This dissertation uncovers the initial history of North Carolina's Industrial Education Centers, an essential part of the history of vocational education and community colleges in the State of North Carolina. These centers opened in the late 1950s through the early 1960s and served as part of the predecessors for the future community college system in North Carolina. Research questions for this study are as follows: 1. What role were the Industrial Education Centers in North Carolina originally intended to serve and who were the major contributors and influencers? 2. How did the formation of the initial IECs contribute to the growth of the North Carolina Community College System? The original IECs served their purpose - training rural young adults in areas of technical and vocational careers, which would help them transition from agrarian jobs to industrial ones. Additionally, the centers sought to help individuals advance in trade and industrial careers. The initial IECs, and Burlington IEC, served as models for what community colleges could be, with model administrations, carefully selected staff, and students who were trained in key industrial fields. While they focused on vocational education, they were models for the community colleges to come and provided insight into what the larger systems could be. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]