OurFutureENC

myFutureNC Grant

The myFutureNC educational attainment collaborative is a statewide initiative to have an additional 2 million high-quality credentials or postsecondary degrees obtained by individuals between the ages of 25-44 by 2030. Regions across the state have joined the effort to encourage educational attainment, and the nine county region of the Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board applied for and received a grant to participate in this initiative under the collaborative name, "OurFutureENC."

Statistics reveal a skills gap in North Carolina, with *67% of jobs requiring high-quality credentials or postsecondary degrees. As our economy grows, many new jobs require education beyond a high school diploma—but fewer than half of North Carolinians ages 25-44 have high-quality credentials or post-secondary degrees. This problem is further exacerbated by the projected growth in North Carolina occupations requiring these attainments, which is expected to outpace growth in occupations requiring only a High School degree by two times between 2018 and 2028. Broadening this predicament is that since 2016 college enrollments and the availability of skilled workers within the labor market have seen a striking decline.

ECWDB, along with community partners in local community colleges and school systems form OurFutureENC educational collaborative. The mission of OurFutureENC is to close the attainable skills gap, especially for first-generation students and students from low-income backgrounds. OurFutureENC will ensure that students have the information, resources, and opportunities they need to prepare for enrolling and succeeding in college and obtaining credentials aligning with the business needs of today and into the future.

The delivery of this initiative will include:

• Academic readiness. Building the foundation Pre-K to 12; high-quality early learning helps prepare children for future success including qualifying for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• College and career access. Helping students navigate the transition to postsecondary education by finding ways to gain college-level course work and assisting them in applying for financial assistance.
• Labor market analysis. Providing alignment between the skills of college graduates and the needs of Eastern North Carolina employer.

There are fifteen (15) collaboratives throughout the state of North Carolina, ECWDB is the largest with nine (9) eastern North Carolina counties facilitating OurFutureENC. For more information about this collaborative visit myFutureNC website Local Collaboratives - myFutureNC.

Interested in championing this initiative?

Contact ECWDB for more information on how you can get involved!

Interested in enrolling in school?

Contact your local NCWorks Career Center for assistance!