2020 - 2025 Strategic Pillars

NCATC is made up of leaders representing more than 170 community colleges across the nation. NCATC collaborates with more than 40 corporate Strategic Partners on the forefront of emerging trends and challenges in advanced technology and manufacturing.

NCATC also partners with many of the Manufacturing USA Institutes on workforce development strategies, action plans, initiatives, and programs, including America Makes, ARM, CESMII, MxD, LiFT, IACMI, NextFlex, NIMBL, ReMade CyManII, and AIM Photonics.

NCATC strongly supports the integration of all forms of work-based learning into secondary and postsecondary curriculum as authentic learning approaches for advanced technology training. NCATC believes that work-based experiences such as internships, co-ops, pre-apprenticeships, and apprenticeships enable students to apply concepts learned in the classroom while acquiring skills that are essential in the workplace. 

We strive to grow and improve work-based opportunities for students to learn and adopt entrepreneurial skills to generate and build upon new business concepts. NCATC actively promotes high quality models for advanced technology education such as Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAP) and Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP) with Standards Recognition Entities (SREs).

This focus area includes working with groups to find, document, and share innovative and best practices for adoption and implementation of competency-based learning including alignment to industry-recognized credentials. Through partnerships with industry, expand common language and recognition around the relevance of third-party credentials.

NCATC supports and promotes partnerships that grow adoption of competency-based learning and industry-recognized credentials in education, hiring practices and the workplace.

NCATC supports equitable (ADEI) opportunities for adults from underserved communities by promoting access with completion to education and training for careers with economic mobility in advanced technology. NCATC recognizes that the growing demand in manufacturing and overall new-collar jobs cannot be addressed without the focused development of the adult learner population.  

As such, NCATC supports the expansion and enhancement of innovative and accelerated advanced technology educational pathways for adults that integrate career technical and adult education

NOTE:   NCATC advocates for legislation and policies that support the expansion and enhancement of postsecondary educational pathways for adults.