Experience the power of collaboration through the eyes of those it helps most.

The Partners in Progress series goes beyond simple spotlights to showcase the impact that community support has on our schools, students, and families. These are not just our partners; they are our village!

 

For more information on how to become a district partner, visit the Strategic Partnerships page.

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For students who learn best by doing, The ROC offers a powerful path from the classroom to a career. The ROC – short for Rebuilding Opportunities in Construction – is a career and technical education program that gives Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Schools students hands-on training in the construction trades while they are still in high school.

Since launching in 2018, The ROC has opened doors for hundreds of students citywide. The CMS program began with three schools – Harding University High, West Mecklenburg High and Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology – before expanding to include Garinger, Julius L. Chambers and West Charlotte high schools. With a 98.9% graduation rate, ROC students are learning skills that lead directly to certifications, paid internships, apprenticeships and high‑demand careers.

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) helped start the program because its trades campus needed more high school students, said Margaret Thornton, associate director of The ROC Charlotte Inc. They were focusing on construction and trying ways to reach out to students in the community.

 

“At that time, people were thinking that construction was a dirty word,” Thornton said, “but we started the process, and industry people got involved. We started off with 21 students, and today we have 230.”

 

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The ROC is a two‑year, dual-enrollment program for high school juniors and seniors that blends technical training, national certifications, real‑world experience and essential workplace skills. Students are taught CPCC classes by their instructors and begin with NCCER Construction Core, where they learn tool safety, Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards and industry fundamentals. From there, they choose a specialized pathway based on their interests: carpentry, electrical, HVAC or apartment maintenance, a newer pathway that’s starting this year to meet growing workforce demand. Each pathway is taught by an experienced instructor and is aligned with industry standards, giving students a strong foundation before they ever step onto a job site.

 

The ROC also emphasizes soft skills, such as communication, professionalism, teamwork and time management. These skills are intentionally built into the program because success in the workplace depends on more than technical ability alone.

 

“We’re not just training students to use tools,” Thornton said. “We’re helping them learn how to show up, work with others and build a career.”

 

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Between their junior and senior years, students can be placed in paid internships with industry partners, where they see what a career in construction is really like. Thornton said while participating in the ROC program, some students focus on earning the NCCER certification and move into an apprenticeship after they graduate. If they choose later to attend CPCC as a curriculum student, the accumulated credits will be put toward an associate degree. Other students are geared toward earning their associate degree from the onset. They complete a “13th year” at CPCC to finish their degree while working during the summers in an apprenticeship that works around their school schedule. Many ROC graduates step into jobs upon graduation, with some earning salaries in the high $50,000s and $60,000s at just 18 or 19 years old.

 

“I feel like this program gives me really, really great opportunities,” said Aiden Lowry, a junior at Phillip O. Berry. “I kind of get ahead of the game. When I’m ready and when I’m graduating, I can probably come out of here with a job and on the way to an associate degree, so it kind of sets me up for success. It gives me this opportunity to be ready for, I guess, being an adult.”

 

Support from The ROC doesn’t stop after graduation. The program tracks and supports alumni for up to two years, offering guidance, mentoring and troubleshooting as students transition into the adult workforce. Employers stay connected as well, often reaching out to The ROC if a former student needs additional support.

 

Thanks to The ROC, many CMS students are finding a clear plan and clarity about their future. They also are filling skilled trades positions that strengthen their community and redefining what success after high school can look like.