The Solution

The United States is facing a substantial skills gap. By the year xxx, the country will need xxx technical workforce due to the exiting Baby Boomer population, but there are only xxx in technical education today. (- some stat intro)

NC3 was established is to facilitate and develop strong relationships with community and technical colleges with industry partners to build a strong workforce and economy.

The Future is in Technical Education

Today's technical education curriculum is no longer your grandfather's welding and HVAC skills, it is the future and solution to addressing the needs of America's workforce.

The NC3 network of industry partners, educational institutions, and workforce associations look forward to connecting our students with career opportunities which allow them to thrive in the marketplace and build strong futures.

Transformative Education Backed by Industry

Recognized and supported by ten global industry leaders, NC3's certifications transform existing technical education curriculum into advanced, hands-on experience that reflect the demands of the current workforce.

Creating a Competitive Edge in the Workforce

Whether a student works for an NC3 industry partner or a competitor, each student that passes his/her certification receives the "stamp of approval" from a globally recognized leader - a credential that proves their academic and professional excellence.

For any corporation, quality is essential to productivity. NC3's Certification Model provides community and technical colleges with access to provide quality curriculum to their students which in turn, generates highly-skilled graduates and employees.

Why recruit from NC3 institutions?

  • Because you value intelligence, skilled, and resourceful abilities that experienced NC3 students can bring to your company.
  • Because you are interested in recruiting from the top technical educational organizations in the nation.
  • Because for a decade, NC3 has granted over 80,000 certifications to more successful CTE students across all fields than any organization institution.

Student success is our priority and with that comes a highly-skilled workforce and a strong economy. The jobs and apprenticeships employers provide to our students are an integral aspect of their professional and educational development.

Finding a Quality Employee

  • Find a local NC3 Membership School or Certification Center
  • Connect with the school's technical education department
  • Ask about the NC3 Certification Program
  • Meet with upcoming graduates with the NC3 Certifications
  • Share your success story with NC3!

This will be helpful IF and WHEN we add which programs our schools participate in the NC3 Member/Cert Map

