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A smoky haze hangs in the air, and firefighting helicopters fly overhead as I write this in late March. Wildfires are raging across Western North Carolina — some burning just a few miles from both of our Blue Ridge Community College campuses. March 27 marked six months since Hurricane Helene struck our region, and this spring, the first responders who rescued us from floods, now fight the fires. A new reality is sinking in: Our communities must be prepared for disaster response and recovery now more than ever before.
As we celebrated Community College Month this year, I’ve seen our Great 58 in a new light. I’ve seen firsthand how the everyday work of community colleges lays the foundation for communities to endure and recover during the most challenging of times. Just imagine where Western North Carolina would be today if our region’s community colleges hadn’t been training first responders, healthcare professionals, electrical lineworkers, and heavy equipment operators all along.
Likewise, one of the most urgent needs after a natural disaster is a skilled workforce — people ready to rebuild and restore. Our expertise in workforce training, strong partnerships with government agencies, and flexible course delivery make us an essential partner — and a strategic investment — for the communities we serve.
Weeks after Helene, Dr. Jeff Cox, president of the North Carolina Community College System, aptly said our commitment as community colleges “doesn’t end when the storm clears — it’s the foundation of the long-term recovery that will make our communities stronger.” Community colleges are essential partners for building resilient communities, ensuring our neighborhoods, towns, and businesses can recover — and grow stronger — after a natural disaster.
Vital programs for building resilience
Building resilience means investing in the workforce across a number of sectors, including skilled trades, public safety, and healthcare, to name a few. One of the most critical gaps we’ve seen in recent months is the profound need for trained professionals who can support infrastructure rebuilding and environmental management. Two key fields, civil and environmental engineering, have proven vital in disaster response and recovery.
One striking example is how extensive storm damage led to a prolonged water crisis for many residents of Western NC. You may have seen on the news how Asheville’s water system was hit particularly hard. In each instance, it was civil and environmental engineers who assessed the damage and designed solutions to restore access to safe water.
At Blue Ridge, we prepare future engineers to address complex situations like this. In the fall of 2024, we launched the first cohorts of our Civil Engineering Technology and Environmental Engineering Technology programs. This was done in close consultation with industry partners and neighboring community colleges, as well as approval by the NC Community College System. This process ensures that our community colleges are prepared to complement one another in meeting regional needs. The Civil Engineering Technology program trains students to rebuild critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and water systems. Meanwhile, the Environmental Engineering Technology program focuses on restoring the environment and protecting public health and safety. In several communities following the storm, that meant testing the water to ensure silt or toxins were removed, so residents could drink from their taps again.
Surveying is another civil engineering career seeing ever-increasing demand in the aftermath of natural disasters. By employing state-licensed surveyors as instructors, community colleges like Blue Ridge offer students hands-on experience in data management and geographic analysis — skills essential for post-disaster recovery. The floods and landslides caused by Helene dramatically altered the landscape, making the work of surveyors and GIS professionals critical for mapping those changes and producing accurate topographical data used in rebuilding efforts. Blue Ridge’s new certificate in land surveying prepares students to join survey crews immediately after completing the program.
Strategic agency partnerships
More than 600 roads and 800 bridges were damaged by the storm, primarily in Western North Carolina. Needless to say, employees at the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) have been working overtime, and more trained transportation workers are desperately needed. At Blue Ridge Community College, three of our newer partnerships are helping pave the way for more workers to enter this critical field.
First, the Transportation Apprenticeship Program (TAP+), a statewide partnership with community colleges that launched in 2023, is a win-win model for our students and the NCDOT. As apprentices, students work 30 hours per week, gaining both pay and hands-on experience, while also spending 10 hours each week completing coursework at Blue Ridge. Furthermore, TAP+ encourages students to complete their degrees within two years, offering a quick path to promotion and greater service to the community.
Second, Blue Ridge partners with fire and rescue agencies across the region and state through training programs held at our Public Safety Training Facility in Henderson County. These agencies played a vital role during and after the recent storm — and with freshly downed trees now scattered across our mountain landscape, the risk of fast-moving wildfires has increased significantly. Even as we recover and rebuild, it’s never too soon to strengthen training opportunities for first responders so they’re prepared for the next potential natural disaster. With direct input from our partners and faculty, Blue Ridge has recently begun construction on a new, versatile fire training structure on campus, designed to simulate a wide range of real-world fire and rescue scenarios.
Flexible education delivery for job-ready graduates
Flexible course delivery is especially valuable in fields like engineering and transportation, where workers are often spread across large geographic areas. This flexibility is even more important during disaster response, when these workers may be deployed for extended periods. By offering adaptable learning options — such as online or accelerated classes, or programs offered on weekends or outside of regular work hours — community colleges help ensure these professionals can continue or quickly complete their education no matter their needs.
TAP+ provides another excellent example. Students can participate remotely in class lectures from their work trucks or other field locations, balancing work responsibilities with educational goals. Such flexibility makes advanced training accessible and leads to job-ready students who hit the ground running after graduation, equipped to support recovery efforts with specialized skills and expertise.
An excellent example of rapid training is Blue Ridge Community College’s new Level Up: Core Construction course. In partnership with the National Center for Construction Education and Research and with generous funding from Lowe’s, Blue Ridge launched an accelerated construction workforce training program in early April. This initiative aims to help Western North Carolina residents secure stable jobs while supporting the rebuilding of communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Thanks to full scholarship support and Lowe’s, the course is available at no cost to students, and additional sessions are planned throughout the year.
‘A more resilient future’
In times of rebuilding, it’s clear that our strength lies in the collective effort. I am heartened by the words recently shared by M.C. Belk Pilon, president and board chair of the John M. Belk Endowment, about the road to recovery and why investing in community colleges matters: “Together, we can ensure these critical institutions have the resources they need to lead their communities forward — not just through this recovery, but toward a more resilient future for all North Carolinians.”
As we consider the value of education following this Community College Month, let’s remember that investing in North Carolina’s community colleges means investing in the people who build our communities’ resilience.
