(This opinion piece was written by Ben Coulter, chancellor of WGU North Carolina. The online university has transfer agreements with 26 North Carolina community colleges and about 5,445 students enrolled in North Carolina.)
From the back porch of my log home in Maggie Valley, I can see the evening lights of Cataloochee Ranch, the autumn leaf colors descending the ridges in October, and even an occasional bear or elk. I’ve chosen to live in Haywood County for the past 30-plus years because of the cool temperatures, quality of life, and that it’s a destination of choice for millions of visitors each year.
Having earned my master’s degree from and served as a faculty member at Western Carolina University, I know first-hand about the benefits and challenges of living, working and going to college in Western North Carolina, all at the same time.
According to “The State of Our Workforce: Western NC” study released in 2022 by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with several partners, expectations for business growth remain high, but there is a demand for workers who hold postsecondary credentials, whether that’s a professional certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree or higher. The study also says local employers view the cost and availability of housing, wage expectations, and access to childcare as the most significant obstacles to talent recruitment.
Since we lack the breadth of employment opportunities found in more populated regions of the state, Western North Carolina communities are especially vulnerable and consequentially impacted when major employers either shut down or relocate. We’ve seen too many of these recently, including the closure of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill in Canton (1,000 jobs lost), HNI plant in Hickory (200 jobs), Mitchell Gold-Bob Williams factory in Taylorsville (400 jobs), Medline Industries factory in Lincolnton (220 jobs), and more.
Employees affected by these closures need timely reskilling to land well-paying jobs to support their families, and I applaud our local community colleges that were quick to step forward and help. For example, Haywood Community College responded almost immediately to the paper mill closure, offering scholarships and vocational programs in carpentry, HVAC, plumbing, truck driving and other in-demand professions. Other schools like Blue Ridge Community College and A-B Tech have NCWorks Career Centers that help match employer needs with local talent.
It’s clear that having just a high school diploma or GED severely limits your career pathways. According to MyFutureNC, North Carolina needs two million residents with a high-quality credential or postsecondary degree by 2030 to keep up with employer demands. Right now, we’re around 391,000 short of that goal.
Not everyone has the time or resources to earn a degree while working or job hunting, but in most cases, you can earn a professional certificate or associate degree cheaper and re-enter the workforce faster than with a four-year degree. If you want to continue on to a four-year college, ask about transfer pathways that will ensure that your community college credits transfer to your new school.
With rising tuition rates and student debt, it’s fair to ask, “Is college worth it?” Most of the time, the answer is “yes.” According to new research from the Pew Research Center, Millennial college graduates ages 25 to 32 earn about $17,500 more per year and are much less likely to be unemployed than those with just a high school diploma.
A recent Georgetown University study showed that over their lifetime, associate degree holders will earn $495,000 more than high school graduates, and bachelor’s degree holders will earn more than $1 million more. It’s encouraging to note that from 2010 to 2020, North Carolina had the second highest growth in the nation in the proportion of adults with an associate degree or higher.
Another reasonable question to ask is, “Will I get a good ROI on my college tuition and expenses?” There are several options to explore to help keep your costs down.
• Explore community colleges and in-state universities (they are generally less expensive than private colleges).
• Research federal, regional and local scholarships that align with your affiliations, career interests and demographic group.
• Fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• If you are working, ask if your employer offers tuition assistance.
• Consider online competency-based universities like Western Governors University. WGU allows you to accelerate through courses at your own pace, allowing you to graduate quicker.
• Explore academic programs that include embedded professional certificates, so you don’t have to pay extra for those.
• Only borrow what you need, not what the federal government says you qualify for.
A robust, educated workforce is critical to luring and keeping major employers in Western North Carolina. A key factor will be encouraging more residents of all ages to pursue a postsecondary credential that will make them more employable. This will lay the foundation for stable careers that will benefit our local economy and regional outlook.
Coulter is chancellor of WGU North Carolina and Southeast regional director for Western Governors University.