Boston–September 12, 2006: Jobs for the Future and the National Council
for Workforce Education today announced the addition of six North
Carolina community colleges to join the Breaking Through
initiative. Each college will receive funding to participate in this
multi-year, multi-million-dollar initiative that helps low-skilled
adults realize their potential and succeed in college and careers.
With the addition of the North Carolina colleges, the national Breaking Through network now encompasses twenty-two colleges in sixteen states. Jobs for the Future and the National Council for Workforce Education, respected national leaders, will provide technical assistance to the colleges and manage the initiative.
Through the generosity of the N.C. GlaxoSmithKline Foundation and the
commitment of the North Carolina Community College System, North
Carolina will be the only state to take a “system-wide” approach to Breaking Through.
This will be a unique opportunity to introduce the initiative’s
innovations to the community colleges in one state, as well as to draw
on successes from other colleges in North Carolina.
Durham Technical Community College (Durham) will play a leadership role in Breaking Through.
DTCC and other “Leadership Colleges” in the initiative have
demonstrated a strong commitment to, and significant progress toward,
the goal of advancing low-skilled adults. During the project, it will
receive funding and technical support to expand and institutionalize
its approaches.
Davidson County Community College (Lexington), Forsyth Technical
Community College (Winston-Salem), Pamlico Community College
(Grantsboro), Pitt Community College (Greenville), and South Piedmont
Community College (Polkton) have been selected as “Learning Colleges.”
Each has demonstrated approaches that support the advancement of
low-literacy students to degree programs or occupational
certifications, and has demonstrated a commitment to the goals of the
initiative. They will work with other Breaking Through colleges across the nation in a collaborative network, sharing approaches and resources.
“Over one million adults in North Carolina need additional academic
skills or credentials to succeed in the occupational and technical
degree programs that are essential in today’s economy,” according to
Marilyn Foote-Hudson, executive director of the NC GlaxoSmithKline
Foundation. “With Breaking Through, our state can continue to excel
during a profound and historic economic transition. The North Carolina
economy and the new generation of industries that will shape our future
will need—and reward—the best prepared workforce.”
The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation
shares the state's unwavering focus on improving education in the
state. Through programs aimed at young and old, at students, teachers
and community leaders, for individuals of all races, abilities and
level of achievement, the Foundation continues these reforms and shares
the state's commitment to advances in education.
“The evidence is overwhelming: a postsecondary credential is the key to
jobs and careers that pay family-sustaining wages, yet millions of
adults across the country lack the academic skills required for
admission to community college,” notes Marlene B. Seltzer, executive
director of Jobs for the Future. “The goal of Breaking Through
is to change that by focusing on strategies that create more effective
pathways not only into college but to earning the credentials and
degrees they need.”
Breaking Through
is a unique collaboration between an organization committed to
strengthening community colleges’ success with low-income students—Jobs
for the Future—and an organization of community college-based workforce
development leaders—the National Council for Workforce Education.
JFF is a leading innovator in strategies to accelerate education and
career advancement for both young people and adults. NCWE committed to
this project in order to aid its members develop effective pipelines
for low-literacy adults into good technical programs.
The North Carolina Community College System
is the state's primary provider of technical and occupational training
and adult education, enrolling almost 800,000 students in 58
comprehensive community colleges. The colleges are conveniently located
throughout the state to support economic growth through education. The
NCCCS prepares adults for the job market. Each community college also
offers the first two years of a baccalaureate program.
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ABOUT BREAKING THROUGH
Breaking Through,
a multi-year demonstration project, promotes and enhances the efforts
of community colleges to help low-literacy adults prepare for and
succeed in occupational and technical degree programs. The project is a
partnership of Jobs for the Future and the National Council for Workforce Education.
Grants from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation
support efforts to promote the implementation of strategies and
programs to help low-literacy adults prepare for and succeed in
community college occupational and technical degree programs. The Ford Foundation supports the Breaking Throughstate
policy efforts. This work focuses on researching, documenting, and
testing state policies that improve outcomes for low-skill adults in
their efforts to succeed in college and careers.
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