Todd Zipper, EVP and GM of Wiley University Services and Talent Development, welcomes Dr. Scott Ralls, President of Wake Technical Community College. Todd and Scott discuss the importance of apprenticeships and how they benefit both students and employers. Topics Discussed:•The reason community colleges are America’s opportunity colleges•The ways the Biden Administration could impact funding for community colleges•Why apprenticeships are considered the gold standard of workplace learning•How the WakeWorks Apprenticeship Program provides individuals with on-the-job training while also working towards a college degree•How education impacts economic mobilityGuest BioDr. Scott Ralls became the fourth President of Wake Technical Community College in April 2019. Before coming to Wake Tech, he served as President of Northern Virginia Community College from 2015-2019, President of the NC Community College System from 2008-2015, and President of Craven Community College in New Bern from 2002-2008. He has also worked for the NC Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Department of Labor. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Distinguished Public Service Award from the North Carolina Chamber, and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor. Dr. Ralls earned his bachelor’s degree at UNC-Chapel Hill and master’s and doctorate degrees in Industrial and Organization Psychology from the University of Maryland.