages students to complete their degrees within two years, offering a quick path to promotion and greater service to the community.

Second, Blue Ridge partners with fire and rescue agencies across the region and state through

training programs held at our Public Safety Training Facility in Henderson County. These

agencies played a vital role during and after the recent storm—and with freshly downed trees

now scattered across our mountain landscape, the risk of fast-moving wildfires has increased

significantly. Even as we recover and rebuild, it’s never too soon to strengthen training

opportunities for first responders so they’re prepared for the next potential natural disaster. With direct input from our partners and faculty, Blue Ridge has recently begun construction on a new, versatile fire training structure on campus, designed to simulate a wide range of real-world fire and rescue scenarios.

Flexible course delivery is especially valuable in fields like engineering and transportation,

where workers are often spread across large geographic areas. This flexibility is even more

important during disaster response, when these workers may be deployed for extended periods.

By offering adaptable learning options—such as online or accelerated classes, or programs

offered on weekends or outside of regular work hours—community colleges help ensure these

professionals can continue or quickly complete their education no matter their needs.

TAP+ provides another excellent example. Students can participate remotely in class lectures

from their work trucks or other field locations, balancing work responsibilities with educational

goals. Such flexibility makes advanced training accessible and leads to job-ready students who

hit the ground running after graduation, equipped to support recovery efforts with specialized

skills and expertise.

An excellent example of rapid training is Blue Ridge Community College’s new Level Up: Core

Construction course. In partnership with the National Center for Construction Education and

Research and with generous funding from Lowe’s, Blue Ridge launched an accelerated

construction workforce training program in early April. This initiative aims to help Western North Carolina residents secure stable jobs while supporting the rebuilding of communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Thanks to full scholarship support and Lowe’s, the course is available at no cost to students, and additional sessions are planned throughout the year.

In times of rebuilding, it’s clear that our strength lies in the collective effort. I am heartened by

the words recently shared by M.C. Belk Pilon, president and board chair of the John M. Belk

Endowment, about the road to recovery and why investing in community colleges matters:

“Together, we can ensure these critical institutions have the resources they need to lead their

communities forward — not just through this recovery, but toward a more resilient future for all

North Carolinians.”

As we consider the value of education this Community College Month, let’s remember that

investing in North Carolina’s community colleges means investing in the people who build our

communities’ resilience.