CORE in Action
The workforce is calling - and NHCS students are already responding. CORE programs put students directly inside real workplaces, career fairs, and industry-driven projects that go far beyond the classroom. Every experience on this page is proof that Career & Technical Education prepares students for life beyond high school and that the Wilmington community is showing up to make it happen.
Middle School Career Exploration
The call to a career doesn't have to wait until high school. Middle school students across NHCS participate in career-focused field trips and guest speaker sessions that spark curiosity and open eyes to what's possible. Students gain real exposure to local industries, career pathways and job roles, and the real-world applications of what they're learning in the classroom - helping them make smarter, more confident choices as they move into high school pathways.
5th Grade Career Fairs
It's never too early to hear the call. The 5th Grade Career Fairs bring local professionals directly to students - giving every 5th grader in the district a chance to explore careers, learn what skills and paths different jobs require, and start imagining their own future. This year, every school participated.
- February 19, 2026: College Park, Gregory, Freeman, Forest Hills, Snipes, Blair, Sunset Park
- March 5, 2026: Masonboro, Holly Tree, Winter Park, Bradley Creek, Wrightsville Beach, Alderman, Eaton
- March 19, 2026: Anderson, Mary C. Williams, Codington, Bellamy, Carolina Beach, Pine Valley
- February 11, 2026: Porters Neck, Castle Hayne, Murrayville, Wrightsboro, Ogde
Student-Led Innovation
What does it look like when students answer the call with their hands? The Tiny House project is a hands-on, interdisciplinary CORE initiative where students take an idea from blueprint to build - applying technical, academic, and professional skills in a real construction environment.
Through this project, students collaborate across career pathways, develop problem-solving and teamwork skills, apply construction, design, and project management concepts, and experience a full project lifecycle from planning to completion. This is workforce readiness in its most tangible form.
Be Pro, Be Proud Truck & High School CTE Expo
Before students choose their high school pathway, they need to see what's out there. This fall, 8th graders across NHCS got an up-close look at CTE programs and skilled trades careers through the Be Pro, Be Proud mobile experience - hands-on, engaging, and built to show students exactly what high-demand careers look and feel like.
- 60 8th graders from each middle school were invited to participate:
- October 21, 2025: Trask & Murray
- October 22, 2025: Holly Shelter & Myrtle Grove
- October 23, 2025: Roland Grise & Gregory
- October 24, 2025: Noble & Williston
- Cape Fear Community College, NHCS CTE, Be Pro, Be Proud
10th Grade CFCC Showcase
High school is where the pathway beings, but it's not where it ends. The CFCC Showcase gave 10th grade CTE students a firsthand look at what comes next: dual enrollment options through Career and College Promise, workforce development pathways, and campus programs that connect directly to their Career Development Plans. Students left with a clearer picture of their future and a head start on getting there.
New Hanover County Schools and its Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs do not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age or disability, in its activities and programs, including employment policies and practices.
Las Escuelas del Condado de New Hanover y su Programa de Educación en Carreras Técnicas no discrimina a ninguna persona de sus actividades o programas, incluyendo prácticas de empleo, por razones de raza, color, religión, nacionalidad, sexo, edad, o discapacidad.