How Cape Fear Community College is bringing real-world experience into the classroom
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — From the seas to sound stages, Cape Fear Community College is expanding hands-on learning opportunities through new investments in its marine technology, film and aviation programs, with school leaders saying the goal is to better prepare students for the workforce before they graduate.
College President Jim Morton said experiential learning is a cornerstone of the school’s approach to education.
“We really like our students to be prepared when they do graduate to hit the ground running,” Morton said. “We do a lot more hands-on.”
Morton said students benefit most when classroom instruction is paired with real-world experience.
“You learn the theory, but you got to apply it to the hands-on,” he said.
One of the college’s largest investments is a new training vessel for its marine technology program.
“We’re building a new ship right now to replace our current ship, which should be here hopefully in December,” Morton said. “It’s going to be a $7 million investment to strengthen our marine tech program and to grow it.”
The vessel is intended to help prepare students for careers in southeastern North Carolina’s maritime industry by providing additional on-the-water training.
The college has also expanded its film program by relocating it to a larger production space at Cinespace in Wilmington. The new facility increases the program’s footprint from about 2,500 square feet to approximately 7,200 square feet.
Morton said the location offers students a unique advantage by placing them alongside active film and television productions.
“We’re the only community college in the country, as far as we know, actually having the program own a live studio lot,” he said.
“They’re filming real productions and real shows and movies right next door, and so it really helps them meet those folks involved in the industry,” Morton added.
The college is also launching a new aviation program this fall to support workforce needs at Wilmington International Airport and the surrounding aviation industry. Morton said the college has leased and is renovating a building where students will begin taking aircraft maintenance classes.
“It kind of helps them, the aviation bug, to bite them a little more to get involved,” Morton said. “They start to see how the operations of an airport work. We leased a building, and we’re upfitting it now, and this fall we’ll be able to start classes over there as well in aircraft maintenance.”
Morton said the investments across multiple programs reflect the college’s broader mission of ensuring graduates leave with both credentials and practical experience.
“If you want a career, come to Cape Fear,” he said.
Morton also adds the college is continuing to invest in its CDL program, adding more trucks to keep up with demand as the need for commercial driver remains strong.
