myFutureNC’s Cecilia Holden speaks on NC Degree Attainment Goal of 2 million by 2030 during luncheon at RCC
Cecilia Holden, President and CEO of myFutureNC was invited to visit Robeson Community College on Tuesday. During her visit, she took a tour of the campus and served as the guest speaker at a special luncheon that was provided in partnership and collaboration with the RCC Board of Trustees, Lumberton Rotary Club-District 7730, Kiwanis of Robeson Lumberton, the Public Schools of Robeson County, and Robeson Community College.
“myFutureNC promotes the vision and the education of our workforce continuously,” stated RCC Board Chair Shirley Stockton, as she welcomed guests to RCC. “One of Robeson Community College’s core values is student success by offering academic and professional, real-life opportunities for our service areas to meet the needs of our students based on their interests and abilities… this is a shared vision between myFutureNC and RCC to provide a way and advocate for a pathway that leads to student success and achievement.”
Joining Holden was Regional Impact Manager for myFutureNC, Dr. Robert Locklear.
“Thank you all for being here today and for letting us be a part of this conversation,” Locklear told the crowd. “We are collaborating with Robeson Community College, the Public Schools of Robeson County, and the Workforce Development Board and we have a lot of work to do to meet that goal by 2030.”
The goal Locklear is referring to is the one set by myFutureNC with the help of very influential leaders across the state to have 2 million North Carolinians with high-quality credentials or degrees by 2030.
“I do believe that education and higher levels of education is 100% essential to position North Carolina communities for economic growth,” Holden said. “North Carolina is on fire for economic development, there are lots of opportunities out there and after taking a tour of the campus, I can see there is good work being done in Robeson County.”
Holden says that North Carolina is positioned and poised for success with its current educational infrastructure, which includes 58 community colleges, 16 public universities, more than 30 private colleges, and over 115 K-12 districts.
“myFutureNC hopes to accelerate action, drive awareness, and advocate for a good policy to reach our goal by 2030,” Holden said. “I recommend that you develop a local goal, put together an action plan, and partner with local agencies that will help endorse your efforts and rally together as a community from pre-K to higher education, chamber of commerce, workforce development boards, and councils of government.”
According to Holden, opportunities for high school students to earn college credit are critical to the success of North Carolina, and sees a need for school systems to work towards breaking barriers that currently exist, such as making sure students show up for class, and get help in areas they may be struggling, such as math classes.
“Two-thirds of all jobs will require higher education,” Holden said, speaking on the importance of getting individuals trained and ready for the workforce. “We hope to have a career plan in place for every middle and high school student to help create skilled North Carolinians to fill NC jobs.”
“We were so grateful to have Cecilia Holden join us today to provide valuable insight and data for North Carolina’s degree attainment goals,” stated RCC President Melissa Singler. “We can use this valuable information to work together with leaders from the Public Schools of Robeson County, our Chamber of Commerce branches, our workforce development boards, the Lumbee Tribe, the Rotarians, and the Kiwanis attending today, and others to set local goals for our communities, as we strive to reach the 2 million mark for a credentialed and educated workforce in North Carolina by 2030.”
