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About Us
SparkNC gives North Carolina’s students a competitive edge on their way to high-wage and socially impactful careers, providing a dynamic, homegrown talent pipeline for our state and our communities.
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IGNITING FUTURES
IN TECH
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Our Vision
Imagine a future where every North Carolina student has the skills to thrive in a world transformed by technology. SparkNC is using an innovative educational approach to make that future a reality.
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SparkNC empowers students to discover careers in high-tech fields like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development, and computer systems engineering. We help schools move away from traditional classes and rigid schedules. Instead, students choose what, where, and how they learn. And educators have flexibility to use innovative strategies to deliver instruction in engaging ways to students across the state.
We offer an extensive and constantly evolving catalog of learning experiences to give students different paths to gain knowledge and build skills, and to showcase what they learn in personalized digital portfolios of work. We also help students connect with industry experts through in-person events, team-based internships, and other rich experiences.
By doing this, we give students a competitive edge on their way to high-wage and socially impactful careers, providing a dynamic talent pipeline for North Carolina.
Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
Help each and every learner see high-tech pathways as possible and accessible. Extend exploration of pathways through activities like interacting with professionals, engaging in learning experiences, and participating in tech-focused design challenges.
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Provide opportunities for deeper learning through direct work on high-tech issues, with peers and experts in the field, addressing real world challenges; develop modular experiences for learners to engage with relevant content and progress toward mastery
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Discovery
Help learners new to high-tech fields see pathways as possible and accessible, with a focus on increasing engagement among women and students of color; extend exploration of pathways through activities like interacting with professionals in high-tech jobs, engaging in survey courses, and participating in tech-focused design challenges
Experience
Provide opportunities for deeper learning through direct work on high-tech issues, with peers and experts in the field, addressing real world challenges; develop modular experiences for learners to engage with relevant content and progress toward mastery
Career Navigation
Support learners in choosing among opportunities leading to diplomas, college credit, badges, micro- credentials, certificates, or other industry-relevant credentials; build relationships with high-tech employers to strengthen learners’ preparation and accelerate their progress into successful high-tech careers
Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
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Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
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Discovery
Help each and every learner see high-tech pathways as possible and accessible. Extend exploration of pathways through activities like interacting with professionals, engaging in learning experiences, and participating in tech-focused design challenges.
Experience
Provide opportunities for deeper learning through direct work on high-tech issues, with peers and experts in the field, addressing real world challenges; develop modular experiences for learners to engage with relevant content and progress toward mastery
Career Navigation
Support learners in choosing among opportunities leading to diplomas, college credit, badges, micro- credentials, certificates, or other industry-relevant credentials; build relationships with high-tech employers to strengthen learners’ preparation and accelerate their progress into successful high-tech careers
Our Learning Continuum
SparkNC will accelerate learners’ progress along this continuum and prepare them for future opportunities in high-tech fields.
Learner-Centered
Students own their learning journeys. SparkNC lets students choose learning experiences to explore fields like artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, software development, data analytics, game development & design, and computer systems engineering.
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Industry-Relevant
Through partnerships with tech businesses, SparkNC helps students develop professional networks and build the “success skills” employers value. Students gain a competitive edge by completing real-world projects that create strong portfolios of relevant work.
Competency-Based
Students move at the pace of learning. They can speed up, or slow down, based on their passions, their abilities, and their learning styles. SparkNC sets learning targets and empowers expert educators to advise and support students on personalized paths to success.
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What We Do.
SparkNC is supporting NC districts to pilot new interdistrict approaches to teaching and learning that will accelerate student progress on pathways to careers in high-tech fields like artificial intelligence and machine learning, software development, computer systems engineering, and cybersecurity.
Why We Do It?
Too few learners know about high-tech jobs that will dominate the future job market in North Carolina. Even fewer see pathways for themselves into these jobs.
Support learners in choosing among opportunities leading to diplomas, college credit, badges, micro- credentials, certificates, or other industry-relevant credentials; build relationships with high-tech employers to strengthen learners’ preparation and accelerate their progress into successful high-tech careers
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