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SANFORD, N.C. — Healthcare, construction trades, and childcare career education are among top priorities local elected officials recently shared they would like to see �ڰ������� focus on in the next year. 

�ڰ������� invited Chatham, Harnett, and Lee County Commissioners, state legislators, and congressional leaders to a breakfast at �ڰ�������’s Moore Center in Sanford to hear their thoughts and help build connections across county and district lines.  

The three counties make up �ڰ�������’s service area, where its campuses and instructional sites are located and efforts are focused, though the college also draws many students from neighboring counties and across the state. 

State Sen. Jim Burgin, who represents Harnett and Lee counties and part of Sampson County, called for more healthcare career training. 

“We’ve got to have more nursing, more everything,” Burgin said.

Chatham County Commissioners Chair Amanda Robertson echoed Burgin’s comments. She pointed to Chatham’s older-skewed but rapidly growing population in voicing her support for healthcare and building-trades education. 

State Rep. Joe Pike, whose district covers a large section of Harnett County, suggested a focus on framing classes and electrical classes, within the building trades. And Chatham County Commissioner Katie Kenlan voiced support for �ڰ�������’s Green Building and Ecological Landscaping certificates.

“That’s a certificate that is now going to help the industry keep up with construction standards that require native plantings on their building sites,” Kenlan said, referring to Ecological Landscaping.

Mike Fenley, a regional representative for U.S. Senator Thom Tillis, said he was glad to hear �ڰ������� is involved with a project that could potentially help with childcare availability, which he said is a big barrier to people getting jobs. 

“I encourage you to take the lead in that, because it’s a serious issue,” he said, sparking agreement and additional remarks from several of the local officials.

�ڰ������� President Dr. Lisa M. Chapman told the leaders she expects to continue communicating with them about the priorities they mentioned, the ongoing needs and opportunities in Chatham, Harnett and Lee counties, and the role �ڰ������� has to play.

“Our college cares deeply about our communities, and we know how vital they are to North Carolina,” she said.