Natasha Roberson, Director – Career Center, Martin Community College

In an interview with Invest:, Natasha Roberson, director of the Career Center at Martin Community College, discussed student preparation, employer engagement, career exploration, and training. “It’s okay if you change your mind,” Roberson said.

How is growth affecting career preparation at Martin Community College?

Our attendance has grown, which has allowed us to bring in more qualified instructors to guide students toward the career pathways they choose. We’ve grown in student enrollment, faculty, and staff. That growth, along with short-term credentialing, has benefited our students and community.

What are local employers looking for from new hires?

Local employers are looking for students who have some training. They do not necessarily need all of the training that some industry partners may require, but they want students to have a basic knowledge of the career pathway they are entering and be prepared to start in an entry-level position.

That is where short-term credentials can be valuable. Traditional students, high school students, and other members of the community can earn a credential that gives them a specific job skill without necessarily pursuing a diploma or associate degree.

That certificate can help them get an entry-level job, grow in the profession, and then return later if they decide to continue their education. 

Why is early exposure to employers important for students?

When students get involved with industry partners through apprenticeships, internships, or work-based learning, they get real-world experience. They can take what they learn in the classroom, apply it in the workplace, and continue building their skills. That hands-on experience is especially important because many students learn by doing, and it benefits both the student and the employer.

Students also get early exposure to what a career is actually like. Someone may think welding is the career they want, for example, but after an internship or work-based learning experience, they may realize it is not the right fit. That allows them to explore other options before investing significant time and money in a degree.

I especially recommend job shadowing to high school students. Someone may want to work in healthcare but realize nursing is not the right fit. There are still other possibilities, such as physical therapist assistant, sonography, or radiology.

Students may know they want to help people or work in a particular field, but there are many careers within those fields. Job shadowing and talking with people who already do the work can help them determine what fits.

What support helps students build confidence in choosing or changing a career path?

Martin Community College has fantastic faculty and staff. Our counselors, advisors, and instructors encourage students to think carefully about the field they are entering and understand that it is okay to change direction. Interest inventories, personality tests, and strength-finding activities allow students and prospective students to see their interests, strengths, and the types of jobs they are drawn to based on their answers to these reflection tools. Students realize that they have options in the types of jobs they may want to pursue. This gives students confidence that they can look at additional career pathways and not be stuck on one path.

That is something I reinforce because not everyone goes to college immediately after high school or follows one career path for life. A student might earn a certificate, work as a welder for a few years, and later return to school to pursue something different. 

Our faculty, advisors, and staff help students identify possible pathways and work through those decisions. Having small class sizes and individualized attention allows our students to get to know the personnel here at Martin Community College. These relationships help students build confidence, knowing they have trusted faculty and staff on their side, supporting them every step of the way during their educational journey.

What can students learn from exploring a career before committing to it?

My youngest daughter is a good example. She wanted to be a psychologist, then a forensic psychologist, and then an attorney. She is 18 and attending community college now, and she also works part-time in an attorney’s office.

After seeing the behind-the-scenes work, including the paperwork and filing, she started questioning whether that was actually the career she wanted. When she had previously gone to court through job shadowing, she saw the more exciting side of the profession. Now she is seeing all the work that happens behind the scenes.

I am glad she is getting that experience now because I would rather she understand what the career involves before investing the time and money in law school and later deciding she does not want to do it.

How can career training change a student’s path?

An example of how career training can change a student’s career pathway is when a student came to Martin Community College to learn more about the solar industry. Through the solar technician certificate program, he learned about the electrical side of this career. After completing his solar technician certificate, he then enrolled in our apprentice lineman technician certificate program. Enrolling in one type of program and being exposed to adjacent career pathways allowed this student to see other educational avenues. This student completed the 16-week lineman program and received a job offer immediately. He now works a job that provides a living, sustainable wage that he can use to take care of his family.

Students have those opportunities in Martin and Bertie counties. They stay and work here, helping the local economy grow.

What student success story stands out from the college’s electrical programs?

One story that stands out is a young woman who was pursuing a four-year degree in business administration while also earning short-term credentials at Martin Community College.

She started with a solar technician certificate, then completed an electrical certificate and our Fire Alarm Installation Technician certificate. She ultimately used those credentials to begin working in fire alarm installation, where she gets to travel, meet new people, test fire alarms, and install systems. 

Our Fire Alarm Installation Technician program is offered through continuing education and takes 16 weeks to complete. Some local employers hiring for that job start around $50,000 to $55,000 a year, or about $25 an hour or more. 

How do employer partnerships expand career opportunities for students?

We have industry partners in Martin County, Bertie County, and surrounding areas that work closely with our students. In electrical, for example, we have a faculty instructor with strong relationships throughout the local industry who can help connect students with employers.

One recent graduate had three different job opportunities in the electrical field, which allowed him to compare salary, benefits, and working environments and decide which opportunity was the best fit.

It is great to see students have those options in Martin and Bertie counties because many want to stay here. Their families are here, this is where they grew up, and earning a credential at Martin Community College and finding a job locally allows them to build a career while supporting the local economy.

We see that across our programs. Many employers hire our students, and some graduates stay with those companies for years, even through retirement. Students across many programs are finding jobs soon after graduating or completing a credential.

What career opportunities are equine students pursuing after graduation?

I love our equine program, and I have been fortunate to work closely with many of those students. We have graduates who own barns, operate successful show barns, train horses, build their own client bases, and work professionally throughout the industry.

Some recent graduates are barn managers at local facilities, while others have opened riding academies. Students leave here with practical knowledge ranging from basic horse care and nutrition to reproduction. They participate in breeding at our facility and are there when foals are born, assisting with the births, so it is amazing to watch their skills grow from the fundamentals they learn as freshmen to starting and training their own colt by the time they graduate as a sophomore.

What opportunities could help more students turn education into long-term career progress?

Targeted trades and fast-track employability are going to be increasingly important. Short-term certificates can help students build a skill much more quickly.

A lot of community colleges are moving toward eight-week classes, which can be especially beneficial for working students. Someone may want to build a skill that supports the job they already have or complete one or two eight-week courses and use that credential to pursue a better-paying position.

Four-year degrees are valuable, but they require a significant investment of time and money. Short-term credentials give people another option to gain a job skill, enter the workforce more quickly, and work toward a sustainable living wage for themselves and their families.

What defines the student experience at Martin Community College?

What I love about Martin Community College is that we are all a team, and everyone is focused on the student. Students experience small class sizes, individualized faculty attention, and a commitment to helping students build better futures through flexible and supportive education. That is our main goal, and students experience this from everyone on campus.

It is not about one person or one department. Faculty, staff, maintenance, and custodial staff are all working toward student success. When an institution is truly student-centered, people want to work harder because everyone understands who the work is for.

There is a real sense of community, collaboration, and family here. Everyone is trying to help students succeed, which makes the work we do valuable and rewarding. I could not work in a better place.