SANFORD - Central Carolina Community College's new Basic Skills Plus program offers eligible residents the opportunity to earn a high school diploma or GED certificate while gaining job skills.

Participants will attend both adult education and college level courses while completing high school or a GED. They will also receive technology and employability skills training, as well as complete a study skills course and Career Readiness Certification (CRC) through WIN-WorkKeys.

College tuition and fees are waived for those taking part in the program. It will lead to a General Occupational Certificate in one of four areas: renewable energy, welding, machining, or nursing. Those earning GOCs will be qualified for entry-level jobs in their fields. The career pathway also enables them to transition directly into a college program.

CCCC, working with the Triangle South Workforce Development Board, which services Lee, Harnett, Chatham, and Sampson counties, chose the four job training pathways because of the anticipated job growth in those areas over this decade, said Andre Mapp, CCCC's College and Career Readiness coordinator.

North Carolina's unemployment hovers around 10 percent even while employers are having difficulty finding qualified workers to fill skilled positions that command good salaries. More than half a million North Carolinians ages 25-54 do not have a high school credential.

"Innovative approaches like the Basic Skills Plus initiative are critical for better economic outcomes for businesses and workers alike," Mapp said. "Skills and post-secondary degrees will likely be increasingly necessary down the road to guarantee a living income and some type of a middle-class status. With a more-skilled labor force, North Carolina can be better positioned to grow and sustain a strong economy throughout its communities and our nation."

The college was approved to offer Basic Skills Plus by the State Board of Community Colleges. It is offered through the College and Career Readiness (formerly Adult Education) Division within the college's Economic and Community Development Division. The initiative is paid for through the college's existing state literacy funds.

To learn more about Basic Skills Plus, contact Mapp at (919) 718-7339 or by email at amapp153@cccc.edu.