Strategic Partnerships
Building the Future Workforce Together
Strategic partnerships are the foundation of the CORE Program. Through collaboration with local businesses, organizations, and institutions, New Hanover County Schools connects students to authentic, careeer-connected experiences that prepare them for success beyond high school.
CORE partners play an active role in shaping student learning - providing mentorship, insight, and real-world context that bring classroom instruction to life.
What is a CORE Strategic Partner?
A CORE strategic partner is a business or organization that collaborates with NHCS to support students through meaningful, real-world learning experiences. Partners work alongside educators to help students develop technical skills, professional habits, and confidence in a workplace setting.
CORE partnerships are flexible and can be tailored to meet both student learning goals and partner capacity. Opportunities may include:
- Hosting interns (paid or unpaid)
- Participating in mentorship or job shadowing experiences
- Serving as guest speakers or career panelists
- Collaborating on student-led projects or special initiatives
Each partnership is designed to benefit both students and the partner organization.
- Shape Your Future Talent
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Help students build the skills, knowledge, and work ethic your industry needs—starting before graduation.
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- Strengthen Workforce Readiness
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Support hands-on learning experiences that align education with real workforce demands.
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- Make a Community Impact
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Demonstrate your organization’s commitment to education, opportunity, and local workforce development.
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- Build Early Connections
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Engage with motivated students and identify future employees early.
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What CORE Partners Do:
Strategic partners support student success by committing to the following:
- Provide mentorship and supervision in a safe, professional environment
- Offer meaningful, skill-aligned tasks connected to real workplace needs
- Complete two student evaluations (midpoint and final)
- Collaborate with NHCS CTE Coordinators on onboarding, site visits, and student support
NHCS CTE staff work closely with partners to ensure expectations are clear and experiences are successful for all involved.
Our CORE Partners
CORE is proud to collaborate with a growing network of partners who support student learning and workforce development across New Hanover County.
Become a CORE Strategic Partner
Interested in partnering with New Hanover County Schools through CORE? We’d love to connect.
Together, we can create meaningful opportunities for students and strengthen the future workforce of our community.
Partner Experiences & Testimonials
“Partnering with CORE allows us to invest directly in the future workforce while giving students meaningful, real-world experience.”
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.