Jonathan Mroczkowski
Access to Success: See What’s Possible at RCC spotlights the people who define Randolph Community College — the doers, the builders, the dreamers, and the “watch-me-prove-you-wrong” types who turn opportunity into momentum. These feature stories dig deeper than a quick quote or social post. They show how real students, alumni, faculty, and staff transform Access into Success — and how RCC’s pathways, support systems, and community show up for them at every step.
Five Degrees. One Relentless Drive. Jonathan’s RCC Journey
Randolph Community College offers more than 30 different degrees, but a doctorate isn’t one of them. If it did, RCC’s alumni would include Dr. Jonathan Mroczkowski.
Not only has the Senior Maintenance Technician at Toyota North America earned five associate degrees from the College but he also has several certificates under his belt.
“I have a 6-year doctorate,” he quipped.
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Mroczkowski’s RCC journey started at Randolph Early College High School in 2016 when his mom, Angela, currently a teacher at RECHS, toured RCC as part of the onboarding process. The tour included the Continuing Education and Industrial Center, which houses the Automation Engineering Technology, Computer-Integrated Machining, Electrical Systems Technology, and Industrial Systems Technology programs.
“She thought [those programs] would be really interesting and that I’d really enjoy studying them,” Mroczkowski said. “She recommended I go check it out.”
The tour — and suggestion from Mom — worked. Mroczkowski started taking evening classes in Mechatronics while still taking high school courses.
“It was a new challenge,” he said. “I was already taking college classes at the Early College — that was challenging enough, but it was exposing me to new things.”
While working on his RCC degree, Mroczkowski learned about Apprenticeship Randolph (AR), a new program designed to both upskill and grow the county’s workforce. AR gave local high school juniors and seniors the chance to earn a degree at no cost while working for a living wage. Tuition was covered by Career and College Promise and the N.C. Youth Apprenticeship Tuition Waiver, with books funded by schools and partner companies — so students graduated debt-free. Over four years, participants gained paid, hands-on training, earned an RCC degree, and received a journeyworker certificate recognized by both the North Carolina Community College System and the U.S. Department of Labor. The result: Graduates entered the workforce with strong credentials and employers gained a pipeline of skilled talent.
The students started their journey over the summer as pre-apprentices, splitting their time between college-level coursework at RCC and paid on-the-job training with local employer partners. At the end of the pre-apprenticeship, employers and pre-apprentices decided if it was a good fit. Those that agreed were given a full apprenticeship at an August signing ceremony.
Mroczkowski and Jaeco Precision — which manufactures plastic injection molds, progressive dies, and close-tolerance machining of custom components — chose each other, and the student started a new journey.
“AR exposed me to Machining, which is totally different,” he said. “My mentor ran a pretty specialized machine [Wire EDM], so I helped him in smaller ways. A lot of the first year was me just getting acclimated to the shop and everybody in there. It was very much just easing me in, not pushing me, and not getting me to the point where they’re relying on me for a lot.”
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Meanwhile, Mroczkowski starred in the classroom.
“Jonathan excelled as a student in both the Mechatronics Engineering and Electrical Systems pathways of the Industrial Programs,” Industrial Programs Department Head Wesley Moore said. “He consistently demonstrated a strong desire for genuine learning and a deep understanding of the subject matter, going beyond merely achieving passing grades. His positive attitude, willingness to assist peers, and natural leadership qualities earned him the respect and admiration of his classmates.”
During the four-year journey, the new apprentices went through many challenges — not all in the classroom and shop. Mroczkowski said he was thankful for the support from his family.
“I did have a couple of losses in my family, but I know some people had to deal with more outside of school and work,” he said. “One guy didn’t make it through the program because his mom passed away and he had to take care of his siblings.”
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At the end of the four years, Mroczkowski had moved to a couple of different departments at Jaeco and was able to operate all the company’s machines.
“When I was in high school, a lot of kids thought they needed to go to a university to be an engineer or a doctor,” Mroczkowski said. “The reality is you don’t need to go for as many years (obviously, healthcare professionals, you probably should), but there is nothing wrong with going to a community college, earning a 2-year degree, and learning a trade.”
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Mroczkowski graduated from Randolph Early College High School in 2018, having also earned his Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees. He completed his time in AR in 2021 with an Associate in Manufacturing Technology-Machining degree. He was on the Academic Merit List for Spring 2014 and Spring 2015, the Dean’s List for Fall 2016, Spring 2017, and Spring 2018. Mroczkowski was inducted as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society in November 2017.
During the first graduation ceremony, AR founder Nancy Cross gave the keynote address.
“I’ve dreamed about this day for four years — not because of me, but because of the young men whose graduation we are celebrating tonight,” she said to the first class of graduates. “How did we have the nerve to ask industry partners to take those babies into their companies? But they did it and you did it and we’re so proud of you all.”
Since its launch, AR transitioned to a three-year program and added an Information Technology apprenticeship. The program was recognized as the 2025 Outstanding Apprenticeship Partner by ApprenticeshipNC and named a U.S. Department of Labor Apprenticeship Ambassador. The program has become a national model for workforce development.
All of that wouldn’t have happened without that first group of 17- and 18-year-olds, who still keep in touch.
“It was a learning experience for everybody,” Mroczkowski said. “You’re putting your skills on display because you have something to prove. It’s like the NFL Draft Combine; you don’t want to play for a team that doesn’t support you. Everyone was supportive, though. You’re a 17-, 18-year-old kid making mistakes, but you still need to be held accountable.”
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Mroczkowski’s RCC journey didn’t end once he graduated. In 2022, he earned degrees in Mechatronics Engineering Technology and Computer-Integrated Machining. Along the way, he also obtained six certificates, including CNC Milling, CNC Turning, and Electrical Systems Technology/PLC in 2022. He received the Academic Award in 2022 and was on the President’s List in Fall 2021.
In all, Mroczkowski finished his stint at RCC with five degrees. If he had a new suit for every time he graduated, his closet would look like a Men’s Warehouse. As it stands, his work wardrobe is T-shirts and jeans.
“From the time he started as a high school junior in Apprenticeship Randolph, I knew he would excel,” Director of Apprenticeships Stacey Miller said. “His work ethic is second to none, and his company partner consistently raved about his performance.”
Miller also praised Mroczkowski’s leadership ability.
“I could always lean on to mentor others in the classroom and in the program,” she said. "Even now, I know I can call him to volunteer his time to spread the message of how apprenticeship led him on the path to a solid career path and no college debt.”
Last spring, Mroczkowski switched gears at RCC, teaching as an adjunct in the College’s Electrical Systems Technology courses. RCC was going through a major transition, going to a One College model, putting Curriculum, Continuing Education, and Workforce Development all under the same umbrella.
“Despite facing challenges, Jonathan approached these hurdles positively,” Moore said. “He maintained a professional demeanor for RCC even when encountering obstacles, including disruptions caused by weather.”
Recently, Mroczkowski was the keynote speaker at AR’s annual Graduation and Signing Ceremony. He encouraged the new apprentices and the new graduates to never stop learning.
“You should be proud of what you know — and proud of what you’re about to learn,” he said. “But the best professionals — the ones people trust and want to follow — are the ones who never let confidence get in the way of curiosity.”