The Foundation for Success

Our industry partners are the foundation of our organization. By providing insight into the workforce with innovative curriculum and guidance industry partners are a driving force in our students’ success.

Following the development of industry-approved certification curriculum with NC3 staff and Master Instructors, NC3 industry partner certifications are built to be integrated into existing technical programs to enhance what was already being taught.

Beyond the Textbook

The idea of the industry certification is to infuse the “unknown” product technical knowledge and skill needed to apply the theoretical concepts. The textbooks teach a specific topic but often the authors do not have the technical product knowledge to teach how to apply a specific piece of testing equipment to solve a real-world problem.

By integrating into an academic course, it combines the best of both worlds. This has a multiplying effect for a school as it is now easier to integrate a certification into multiple program areas thus providing more student opportunities.

Uniting Education & Industry


A True Partner in Education

NC3 partners with companies across multiple different sectors that are impacting career and technical education. NC3 values its partners and acts under the “quality over quantity” method. NC3 industry partners are truly identified as partners in all aspects of NC3’s resources and member benefits to our member schools.

Help Drive World-Class CTE Training

The role of an industry partner is to help drive world-class CTE training across the United States, promote workforce development, and successful student transition from education to career.

Build Your Future Workforce

By partnering with NC3, you broaden your reach. You are no longer just one organization working to develop the industry, you are able to get into the hands of the future workforce that will shape our economy. By partnering with NC3, you are strengthening your impact on the future.



Industry Benefits

  • Direct input to educational standards for current and future workforce
  • Direct input in the development of transitional skill sets for portable credentials
  • Direct input in providing industry guidance and expertise in staff development and facility utilization for educational institutions
  • Access to professional development activities for incumbent workforce
  • Access to emerging and transitioning workforce
  • Knowledge transfer through structured mentorship activities
  • Direct exposure to emerging educational trends
  • Certifications raise the level of excellence for all within the industry. Technicians are trained, assessed and certified to industry standards
  • Boosting productivity in manufacturing
  • Enabling research and development around emerging technologies

Industry Engagement Opportunities

  • NC3 Annual Leadership Summit
  • National Signing Day
  • Visioning and Benchmarking Tours
  • National Conferences (AACC, WDI, ACTE, ATEA, etc.)
  • NC3 Speed Networking Activities
  • NC3 Strategic Programs

Become a Member

Industry Partnership/Membership costs vary by partnership. To learn more about membership and certification opportunities Click Here.

Interested in Learning More?

Click Here for a staff directory and an NC3 representative will connect with you directly to address any questions you may have.

As an NC3 Industry Partner, you will have responsibilities that include:

  • Identify company-aligned certification needs for CTE and workforce development
  • Develop curriculum and courses with NC3 team and Master Instructors
  • Represent and advocate for NC3’s mission
  • Provide industry guidance and expertise in staff development and facility utilization for educational institutions/member schools
  • Participate in NC3 annual events, training activities, and potential member school activities
  • Partake in structured mentorship activities
  • Enable research and development around emerging technologies
  • 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
  • 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