Featured Photos: 1) Above: Collaborators of the Healthcare Fellows program stand together to accept an award from Land of Sky Regional Council’s Mountain Area Workforce Development Board. 2) Below: Blue Ridge Community College representatives accept an award received for the Apprenticeship Blue Ridge program on Jan. 15, 2026. (Photos provided courtesy of the Land of Sky Regional Council.)
Benjamin Rickert, Marketing & Communications Dept.
Blue Ridge Community College received two awards in January from Land of Sky Regional Council’s Mountain Area Workforce Development Board (MAWDB), recognizing the College’s collaborative workforce development efforts through Apprenticeship Blue Ridge and the Healthcare Fellows program.
MAWDB presented the honors at its 2025 Recognition Luncheon on Jan. 15, 2026, celebrating outstanding employers, educators, workforce professionals, and partners from across the region. The board presented a total of 21 awards during the event, and both awards earned by Blue Ridge were Mountain Area Employer/Education Partnership Awards.
“We’re proud to see educators, employers, and industries across Western North Carolina setting the pace for workforce development,” said Dr. Laura B. Leatherwood, president of Blue Ridge Community College. “The Mountain Area Workforce Development Board plays a vital role in convening partners, aligning strategy, and investing in programs that strengthen our regional workforce. We are grateful for their leadership and their commitment to collaboration that creates lasting opportunity for our communities.”
One award recognized the Healthcare Fellows program, a multi-partner initiative focused on building a sustainable pipeline for the regional healthcare workforce. Partners in the program include Henderson County Public Schools, UNC Health Pardee, AdventHealth Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Education Foundation, working in partnership with Blue Ridge Community College to support students pursuing healthcare careers. Through the program, high school students commit to pursuing careers in healthcare with their sponsoring provider, which offers full tuition support and direct career pathways into the local healthcare workforce. The program celebrated its first cohort in July 2025.
“This award highlights what is possible when healthcare employers lead workforce development efforts in partnership with the College, intentionally investing in students through the Healthcare Fellows Program to support long-term career success and a stronger regional workforce,” said Leigh Angel, MSN RN, dean of health sciences at Blue Ridge Community College.
The second award honored Apprenticeship Blue Ridge, an employer-driven model that connects students to paid, hands-on training aligned with long-term career opportunities. Blue Ridge Community College earned the award for its leadership in developing and sustaining the program, which brings together education, industry, and workforce partners to meet regional talent needs.
“This award recognizes the power of partnership and collaboration,” said Shanda Bedoian, director of corporate and customized training at Blue Ridge Community College. “Since 2019, more than 70 employer partners–along with countless workforce and community partners–have come together with a shared purpose to build a workforce pipeline that is transforming how we approach education and training today and for generations to come. Apprenticeship is a powerful driver of generational wealth and a cornerstone of a more vibrant, resilient economy.”
According to Land of Sky’s press release sent Jan. 22, several key partners nominated by Blue Ridge Community College also earned recognition during the luncheon. A-American Electric Inc. and Jackson Electrical Contractors Inc. received Outstanding Business Partner Awards for their collaboration with the College through employer-education partnerships.
MAWDB also recognized NCWorks Career Centers located on the Henderson County and Transylvania County campuses of Blue Ridge Community College, as well as the Innovative High School, operated by Henderson County Public Schools and located on Blue Ridge’s Henderson County Campus.The Mountain Area Workforce Development Board, a department of Land of Sky Regional Council, oversees a comprehensive regional workforce strategy for Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties, bringing together business leaders and workforce development organizations to address the needs of local employers and job seekers.
The event took place in Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s Ferguson Center.
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