Durham Tech administrators are preparing more and more students for a changing work force, one where biotechnology, health care and medicine dominate the job market.
DURHAM -- More than 200 students crossed the stage Friday to pick up their degrees from Durham Technical Community College.
"Now I feel like I achieved something," said David Morgan, a student from Durham who enrolled at Durham Tech to earn his GED. "This morning I came in, I felt my heart was beating, my blood rushing, I was very excited."
Pamela Busby, who also enrolled at the college to earn her GED after raising a family, said she didn't get much sleep the night before the ceremony.
"Believe it or not I couldn't even sleep -- I stayed up all night," Busby said. "I'm just ready; ready to take off now."
Some students saw the degree as a launching pad to a career. Afreen Aleem, who graduated with an associate's degree in the sciences, hopes her degree leads to medical school.
"I want to get my bachelor's in biology, and get into some medical school after that," said Aleem, who is transferring to N.C. State in the fall to earn a four-year degree. "I want to be a pediatrician, so I'm hoping to get into the UNC School of Medicine and get my degree there."
Durham Tech administrators are preparing more and more students for a changing work force, one where biotechnology, health care and medicine dominate the job market.
"We try to continuously hear what is needed in the workplace, both today's workplace and in the workplace of the future," said Wanda Maggart, the school's senior vice president of institutional support. "We then develop our programming around those needs."
More than 200 students crossed the stage Friday to pick up their degrees from Durham Technical Community College.
She said the college offers "90 different career program options," including associate's degrees in science and the arts.
"So students can get started here on a four-year degree with small classes, affordable instruction, quality instruction, and then transfer to universities both across the state and across the nation," Maggart said.
That's the route Terra Beek-Kenakin took. She earned an associate's degree in the arts and will transfer to UNC-Chapel Hill this fall as a junior.
"I personally wasn't ready for a big major university, said Beek-Kenakin, who wants to be an actress or college professor, "So Durham Tech helped to cater to that need, and kind of ease me into a major university as a junior."
She said the school "couldn't have prepared me more."
"There’s no way for a student not to succeed," Beek-Kenakin said. "[Durham Tech] has so many resources to utilize, and it's for any and every student."
Aleem believes Durham Tech has prepared her well for studies at N.C. State, and a career in medicine.
"I'm really just ready to just jump in there and get my degree." she said.