Students in the Criminal Justice Technology and Paralegal Technology programs at Vance-Granville Community College recently heard from a guest speaker, who spoke about his work in the justice system and about opportunities to jump-start their own careers while they are still students.

The speaker was Juan C. Bais, chief investigator for the Public Defender’s Office in North Carolina Judicial District 10 (Wake County), who has formed a new partnership with VGCC to offer Work-Based Learning (WBL) opportunities in his office.

WBL allows a student to gain relevant experience with an employer, while also earning academic credit that counts toward a degree. Many VGCC programs include WBL courses, either as a requirement or as an elective, as in the case of Criminal Justice Technology. WBL plays a role in VGCC’s five-year “Quality Enhancement Plan” (QEP) called “Advising in 3D: Dream, Design, Discover,” which is focused in part on improved career planning for students.

Bais learned about the program through his fellow investigator in the Public Defender’s Office, Gregory Porterfield, a former VGCC Paralegal Technology student. Both Bais and Porterfield are also former Raleigh Police Department officers. In his current position, Bais said his job is “to get the facts to help the attorneys in the public defender’s office, because when a defendant is appointed an attorney, the attorney may not have all the information they need.”

In order to help handle a large workload on a tight budget, District 10 Public Defender Charles F. Caldwell agreed to allow Bais to recruit a VGCC student to join their team through the WBL program. “It’s a win-win, for us and for the student, who will be getting credit,” Bais said. “I’m looking for a student who’s willing to work hard. I want them to work alongside me, see how it’s done and then do the work under my supervision, so they get real investigative experience that they can put on a resume.”

Bais added, “from what I hear, you are getting great preparation for the workforce at VGCC, and Work-Based Learning is a great opportunity for you.” His general advice to students in the criminal justice field is “to develop people skills, be dedicated and document everything.”

Porterfield also addressed the students, explaining that his office’s mission “is to make sure people are treated fairly, and that innocent people don’t go to jail…You have to be open-minded and not assume guilt or innocence in this line of work. I love to figure things out and put the puzzle pieces together.” He said that students going into law enforcement should always “go the extra mile” and “ask the additional question” so that their work holds up in court.

“Work-Based Learning offers our students work experience that connects directly to their majors,” according to Antoinette Dickens, who coordinates WBL while also heading up the Paralegal Technology program. “A Work-Based Learning experience is not only something that builds a student’s resume and skills, but it also often leads to a job after graduation. There’s nothing like that hands-on experience.”

For more information on Work-Based Learning at VGCC, contact Antoinette Dickens at dickensa@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3609.