Wayne Community College held a ceremony to celebrate those who have completed programs through Apprenticeship Wayne.
The apprentices received graduation cords and journeyman certificates from ApprenticeshipNC and the United States Department of Labor and graduation stoles from Apprenticeship Wayne.
Through Apprenticeship Wayne, apprentices receive on-the-job training while attending school to earn an associate degree and journeyman certificate.
This year, 18 individuals representing six companies and four different occupations completed an apprenticeship program. Employer partners include Flowers Foods, Prolec-GE Waukesha, Smithfield Foods, Wayne County Government, UNC Health Wayne, and Wayne County Public Schools, where apprentices worked in maintenance, nursing, medical laboratory technology, and education.
The ceremony also provided special recognition of one of WCC’s newest apprenticeship opportunities. Wayne County Public Schools was the first district in North Carolina to offer an educator registered apprenticeship, and Apprenticeship Wayne is graduating its first K–12 teacher apprentice this year.
WCC President Patty Pfeiffer said the ceremony highlighted not only the apprentices’ accomplishments but also the promise of a bright future. “Your journey has required determination, resilience, and a strong commitment to learning and growth,” she said. “This ceremony is not the end; it is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter in your lives.”
Charles Brogden, Flowers Foods human resources business partner and WCC Board of Trustees member, expressed his pride in the apprentices’ growth throughout the program. “As an employer here in Wayne County, it’s important that we invest in our employees and they invest back in us,” he said. “I’m very proud of our employees that have been a part of this apprenticeship program and the ones to come.”
WCC Mechatronics/Industrial Systems Technology Instructor Paul Casey taught the maintenance technicians through the apprenticeship’s classroom instruction component, and he encouraged them to keep growing in their careers. “Continue being a leader. Continue inspiring other people, as well as yourself, to advance,” he told the students.
Apprentice Alex Aycock shared how he was able to grow as an employee by having the chance to further his education at WCC. “During the apprenticeship program, we have been able to learn lifelong skills that we will use for the rest of our careers and apply them to real-world problems at work,” he said.
Dr. Kristie Sauls, director of Apprenticeship Wayne, spoke about the apprentices’ journey and how they are now able to impact others by sharing their experience. “You all have your own story to tell, and I encourage you to tell that story and to tell it often,” she said. “Encourage someone, because you may be what it takes for someone else to say, ‘I can take that step.’”
The apprentices and their occupations, listed by city of residence, are
Dudley
Brandon Roa, Prolec-GE Waukesha Maintenance Technician
Fayetteville
Richard Brown, Smithfield Foods Maintenance Technician
Cesar Diaz, Smithfield Foods Maintenance Technician
Goldsboro
Ashlyn Disney, UNC Health Wayne Medical Laboratory Technician
Angela Lamb, Wayne County Public Schools K–12 Teacher
Jamesville
Corwyn Smith, Smithfield Foods Maintenance Technician
Lumberton
Sean Johnson, Smithfield Foods Maintenance Technician
Mount Olive
Jesmin Ramos, UNC Health Wayne Registered Nurse
Pikeville
Alex Aycock, Wayne County Government Maintenance Technician
Amanda Edens, UNC Health Wayne Registered Nurse
Isaias Urbina, UNC Health Wayne Registered Nurse
Princeton
Spencer Harrell, UNC Health Wayne Medical Laboratory Technician
Red Springs
Luis Recendes Gonzalez, Smithfield Foods Maintenance Technician
Saint Pauls
Jose Sosa, Smithfield Foods Maintenance Technician
Seven Springs
Tammy Price, UNC Health Wayne Registered Nurse
Smithfield
Iris Canas, UNC Health Wayne Registered Nurse
Snow Hill
Waylon Martinez, Flowers Foods Maintenance Technician
Suffolk, VA
Bryce Englen, Smithfield Foods Maintenance Technician
For more information on Apprenticeship Wayne, visit their website.
About Wayne Community College
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 10,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 150 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.