Rockingham Community College president says apprenticeships, internships will drive local workforce

Dr. Sylvia Cox, the first woman president of Rockingham Community College, told the chamber's News & Views program she sees the college as a core community partner for workforce development. "This county, these communities are just...getting ready to happen," Cox said, describing momentum around apprenticeships, internships and CTE programming.

Cox said RCC will focus on increasing opportunities that connect students with local employers — internships that can evolve into pre-apprenticeships or apprenticeships, and industry partnerships that make the college a recruitment asset. She highlighted the college’s workforce building facilities, noting local investment (including a quarter‑cent sales tax contribution) helped create the capacity to train students for local jobs.

Why it matters: Cox framed RCC as a critical anchor for economic development, arguing that students who train locally are more likely to live and work in Rockingham County. She emphasized hands-on industry partnerships, dual enrollment and CTE pathways that aim to retain graduates and supply local businesses with trained workers.

Next steps: Cox said the college will continue outreach in the community, strengthen apprenticeship pipelines and report examples of business-college collaborations in upcoming months.