Burke County is one of eight counties selected for the inaugural cohort of AttainmentNC, a two-year, county-based model developed by myFutureNC to help communities strengthen connections among education, workforce and employers to increase educational attainment and expand economic opportunity.

Through AttainmentNC, local partners across K-12 schools, higher education, workforce organizations, employers, economic development and the community work together to strengthen education-to-workforce pathways. This can include career exploration and planning, Career and Technical Education, dual enrollment, internships, apprenticeships, work-based learning and financial-aid navigation.

A key part of AttainmentNC is building on what communities are already doing and strengthening existing partnerships and systems rather than creating a stand-alone program. Laura Parnell, AttainmentNC Special Project Lead, is helping lead this work for The Industrial Commons and Work in Burke, working with local partners to identify opportunities to strengthen career-and employer-connected learning in Burke County.

Over the next two years, the work will focus on creating stronger connections between learners and employers while expanding access to experiences that help people understand what is possible, develop relevant skills and see clearer pathways from education into careers.

“AttainmentNC is about building on the strengths already within a community and helping local partners work together in even more intentional ways. Burke County has strong education, workforce and employer partnerships already in place, and this work gives us an opportunity to strengthen those connections and create clearer pathways to education, training and meaningful careers for more residents,” said Kim Case, Ed.D., Northwest Regional Impact Manager at myFutureNC.

Source: The Industrial Commons.