Click the Resources Below to Learn More

  • NC3 Member Map
  • Certifications by Program
  • Dwayne Cowan, VP of Sales
    A great opportunity for Thermo King and NC3 to team up to provide training for individuals in an area of high demand.  The transport refrigeration industry provides growth for technicians that are willing to learn.  I am so excited about this partnership and the opportunities it brings to technicians that want to grow their skills in transport refrigeration.
    Dwayne Cowan, VP of Sales
    Thermo King Americas
  • Transport refrigeration is one of the most vital industries today and as long as people need fresh food, it will be a great place to find opportunities for work and to grow!  Most people don’t think about how produce makes it to their local store, but I can say with high confidence that more often than not a Thermo King transport refrigeration solution was involved.  This partnership with NC3 and Thermo King will be a key factor in raising the awareness of students to this incredible industry and the amazing job opportunities it brings.
  • Like other technical industries, the transport refrigeration industry is experiencing a shortage of qualified technicians with a limited pipeline of qualified candidates.  The unique aspect of the transport refrigeration industry is it a smaller community that is not as well-known as other industries such as automotive, agriculture, HVAC or traditional diesel industries.  The NC3 program will be key in gaining exposure to the transport refrigeration industry,  bringing qualified candidates and partnerships throughout the country for our Thermo King family of dealers!
  • The partnership with NC3 is a great example of how industries can partner with technical institutions to help build a pipeline of technicians for the future.  The transport refrigeration industry is a critical and essential component of the cold-chain that ensures essential items such as food and pharmaceuticals are able to reach people safely regardless of time of year. There is tremendous opportunity for people new to the workforce or looking for a new career that allows for growth in an expanding industry.
  • Tony Bean, Mechatronics Instructor
    The information covered during the hydraulic and pneumatics certifications was right in line with the Festo Didactic curriculum that comes with the trainers. I came away from the class with a much better understanding of what can be taught using that equipment… This helped me to develop a better hydraulics/pneumatics class for our students.
    Tony Bean, Mechatronics Instructor
    Rowan Cabarrus Community College
  • Nancy Wilson, NC3 Master Instructor
    Developing and presenting the FI4.0CP Train-the-Trainer classes has been a great experience. It is also a great opportunity for students to be able to obtain a mechatronics certification. I have taught the Train-the-Trainer fluid power class in Tennessee and Wisconsin and in both cases, I left with additional ideas that we intend to include in the fluid power classes offered at Lawson State Community College.
    Nancy Wilson, NC3 Master Instructor
    Lawson State Community College
  • Dr. Angeline Godwin, President
    We are creating a core workforce that can meet industry needs and attract future investments in this area. Focused industry training for both the future and current workforce is what our area needs for economic recovery.
    Dr. Angeline Godwin, President
    Patrick & Henry Community College
  • Jeff Nielsen
    This is a test.
  • It's valuable for me to train other teachers and to be taught myself for continuous improvement as an educator. You need to learn and adapt to what is happening today and not what happened yesterday.
  • The partnership between Starrett, NC3 and WSU Tech is helping our students bridge the gap between their tribal knowledge of measurement and precision measuring. Being able to provide our students the opportunity to become certified in PMI and AMI aids them in the Wichita area job market as these qualifications are highly recommended in certain industries, and has even become a selling point during job interviews. We try to impress upon our students the importance of being able to acquire and use these skills, none of which would be possible without Starrett’s continued presence in both our classrooms and in industry itself.
    Jeremy King | Lead Faculty, Design Technology
    WSU Tech
  • The way Palmer Hamilton does a PHabLAB is the process of democratizing education. We bring STEM learning to a school campus-wide to all your students. Our program is not just empower a few students in a select field of study, but rather we expose STEM learning to all students across all disciplines and programs. 
    Greg Herker
    Palmer Hamilton
  • The partnership between Starrett and Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School has been extremely beneficial to our students. One of the greatest additions we received was the Starrett PMI and AMI kits. The part I like most about the curriculum is the thirteen stackable credentials that our students can take with them into the workforce. I also especially like the ability to teach twenty students at once, which ensures that each student gets the same exposure to these important measuring instruments. I have always been impressed by Starrett’s quality and reliability, and when I worked in industry I wanted no other tool in my toolbox. Now I am able to share that same quality and reliability with my students.
    Kevin Kally | Machine Technology Instructor
    Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
  • NC3 provides the basis of certifications, curriculum, and training. Employers are going to look at these student certifications and are going to say, "this is someone that is versed in skills that I need and actually bringing a product to market."
    Andrew Ortman | 3D Printer Key Account Manager
    Dremel Education | Robert Bosch Tool Corporation
  • The key objective is granting our students greater access to careers in their communities. That is what NC3 represents - building that pathway of hope and opportunities for students to better their lives. If we can do that as educators, government officials, and community leaders, I think we've done our jobs.
    Dr. Bryan Albrecht | President & CEO
    Gateway Technical College
  • Starrett is not just a company, it is a community of professionals that go to work every day and do the right thing. It’s five generations of family, all with the common thread of nothing less than manufacturing the very best Metrology Equipment in the World.
    Ira Friedman | Precision Tool Education Manager
    L.S. Starrett Company
  • Education is hard to change, but technical education is much more flexible and much more nimble. We are always working with our business and industry partners to figure out "what's next" and one of those ways is through our membership with NC3.
  • A picture is worth a 1000 words, but an NC3 Center of Excellence benchmarking school tour is worth years of time.
  • David Clark | Superintendent of Operations
    The NC3 Leadership Summit was an outstanding opportunity to observe the value of industry specialized training with state of the art technical resources to facilitate much needed highly skilled labor in the workforce. The staff and facilitates at Gateway Technical College provide an excellent example of what an institution can accomplish through partnerships with industry and focus on structuring programs to be of optimum practical use to their students in education and career.
    David Clark | Superintendent of Operations
    Pima Community College
  • Train-the-Trainer is a great opportunity for faculty. They are receiving up-to-date training on the latest and the greatest certifications that NC3 offers and then they can bring it back and share that information with their students and it truly enhances the way they teach.
