February 5, 2020
Next week, myFutureNC will celebrate the first anniversary of the announcement of North Carolina’s ambitious postsecondary attainment goal of 2 million adults age 25-44 with a high-quality postsecondary degree or credential by 2030. In only one year, North Carolina’s attainment goal has been endorsed by 23 statewide organizations and has been codified into state law.
Through my years in the private sector with IBM, in government at the Department of Commerce, and education with the State Board of Education, I have seen the power of bringing together diverse partner and stakeholder needs to successfully implement change.
Our postsecondary attainment goal is for all of North Carolina, and statewide success will require local action and engagement. By engaging with local school districts, community colleges and universities, county commissioners, workforce development boards, businesses and industries, and other key organizations, we will ensure that communities across North Carolina are active partners in this work. myFutureNC is primed to spark innovation and disseminate best practices across North Carolina.
I am excited about the work to come in the next several months. We are in the early stages of developing a strategic plan which will establish a cohesive strategy and measurable benchmarks to reach our goal of #2millionby2030.
Between now and 2030, myFutureNC will convene cross-sector leaders and foster collaboration to drive progress statewide, regionally, and locally. We will engage stakeholders at all levels and work together to better align and coordinate systems to support students across the education continuum, from pre-K education through high-quality certificate, associate, and higher-degree programs. We will also continue to partner with the many organizations that have provided research, supported outreach, and facilitated conversations as we worked to establish a postsecondary attainment goal.
In addition to looking inward for areas of growth and innovation, myFutureNC will partner with national organizations to seek out best practices. myFutureNC is currently representing North Carolina in the Attainment Academy, a cross-sector team of state leaders from seven states to learn from national experts, share promising practices with their peers, and engage in cross-sector strategic planning. Additionally, North Carolina is participating in the Credentials of Value Initiative (COVI), a cohort-based, cross-sector initiative that will support a select group of states committed to more reliably determining the nondegree credentials that lead to in-demand, high-skill, high-wage occupations and increasing the number of learners who earn them.
The excitement around this initiative is palpable across our state, and I am proud and humbled to have the opportunity to lead this organization into 2020 and beyond.
Author
Cecilia Holden
President & CEO, myFutureNC
