Originally Published by EdNC, Sept. 22, 2026

Imagine you are a high school student living in Caldwell or Watauga counties, locally known as North Carolina’s high country.

You’ve heard about RISE Caldwell-Watauga. Word is spreading in the community about paid work experiences for high school students — from the kitchen of a restaurant that is a local favorite to intensive care in the emergency room of the local hospital.

You open the application and realize immediately it is a real job application.

“Take this seriously.”

“This isn’t just paperwork.”

“This isn’t just something to list on your resume or college app.”

The application asks about your previous volunteer and work experience. You need to list two references. It asks about your dreams for your career.

In partnership with local workforce development boards, the application pre-screens for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) eligibility indicators and gives you a chance to share if you are homeless, a runaway, in foster care, justice-involved, or a student parent, noting that the initiative is working “to make sure we are providing you the tools and financial support you may need to be set up for success.”

You are asked to sign a responsibility statement, which includes the expectation that students will act professionally, including “dressing appropriately, arriving on time, communicating directly and respectfully with my employer, and remaining open to constructive feedback.”

When you submit the application, it’s the beginning of something that will shape your future.

It will also shape the future of the region’s local economy.

“We’re training the next generation of leaders with RISE,” said Tara Brossa, the executive director of RISE Caldwell-Watauga.

RISE Caldwell-Watauga

RISE stands for regional initiative for skilled employment.

According to the website, the initiative “brings together schools, colleges, employers, and community partners to build a homegrown talent pipeline.”

Since January 2026, RISE has placed 120 students in work-based learning opportunities in the two counties it serves.

The student experience

For high school students, the initiative provides a pathway to explore a career one step at a time.

The pathway may include:

• A pre-apprenticeship, which is a 120-hour work-based learning experience where the student earns a credential and a high school course credit.

• An apprenticeship, which is longer-term, advanced training in a specific career pathway that may lead to future employment with a host site and tuition-waiver opportunities at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute (CCC&TI) for related instruction.

• An internship, which introduces students to a workplace

The students receive paid, real-world experience, professional mentors, leadership and career-readiness training, and monthly stipends to help cover transportation, supplies, and other costs to participate. They are also eligible for a performance-based bonus.

These eight “A’s of RISE” are the principles of student success for both school and the workplace: attitude, appropriateness, attire, attention, accountability, adaptability, appreciation, and ambition.

“They’re treated just like employees,” said Dr. Leslie Alexander of Watauga County Schools.

The students confirm they are treated like employees.

The employers confirm they are treating the students like employees.

“That’s the reason we are doing this,” said Brossa.

The leadership of RISE Caldwell-Watauga

The initiative is a partnership between CCC&TI, Caldwell County Economic Development, Caldwell County Schools, Watauga County Schools, and the Watauga County Economic Development Commission.

It is led by Brossa, who is perfectly and uniquely suited for this opportunity. Prior to leading RISE Watauga-Caldwell, Brossa worked as an executive in the hospitality industry, an educator, and a workforce advocate with more than 20 years of leadership experience across hotels and resorts, cruise tourism, higher education, research, and community development.

She chaired the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce in 2025-26, and she serves as vice chair of the High Country Workforce Development Board.

“What connects it all,” she said, “is a people-first approach and a focus on building systems where both teams and organizations can thrive.”

The executive committee of the initiative includes Dr. Mark Poarch, president of CCC&TI; Dr. Leslie Alexander, superintendent of Watauga County Schools; Dr. Thomas Howell, superintendent of Caldwell County Schools; Ashley Bolick, director of Caldwell County Economic Development; Joe Furman, director of Watauga County Economic Development; and treasurer Rashelle Penley, vice president of finance and chief financial officer of CCC&TI, who serves as an ex officio nonvoting member.

An advisory committee comprised of leaders from education, local government, workforce development, and industry — including healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, and trades — ensures the work of the initiative aligns with the real needs of local employers.

Furman says he is more excited about the potential of RISE Watauga-Caldwell than any other initiative in his more than 20 years working in regional economic development.