The Center For Business And Industry At Guildford Technical CC

Dr. Ralph Soney holds a doctorate in adult and community college education. The vice president of corporate and continuing education at Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC) in Jamestown, North Carolina, Dr. Ralph Soney has more than 30 years of experience in the field of post-secondary education. During his time at GTCC, Dr. Soney has been active in the development of the Center for Business as well as other projects connecting unemployed and underemployed workers to job specific training that leads to living wages.

One of his most successful accomplishments has been the creation of a program called Basic Skills Plus, which allows individuals enrolled in a high school equivalency program, such as the GED, to take courses and earn certificates in high demand job fields while being simultaneously enrolled. The Basic Skills Plus Program is free to students that are working on attaining their high school equivalency or GED. Programs of study that have proven successful, according to Dr. Ralph Soney have been in the areas of aviation manufacturing, Nursing Assistant Training and Global Logistics. According to Soney, "We only approve training under Basic Skills Plus which leads to quick employment and jobs. Some of these students have graduated with their high school credential and with training which has caused them to go from zero income to $40,000 a year in just 12to 20 weeks. It's amazing."

Dr. Ralph Soney points out that the reality of post secondary education in 2016 is that much of it does not adequately prepare people for sustainable income and life time earning. The unspoken reality, according to Dr. Ralph Soney, is that not even 40% of students entering America's colleges and universities ever even graduate with degrees. He says that individuals with an aptitude and a desire to do career technical studies will be more suited to find employment than traditionally educated students going straight to the university upon graduation.