Campus Happenings
College is Finalist in Competition to Advance Pre-Apprenticeships
RALEIGH, N.C. (January 15, 2021) - Wake Tech is one of 95 finalists in the Rethink Adult Ed Challenge, a $750,000 competition offered by the U.S. Department of Education to advance pre-apprenticeships.
The finalists are invited to join the second stage and compete for $750,000 in prizes. The finalists hail from 32 states and two territories, and include higher education institutions, local educational agencies, community and faith-based organizations, and correctional facilities. Seven are from North Carolina.
Wake Tech plans to develop a proposal building on the successful pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs under WakeWorks to target, connect, and transition College & Career Readiness (CCR) students to pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship and employment in construction, health care and manufacturing.
Although apprenticeships serve as a pathway into careers across industries, many adult learners face barriers to accessing them. Pre-apprenticeships break down these barriers by equipping adult learners with the knowledge and skills they need to enter and succeed in apprenticeships — which can expand access to rewarding careers across the United States.
The second stage will run from February to June 2021. Finalists will have access to a range of digital resources — such as case studies, activities, and webinars with subject matter experts — to help them develop detailed program proposals. A judging panel will review the Stage 2 proposals and select one grand-prize winner and up to five runners-up. The challenge will award $250,000 to the grand-prize winner, and up to five runners-up will each receive at least $100,000.
The U.S. Department of Education has supported Wake Tech through multiple grants and allocations, including First in the World, Title III, the High School Equivalency (HEP) program, and multiple state pass-through grants through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WOIA) including Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) funding.
