Dobson, NC – May 18, 2026 - The first youth apprentice program for registered nurses in North Carolina continues to thrive, culminating in another successful year. Twenty local students were recognized at this year’s Apprenticeship and Career Signing Event on Monday, May 18, at the Shelton-Badgett NC Viticulture & Enology Center – Grand Hall at Surry Community College.
Fourteen students committed to apprenticeships at Northern Regional Hospital (NRH) in Mount Airy (four students committed to part-time work over the summer, while ten committed to full apprenticeships), and six students graduated from the program, earning their journey worker certificates.
Dr. David Shockley, President of Surry Community College, member of the Surry-Yadkin Works Executive Board, and Chairman of the Northern Regional Hospital Board, opened the event by praising the Nursing Program at Surry Community College and the successful partnership with Surry Yadkin-Works and Northern Regional Hospital.
“Our partnership with Surry Community College and Surry-Yadkin Works continues to create meaningful opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in a real-world healthcare setting while building the future healthcare workforce for our region,” said Robin Hodgin, Interim President & CEO at Northern Regional Hospital. “We are proud to support students as they learn, grow, and become an important part of caring for our community.”
“We know this program will continue to thrive because of the strong collaboration between our hospital, Surry-Yadkin Works, Surry Community College, and the many mentors, educators, and families supporting these students,” said Allison Bedsaul, Senior Director of Acute Care and Director of Nursing Education at Northern Regional Hospital. “Learning isn’t just a destination, it’s a journey. These students are beginning a path that leads to college, careers, and a future of service. Let their perseverance and motivation inspire us all. Education is the most powerful weapon to change the world.”
This unique opportunity is a part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Apprenticeship program and the state’s ApprenticeshipNC program through the N.C. The Community College System Office combines a paid work-based learning experience with classroom academics, leading to a national certification.
“It is so exciting to celebrate that this many youth and adults in our community are committing to work, learn, and grow through this program at Northern Regional Hospital and Surry Community College,” said Crystal Folger-Hawks, Executive Director of Surry-Yadkin Works. “We are very thankful that Surry-Yadkin Works is the avenue that allows local talent to find a good fit at a great company and serve our community. It is a win-win for the business and students, and I am proud to be a part of this endeavor.”
For those interested in the Apprenticeships at Northern Regional Hospital, we invite you to visit choosenorthern.org/careers or email hrhelp@wearenorthern.org for more information.
Students recognized in 2026 include:
Northern Regional Hospital PRN Employees:
- Erika Foster
- Kendall Golding
- Kyndal Quesinberry
- Amber Sisk
PRN Employees Pictured L-R: Kyndal Quesinberry, Kendall Golding, Erika Foster
Northern Regional Hospital Apprentices:
- Storm Ainslie
- Brycen Banks
- Jordin Beasley
- Cameron Bowman
- Hannah Burney
- Jaxie Draughn
- Taegan Easter
- Adrianna Hornaday
- Mia Reynolds
- Gracie Tilley
Apprentices Pictured L-R: Jaxie Draughn, Hannah Burney, Jordin Beasley, Brycen Banks, Mia Reynolds, Taegan Easter
Northern Regional Hospital Graduating Apprentices (Journey Worker Certificate Recipients):
- Ellisa Dickson
- Kaylee Edwards
- Skylar Mosley
- Haylee Orellana
- Cheyenne Rogers
- Autumn Willey
Graduating Apprentices Pictured L-R: Haylee Orellana, Skylar Mosley, Kaylee Edwards, Ellisa Dickson
About Northern Regional Hospital
Northern Regional Hospital (NRH) is a 133-bed hospital in Mount Airy, North Carolina, serving the northwest Piedmont region of NC and neighboring counties in southwestern Virginia. Founded in 1957, NRH is an independently operated, national award-winning healthcare facility. Northern Medical Group is the Hospital’s physician network of primary and specialty care providers, delivering a wide range of services to meet the community’s needs. NRH offers an array of outpatient services, including laboratory testing, X-ray services, CT, MRI, ultrasound, 3D mammography, and physical rehabilitation services. NRH also has a state-of-the-art Surgery Center providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient procedures, including orthopedics, gynecology, gastroenterology, urological, eye surgeries, and other general surgeries to meet our community’s and region’s surgical needs.
Surry-Yadkin Works
The mission of Surry-Yadkin Works is to support the economic vitality of the region by matching interns with business partners to meet the needs of the community. Elkin City Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Surry County Schools, and Yadkin County Schools along with Surry Community College will prepare students for work-based learning, assist with industry-recognized credentials, and aid in enrolling in career and technical college courses. In addition, we will provide mutually beneficial links between students and employers with the goal of increasing skilled workers in our community.
About Surry Community College
Surry Community College was founded in 1964 and serves Surry and Yadkin counties through five locations. The college’s campus is located in Dobson, North Carolina, with four off-campus learning centers – The Yadkin Center, Yadkinville; The Center for Public Safety, Mount Airy; The Pilot Center, Pilot Mountain; and The Elkin Center, Elkin. Surry offers degrees, diplomas or certificate programs in Advanced Manufacturing; Agricultural Science; Arts and Design; Business and Computer Technologies; College Transfer; Construction Technologies; Emergency Medical; Fire and Rescue; Health Sciences; Law Enforcement; Public Service; and Transportation System Technologies areas along with hundreds of workforce training courses in a variety of fields. The college, under the direction of President Dr. David R. Shockley, has a mission to promote personal growth and community development to a diverse population through excellence in teaching, learning, and service.
