Graduation can be one of the most exciting, yet scary times in your life. Do you need help mapping out a game plan? Career Services is here to help! We want to help polish your resume, interview skills and job search strategy.
Visit our job board to view employment opportunities, both part and full-time. Transferring and still deciding on your major? We can help with that too! Get in touch with us. Career Services can help you elevate your career.
Central Piedmont Community College announces its inaugural Year Up Charlotte class of 40 students graduated on July 23 during a virtual commencement ceremony, hosted by Year Up Charlotte and its long-term partner, Bank of America.
The college began partnering with the national nonprofit Year Up in August 2019, when the organization launched its Charlotte location with generous support from Bank of America, the John M. Belk Endowment, and the Duke Endowment. The intensive, yearlong program prepares students (ages 18–26) for entry-level technology and customer-facing roles in fields such as business operations, information technology, and software development and support.
Trinity Simpson, one of the students graduating from Year Up Charlotte’s first class, delivered the keynote speech at the July 23 commencement ceremony. Simpson feared that if he stayed in his small town in North Carolina, he would “be working a minimum wage job with no opportunity and become another statistic.” He has completed his Year Up internship at Bank of America in cyber security and has accepted an offer as an operations control analyst at the bank.
The students enrolled in Central Piedmont’s Year Up program at the beginning of the 2019 fall semester. Participants spent their first semester taking technical and professional skills classes taught by Central Piedmont and Year Up staff, and then participated in a full-time, credit-bearing internship at a corporate partner firm during the spring term, learning the real-world skills they would need to excel in the workforce.
“The Year Up Program provides a challenging and nurturing space for students to get the skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce,” said JJ McEachern, dean of enrollment management at Central Piedmont. “As a result, it’s one of the most successful partnerships in higher education. It not only supports students during their educational journey, but also through the career phases of their life.”
The program is provided to students at no cost. Throughout the year-long program, students earn college credits and receive access to a robust offering of services and supports from Year Up to promote their success, including an educational stipend. They also have access to Central Piedmont’s many services, including the college’s library and tutoring resources,
Nationwide, 90% of Year Up graduates are employed or attending college within four months of completing Year Up, with average starting salaries of $42,000/year. Because of the program’s ability to help move the economic mobility needle, it has garnered the support of multiple community partners across the Charlotte region, including the John M. Belk Endowment, the Duke Endowment, Bank of America, and Leading on Opportunity.
In celebration of its Class of 2020, Central Piedmont hosted drive-thru graduation ceremonies July 29 and 30 on its Cato Campus, located in northeast Charlotte. More than 440 Central Piedmont 2020 graduates participated in the two-day event, which included ceremonies for the college’s traditional undergraduate programs, as well as its College and Career Readiness programs (high school completion, Accelerated Career Training, and NCWorks Next Gen).
Central Piedmont’s graduation committee designed the college’s drive-thru graduation ceremonies with the health and well-being of its faculty/staff, students, and their family and friends in mind. As a result, all event volunteers and graduates were asked to wear face coverings, and social distancing and state guidelines were followed during the ceremonies.
“It was important we recognize our 2020 graduates’ accomplishments, especially during this unprecedented time, when so many of them had to overcome multiple obstacles to achieve their educational goals this year,” said Kandi Deitemeyer, president of Central Piedmont, who was on-site both days to personally congratulate graduates. “The Class of 2020 is a resilient group of individuals. I look forward to hearing their many success stories and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”
The college offers nearly 300 programs to get students real-world ready. Affordable and flexible Central Piedmont classes can help students earn the skills to fast track into a career pathway or lay the foundation for a four-year degree. Registration for the fall 2020 term is open. The college looks forward to welcoming new and returning students on Aug. 10.
View the graduation event photo gallery or watch the ceremony live-streams on Facebook.
We’re so excited Central Piedmont students will have their graduation day! We encourage family, friends, and Central Piedmont faculty and staff to cheer on our graduates by watching the live stream of the ceremony on Facebook and YouTube.
As a reminder, the 2020 Commencement will be celebrated on the Cato Campus as a drive-thru ceremony on Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30. The ceremony takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on both days, with graduates arriving at an assigned window of time according to their academic program.
Our graduates deserve recognition for the dedication and resilience they’ve shown in their journey toward earning a degree, diploma, or certificate.
Several changes have been made to this year’s ceremony to ensure our graduates are properly honored for their hard work while making every effort to promote a safe and healthy experience. Additional details about the 2020 drive-thru graduation are available on the website, including information about the ceremony process, safety protocols, and program timeslots.
Join us via livestream on Facebook and YouTube today and tomorrow to celebrate and cheer on Central Piedmont’s Class of 2020!
Central Piedmont has made the difficult but necessary decision to postpone the spring graduation ceremony planned for May 14, in response to the coronavirus pandemic and local and state stay-at-home orders.
We are
deeply disappointed our graduates will not experience a traditional, large-scale graduation this semester, but we will do everything we can to celebrate this monumental accomplishment. This current situation remains fluid, but we are excited to announce plans are underway for smaller, in-person degree-based graduation ceremonies to be held between July 29-31 held in Halton Theatre. Please mark your calendars and plan accordingly!
The health and well-being of our Central Piedmont community, friends, and family is of the utmost importance and remains our top priority. We’re grateful for the commitment and dedication our students have shown during these challenging times. The Graduation Committee is also exploring other ways to honor our graduates in the month of May. Details of alternative graduation plans will be communicated in the coming days and weeks. We will keep you updated with the latest developments and how they may impact graduation activities.
Stay healthy, and safe. We look forward to celebrating with our graduates soon!
The Graduation Committee is pleased to announce Desiree Kinker as the 2019 student 
speaker for graduation! Desiree is graduating with an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts, is a member of the Central Piedmont NC Student Culinary Competition Team, a former Ruth G. Shaw Scholar, and an active community volunteer.
Those who know Desiree are familiar with the smile that greets you at her first hello, but few are probably aware of the journey that might lie beneath. Desiree is graduating in May as a successful culinary student, but the road that got her this far has bumps and bruises and many downs and ups. Though Desiree greets you with light, she’s not afraid to tell you about the tough challenges she has faced and overcome during her life and as a student.
Desiree is a true example of how Central Piedmont can lift an individual from where they begin and catapult them into their own, unique future. She is a prime example of a student who valued and leveraged relationships around her, working hard (and with great wisdom) to build a better life and bring light to any space she enters. We are proud of her and of all of our graduates, and we are excited to hear her message!
Are you graduating this spring?
Have you applied for graduation and received your eligibility email? “Yes?”
If so, please check your Central Piedmont student email for detailed communication about your “Graduation Next Steps!”
The deadline to reserve your cap and gown is March 31.
Are you graduating in May? Have you applied and received your eligibility email?
If you answered “yes” to these questions, then it’s time to reserve your cap and gown.
Orders will start being accepted Feb. 8 – March 31. (The Herff Jones site will go live Feb. 8. Please check your email that day for more details!)
For any questions, please contact the Graduation Office at 704.330.6312.