April 3, 2020
Fayetteville Technical Community College has been awarded a $961,200 grant by the Golden LEAF Foundation to support the College’s healthcare workforce training program.
The grant will be used to renovate and equip an existing space into a dedicated simulation suite for training students in FTCC’s nursing programs – Associate Degree in Nursing, Licensed Practical Nursing and Certified Nursing Assistant. The new suite, one of several new simulation labs that are being planned, will allow FTCC to enroll more students into these high-demand programs.
“We’re so grateful to the Golden LEAF Foundation for their ongoing support and collaboration with communities such as ours throughout North Carolina,” said FTCC President J. Larry Keen. “This grant will contribute to the ongoing creation of educational opportunities that help fulfill this state’s dramatic healthcare needs.”
FTCC expects enhanced lab capacity will also help increase retention and skill development in its nursing programs. The College’s current skills labs are shared by multiple healthcare programs. The new labs will provide additional space and training capacity and eliminate scheduling conflicts with other programs.
Simulation is a proven method for students to practice application of lessons in a variety of health scenarios enacted in controlled and safe environments. This assists with building skills, meeting clinical requirements and provides enhanced opportunities for one-on-one remediation.
Graduates from FTCC’s nursing programs perform successfully on the state licensure exam. FTCC’s three-year average pass rate for that exam is 90 percent or better for graduates of the three programs. A significant number of graduates choose to continue their education.
FTCC was one of several recipients of $12.1 million in grants that were awarded Thursday by the Golden LEAF Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes economic development in rural and tobacco-dependent communities in North Carolina with funds from a settlement with cigarette makers.
The lion’s share of Thursday’s grants, including the grant to FTCC, went to communities in what the foundation calls the Sandhills Prosperity Zone.
Dr. Mark Sorrells, FTCC’s senior vice president for academic and student services, said the Sandhills Prosperity Zone is “a medically underserved region with tremendous need for increased access to high-quality healthcare.”
He said the grant will help FTCC train more nurses to serve that need.
“We are grateful to Golden LEAF for recognizing the economic potential this project holds for our region and the citizens of the area,” Sorrells said.
Fayetteville Technical Community College was established in 1961 and serves over 38,000 students annually by providing over 280 occupational, technical, general education, college transfer and continuing education programs to meet the needs and desires of students and the community. Visit FTCC’s website at www.faytechcc.edu.