Dean McCall, PTA Director, local healthcare provider, and Mayor of Williamston

In an interview with Invest:, Dean McCall, PTA director, local healthcare provider, and mayor of Williamston, discussed workforce needs, career preparation, employer partnerships, and the role of Martin Community College in supporting regional economic development. “It is an invaluable relationship that keeps all parties on the same page and working in the same direction,” he said

From your perspective as a healthcare provider, educator, and mayor, what workforce changes are employers in Williamston and the surrounding region navigating today?

Workforce changes seem to be of a generational nature. From my perspective as a healthcare provider, educator, and mayor, the number one issue I see is the lack of soft skills and critical thinking. I believe this is a side effect of a lack of actual interpersonal and situational interactions that continue to evolve from the pandemic era, as well as from the growing use of social media, online communication platforms, and the like.

Although social in theory, these forms of communication can leave people lacking the skill set to deal face-to-face with others, including customer service, problem-solving, empathy, and understanding each other’s issues. This can cause decreased initiative to seek out actual face-to-face interactions. Work ethic seems to be suffering as well, along with an inability to take direction at times. There also seem to be higher levels of poor coping mechanisms and anxiety among students nationwide.

What distinguishes Martin Community College graduates when they enter the local workforce, particularly in healthcare and other hands-on fields?

Martin Community College, in particular the PTA program, maintains a standard of excellence that is outlined in both didactic and practical domains. Additional student exposure through our pro bono clinic, professional meetings and networking opportunities, advocacy and policy, as well as healthcare business and the interview process, is also blended into the program. Moreover, additional academic and clinical exposure in niche areas of practice is provided.

MCC graduates, as a result, are better prepared and more easily integrated into the workforce and seem to benefit from a greater baseline appreciation and understanding of how to contribute at a higher level upon entry.

How can employers and MCC work together to ensure programs reflect the skills, professional habits, and real-world expectations students will face on the job?

Employers and MCC can give students real-world scenarios, situational decision-making opportunities, and guidance to strengthen these critical-thinking moments so that they are better able to navigate and problem-solve in the workplace and during professional interactions. Giving students the information and skills-based experiences allows them to call upon existing experiences and places them beyond the typical learning curve when entering the workforce.

What do strong community college partnerships make possible for regional employers, students, and communities that would be harder to achieve separately?

A strong stakeholder component is important to feedback, direction, and needs assessment. For example, having clinicians of varied backgrounds on the advisory panel for a program allows for candid workforce feedback so that the college and its programs can better meet the needs of employers at large. Open communication about what is expected and how to grow in the directions needed only makes the program and its graduates stronger.

This also helps the community college meet its mission as a whole. It is an invaluable relationship that keeps all parties on the same page and working in the same direction.

How can career pathways through MCC help Williamston retain talent, support local businesses, and create stronger long-term opportunities for residents?

Our town has a desire to retain and grow young professionals and stop the outmigration of both professionals and goods beyond our area. Young professionals are seeking locations for employment that offer certain amenities and social offerings. Here in Williamston, there is a big cooperative push from all levels of government to create new employment opportunities, new social district development activities, and new young professional housing development and availability.

MCC, with a well-rounded set of programs, from early college to a diversified set of certifications and degrees, is at the center of these economic development areas of need, which include technology, healthcare, business, and trades.

To that end, Williamston, and certainly other communities within Martin County, are well positioned as a center of commerce between ports and a host of major cities, not to mention the travel and tourism market potential as the I-87 corridor is developed.