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INVESTING IN YOUR FUTURE MEANS
INVESTING IN YOURSELF FIRST

Want a rewarding career? Start here.

Discover the career path you want and get ready to take it as far as you choose.

Community college grads are estimated to earn an average $1.6 million over their careers—a $1.2 million increase over high school grads.

No matter what kind of career you want, North Carolina community colleges are ready to help you make it happen. That’s because they offer a variety of certificates, customized training programs and degrees that provide students with the most up-to-date knowledge and in-demand skills that employers are looking for. Being a part of the communities they’re in allows community college to keep tuition low while developing talented, skilled graduates that truly meet the needs of local businesses.

Through partnerships with companies across the state (including several on the Fortune 500 list), North Carolina community colleges have created a growing number of industry-specific programs to prepare you for a good job. Or help you get promoted in the one you already have.

With hundreds of online learning options, flexible class schedules and a campus within 30 minutes of your home, as well as financial assistance and scholarship opportunities, North Carolina community colleges make getting the education you need for the career you want as easy as possible. By offering a high-quality, lower-cost education, community colleges can help you become the most well-qualified candidate for skilled jobs in your area. Employers are ready to fill them. The question is, are you?

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Whether you live in the mountains, on the coast or anywhere in between, there’s a campus within a 30-minute drive of you—or as close as your computer. Find the best one for you based on what you want to learn. So, if you’re interested in a cost-effective education close to home, see what North Carolina community colleges can do for you. Download this guide for more helpful information on various programs, financial aid, apprenticeships, transfer degrees and more.

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SUCCESS STORIES

When Alan Hidalgo-Lobo was in high school his dad passed away. After his death, Alan struggled to manage both life and school, and as a result, didn’t have enough credits to graduate senior year. Instead, he watched his classmates walk the stage while he sat in the crowd. “I felt discouraged to go back to school…I essentially gave up. I felt like life was over,” Alan recalled.

The Longleaf grant has changed my life. It has not only helped me out [financially]—but has also motivated me to keep doing better in school.

Alan Hidalgo-Lobo
Student at Central Piedmont Community College

RECIPIENT OF LONGLEAF COMMITMENT GRANT

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Unsure of your path? Let’s find the right one for you.

Let’s find the right path for you.

Answer a few questions to see what your best route to getting hired might be.

Have you completed high school or an equivalent?

Nope. I’ve got a few years left.

Do you want to work toward earning a degree?

Yep.

All signs point to you getting a head start on your higher education while you’re still in high school.

That’s because the Career & College Promise program allows you to have duel enrollment, so you can work on both at the same time. And since this program is also tuition free, it’s a real money-saver.

Maybe.

All signs point to you getting a head start on your higher education while you’re still in high school.

That’s because the Career & College Promise program allows you to have duel enrollment, so you can work on both at the same time. And since this program is also tuition free, it’s a real money-saver.

Nope.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

This type of training combines hands-on learning with related classroom instruction. Apprentices earn money while learning a highly-skilled trade from an employer. State and federal certificates as well as other credentials can also be completed through an apprenticeship.

No.

How do you see community college benefitting you?

By helping me grow my skills.

Looks like your top priority is getting the skills you need fast—so you can land a good job quickly.

Short-term training, sometimes called continuing education, comes in various forms and are all focused on helping you gain the real-world skills you need to get into—or move up in—a number of fields. These courses often lead to state licensure or a certificate upon completion.

By preparing me to start a new career.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

This type of training combines hands-on learning with related classroom instruction. Apprentices earn money while learning a highly-skilled trade from an employer. State and federal certificates as well as other credentials can also be completed through an apprenticeship.

Yes. (Or at least, I will soon.)

Are you interested in earning college credit?

Yes, definitely.

Which way do you prefer to learn?

Virtually or physically, being part of a class works for me.

How much time are you willing to spend getting an education?

Two years, tops. I’m trying to get done and get a job ASAP.

Seems like you want the opportunities that come with a degree, but in half the time of a bachelor’s. 

Associate degrees are perfect for that. They can give you a big advantage over many non-degree holders in the job market—and open up even more potential positions that were previously out of reach. You’ll have relevant skills employers want in about two years.

I could do four—or more.

Great! Sounds like you plan on using community college as a stepping stone to a four-year university.

Like any associate degree, transfer degrees take about two years to complete—but this one includes general education credits that are easily transferable. It counts the same as having completed two years toward a bachelor’s degree.

I learn best by being hands-on. Just show me how to do it.

Your answers suggest on-the-job learning might be a great way to get your foot in the door.

This type of training combines hands-on learning with related classroom instruction. Apprentices earn money while learning a highly-skilled trade from an employer. State and federal certificates as well as other credentials can also be completed through an apprenticeship.

Nope, I don’t need it.

How do you see community college benefitting you?

By helping me grow my skills.

Looks like your top priority is getting the skills you need fast—so you can land a good job quickly.

Short-term training, sometimes called continuing education, comes in various forms and are all focused on helping you gain the real-world skills you need to get into—or move up in—a number of fields. These courses often lead to state licensure or a certificate upon completion.

 

By preparing me to start a new career.

Looks like your top priority is gaining real-world skills—either through on-the-job learning or continuing education.

Short-term training or an apprenticeship can help you gain the specific skills you need to get into—or move up in—a number of fields. Certificates, licensure and other credentials can be completed through these programs via hands-on learning and/or classroom instruction.

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