    Dr. Sheree Utash | President
    WSU Tech
  • This is our time for Career and Technical Education. Today education, industry, and government are coming together and all striving for workforce advancement.
    Clark Coco | Dean
    Washburn Institute of Technology
  • We at Trane are proud to work with NC3 to advance the cause of career and technical education.  To help people find their way to meaningful and prosperous work, advancing not only themselves but also their communities.
    Pat Archambault, Trane Education Program Manager
    Trane
  • Career and technical education changes lives quicker than any other form of education.
    James King
    Retired - Executive Vice Chancellor, Tennessee Board of Regents
  • Every faculty member that I have sent to the NC3 Train-the-Trainer has come back to campus as a better teacher.
    James King
    Retired - Executive Vice Chancellor, Tennessee Board of Regents
  • The partnership with NC3 has really increased our visibility and connected us with global partners. Our partnerships are not only sustaining but also building greater opportunities for our college.
    Bryan Albrecht
    President & CEO, Gateway Technical College
  • The unique thing about NC3 is that all students get our certifications at no charge! Every student, regardless of their economic background, has the ability to get an NC3 certification - endorsed by industry and carry that out into the marketplace.
    Roger Tadajewski
    Executive Director, NC3
  • For the instructors, NC3's certifications are a turnkey package - they have a turnkey set of training aids that matches the curriculum but also we want to make sure that the learning environment matches that level of professionalism as well. So if you look at all our labs, Centers of Excellence, and Train-the-Trainer locations, you will see something very similar, reflecting what industry expects for new incoming employees.
    Earl Bailey
    National Education Partnerships Manager, Snap-on Industrial
  • Aaron Tanck
    As an individual company, we can only do so much. So what we've done is partnered with NC3 and broaden our reach. So now, we are not just Trane dealing with several schools but we are Trane and NC3 dealing with hundreds of schools
    Aaron Tanck
    Strategic Accounts Manager, Climate Solutions - Trane Commercial Systems
  • Kevin Valentino
    All the NC3 curriculum and all the equipment is being introduced to us (at Train-the-Trainer) so we can take it back and start teaching the students with the new equipment and the new curriculum.
    Kevin Valentino
    Retired - Auto Tech Instructor, Sylmar High School
  • In automotive, we are problem solvers. We have to solve the issues within vehicles. When in the classroom, I can actually connect the math skills my high school students are learning in their math classes to practical situations in an automotive environment with the NC3 certifications we offer at our institution.
    Jerry Kobriger | Automotive Instructor
    Park High School
  • Jeremy Smith
    Being an NC3 master instructor gives me a personal pride to step out and work with other instructors throughout the Nation.
    Jeremy Smith
    Diesel Technology Instructor, Wallace State Community College
  • IC3 provides a base for the NC3 set of stackable credentials that will help individuals entering the transportation, aviation, manufacturing and energy fields prepare for today’s digital work environment.
    Roger Tadajewski
    Executive Director, NC3
  • We are pleased that NC3 recognizes the critical need for digital literacy as a workforce skill and specifically sees the value of the IC3 Digital Literacy certification. Basic technology skills are no longer optional, they are a requirement for any skilled career. This partnership will give more students access to the IC3 credential, making certified digitally ready students more attractive and productive for jobs in their chosen field.
    Nich Haber
    Global Leader IC3, Certiport
  • NC3 provides a key strategy for community and technical colleges in aligning training needs with industry requirements. An industry certification adds a credential link from a degree to a career.
    Bryan D. Albrecht | President
    Gateway Technical College | Kenosha, WI
  • The time is now to focus on technical education in America. Let's bring back the dignity of work.
    Nick Pinchuk | Chairman & CEO
    Snap-on Incorporated
  • The student can go anywhere in the country and get the same education that’s provided by Lincoln Electric. We know we’re putting out great welders.
    Greg Gonzales
    Santa Ana College, Santa Ana, Ca.
  • Every student can benefit from Trane’s NC3 data analytics certifications because data analytics is a universal skill that promotes modern day problem-solving using data. Critical and analytical thinking is needed on the production floor, in the control room, in the board room and everywhere in between.
    Michael Hines, Trane National Director Education Initiatives
    Trane
  • As the energy landscape  continues to evolve, there are significant opportunities for people with technical education to play a key role in helping build a more resilient and sustainable future.  The NC3/Trane partnership offers a clear path to gaining needed skills and developing expertise to join the dynamic energy industry ecosystem.
    Maria Rakova, Trane Education Vertical Market Leader
    Trane
  • Thank you for teaching an excellent class.  I was concerned about the ability to learn this type of curriculum at a distance but was pleasantly surprised at how smoothly and how professional the course ran. You were over-prepared and kept the class moving at a good pace, but still allowed time for questions and interaction. Well done.
    Daniel Fuller, Professor & Chair Automotive Technology Department
    Gateway Community College
  • Greenlee’s long history of commitment to the people who use our tools is reflected in the pride we have helping educate the next generation of skilled electricians.
    Steve Lehr
    Director of Greenlee Vocational Education
  • Sharing our knowledge of the essential electrical skills represented in our GreenApple program means that the next generation of electricians benefit from the legacy of the generations before them.
    Tim Kopp
    Program Manager for GreenApple Labs
  • We were looking for a nationally known partner to raise the bar of our educational offerings, and our students were buying subpar tools. We partnered with Snap-on because we wanted to give our students a ‘leg up’ in their education and career.
    Bryan Schiedler
    Project Manager, Linn-Benton Community College
  • You won’t get the kind of training Greenlee gave us anywhere else and it was phenomenal.
    Equainess Price
    Student at Gateway Technical College
  • The relationship between Gateway and Snap-on has helped build a new strategy for us at our college, as a way to improve not only the facilities and the programs that we offer, but most importantly the outcomes and experiences of our students. It’s a curriculum change, a faculty innovation model, and most important, it’s a way to help students connect to the real world. Students graduate with unique skill sets. I hear from the industry that students need to perform at high skill levels. We’ve worked with Snap-on to develop a certification program that has gained national recognition.
    Bryan Albrecht
    President, Gateway Technical College
  • I don’t think anyone can underestimate the importance of industry and education coming together to send out and put into the workforce a highly trained worker.
    Clark Coco
    Retired Dean of Washburn Institute of Technology