News
24 Jun 2025
News
Wednesdays are the day for education and industry collaboration in Caldwell County, NC, with the continuation of Workforce Wednesdays!
The dynamic partnership between Caldwell County Economic Development (CCED), Caldwell County Schools, and Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute (CCC&TI) continued in 2025 as a way to bring real-world career exposure directly to the educators shaping tomorrow’s workforce.
“There’s a misconception that our young adults have to go elsewhere to make a financially secure life,” said Heath Dagenhart, eighth-grade teacher at Granite Falls Middle School and one of the participants. “But after seeing the tremendous local businesses first-hand, I can say there is a definite opportunity to achieve upward mobility with or without a college degree right here in Caldwell County.”
A collection of 25 teachers and staff from grades 6-12 throughout Caldwell County Schools participated in four immersive professional development days this past school year. These educators visit local industries to meet professionals, experience cutting-edge technology and gain firsthand insight into the skills students need for careers when they leave secondary education. The program culminated in a graduation celebration on May 14, 2025, recognizing each teacher’s commitment to professional growth and workforce development.
Teachers bring the knowledge they learn to their classrooms into the future, enriching their curriculum with relevance and real-world context for future students. Additionally, they become ambassadors of local industry, helping students see the diverse career opportunities right in their backyard.
For the 2024-2025 school year, Workforce Wednesdays featured four themed visits at local businesses and CCC&TI, tailored to the county’s key economic sectors:
“A consistent theme was that all the employers want to hire locally,” said Dagenhart. “They are all looking for individuals who understand basic skills like attendance, a willingness to learn and the value of work because they can build from that to teach how to operate specific operations.”
The structured industry tours and professional learning experiences of Workforce Wednesdays ensure Caldwell County’s educators are informed and inspired. The result is a more connected, prepared, and motivated student body, equipped with a clearer vision of their future pathways.
“The visits were eye-opening from the standpoint of how our schools, CCC&TI, businesses, and Caldwell County Economic Development align to keep our youth here and be successful,” said Dagenhart. “We’re all blessed to live in a place that makes that investment.”
Workforce Wednesdays is a model of effective collaboration between schools, industry, and higher education for the entire community’s benefit. By investing in teacher development, Caldwell County invests in its students, workforce, and future.
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