Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) graduate Kolton Wolfe, LBCC president Dr. Lisa Avery, National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) Executive Director Roger Tadajewski and Sama Shagaga, Partnerships and Government Relations at NW Natural

In this episode host Marc Goldberg interviews Linn-Benton Community College (LBCC) Machine Tool Technology program graduate and past NC3 Linn-Benton National Signing Day participant, Kolton Wolfe, Linn-Benton Community College president Dr Lisa Avery, and then both Roger Tadajewski, the Executive Director of NC3, the National Coalition of Certification Centers, and Sama Shagaga in Partnerships and Government Relations from NW Natural - both strong partner organization to the college

Kolton describes his entry into Linn-Benton Community College via the NC3 National Signing Day annual event where he and other new students were celebrated for choosing an LBCC  Career Technical Education path for the future through the Machine Tool Technology program. Kolton elaborates on the tremendous support he received from his high school, Sweet Home High School, along with Linn-Benton Community College, as part of National Signing Day registering for college classes and in his case receiving a significant college scholarship from NW Natural. 

Dr. Avery reflects on Kolton’s interview and highlights the importance of both comprehensive student supports offered to students and clear and accelerated pathways to good jobs and careers through workforce, CTE and transfer programs. 

Roger and Sama both share more about their organizations’ partnerships with Linn-Benton Community College for NC3 National Signing Day and the overall power of strong college and industry partnerships needed to create a skilled current and future workforce in key industry sectors.