“Breaking Through” is a new national initiative to help
adults with poor academic skills acquire a basic education and at the same
time pursue a technical or occupational degree. Durham Tech received a leadership
grant for “Breaking Through” from Jobs for the Future and the
National Council on Workforce Education. Durham Tech and the other leadership
institutions work with other colleges to develop, disseminate, and test
ways to accelerate students' progress from basic skills programs into credit
programs.
The grant enables Durham Tech to employ a case manager/counselor to help
students with both academic and personal barriers to success. Funds are
also supporting instructional positions in the Adult Education and Basic
Skills program and assisting in career interest and skills assessments for
Basic Skills students. Medical Assisting, Industrial Systems, and Early
Childhood Education, three areas in which jobs are plentiful in the Research
Triangle area, have been identified as prospective programs for students
participating in the “Breaking Through” initiative.
|