(RALEIGH) -- North Carolina's community colleges are taking a measured approach when it comes to adding or modifying course offerings. System President Scott Rawls said that North Carolina did not follow the lead of some other states in offering a full "green jobs" program.

"One of the things we try not to do is to jump on the latest  fad but to look at how our programs collectively move to prepare people for the future, and I think the focus on energy efficiency in a practical green approach will pay off for us in the future," said Rawls.

He added that they are modifying existing programs, such as heating and air conditioning, to reflect changes related to alternative power sources such as wind and solar. He said programs such as automotive technology are also being updated to reflect new technologies.