12-17-2025

Workforce Development & Training in North Carolina’s Southeast

North Carolina’s Southeast – a 20-county public-private economic region – benefits from a dense ecosystem of workforce programs that connect employers, jobseekers, students, and training providers. The region’s strategy pairs statewide systems (NCWorks, ApprenticeshipNC, community colleges) with local Workforce Development Boards and targeted regional initiatives (ACT Work Ready Communities, sector partnerships, incumbent-worker training and grant programs) to close skill gaps and accelerate hiring for high-demand industries.

How the system is organized:

  • NCWorks / NCWorks Career Centers: North Carolina’s frontline network for jobseekers and employers provides career counseling, job matching, training referrals, and business services through more than 70 career centers statewide. These local centers help translate statewide resources into county-level placements and training pipelines.
  • Local Workforce Development Boards: In North Carolina, locally appointed workforce boards plan and oversee the use of federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funds and coordinate services across partners (education, economic development, business, nonprofits). They are essential for customizing training to local employer needs.
  • ApprenticeshipNC / Community Colleges: Registered apprenticeship is administered through the NC Community College System (ApprenticeshipNC), which partners with employers and colleges across the state to deliver earn-while-you-learn programs and pre-apprenticeship pathways. North Carolina’s community colleges also deliver short-term credentials, customized training, and apprenticeship-related instruction.

Core program types you’ll find in North Carolina’s Southeast:

  1. NCWorks Career Center services – resume help, workshops, employer events, on-the-job training subsidies, and virtual tools for hiring and applicant screening. These centers are the first stop for many jobseekers and local employers.
  2. Registered apprenticeships and youth apprenticeships – industry-led, credentialed programs in manufacturing, construction, healthcare, IT and more combine workplace mentoring with related instruction through local colleges. ApprenticeshipNC supports employers to stand up programs and scale retention.
  3. Incumbent-worker and customized training – employers can partner with community colleges and NCWorks to upskill current staff, adopt new technologies, or win certification programs that match industry standards. These programs reduce turnover and raise productivity.
  4. Sector partnerships and industry stacks – cross-partner initiatives align training to cluster needs (advanced manufacturing, logistics/port jobs, aerospace/defense, healthcare, hospitality / tourism). Sector partnerships inform curriculum, apprenticeships, and short-course credentials.
  5. ACT Work Ready Communities and credentialing – 12 counties in North Carolina’s Southeast are certified ACT Work Ready Communities and most of the remaining counties are working toward certification. Certification signals the local community is focused on quantifying and building core work-readiness skills, making it easier for employers to assess candidates and for educators to target instruction.

Recent regional investments and opportunities

he region has continued to attract funding that directly supports workforce pipelines, including multi-county grants and economic development initiatives that explicitly fund training components and create employer-led pipelines. For example, some North Carolina’s Southeast partners are benefitting from Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) and state grants aimed at supporting job creation and retention, investing in critical infrastructure that fuels economic growth, and strengthening workforce development pipelines through targeted training and education.

  • Richmond Community College (Richmond and Scotland counties) will receive $184,800 for a project that proposes advanced training simulation units to expand industrial technician training and address critical workforce shortages.
  • The Sampson Community College Foundation (Sampson County) will receive $500,000 to build workforce capacity with the construction of a new Health Sciences Building that will expand nursing, allied health, and EMS training.
  • The University of North Carolina at Pembroke (Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland counties) will receive $410,739 to establish a Heavy Equipment Operator Training Program that will serve the six counties, including the Lumbee Tribe community.

Practical examples of how it works locally

  • An employer needing CNC operators can partner with a local community college to create a short, competency-based certificate, recruit through NCWorks, and support a registered apprenticeship to retain talent long term. Community colleges provide the classroom and credentialing; NCWorks helps recruit and subsidize training costs; the Workforce Board aligns funding.
  • Healthcare systems and manufacturers commonly use incumbent-worker training to close certification gaps (CAN/LPN upskilling, process control certifications) while partnering with NCWorks to recruit for expanded shifts or satellite facilities.

What this means for local employers

  • Faster hiring: employers use NCWorks to post jobs, screen candidates, and access wage subsidies or on-the-job training funds.
  • Lower turnover: apprenticeships and incumbent-worker upskilling produce measurable retention gains and higher lifetime earnings for workers. ApprenticeshipNC reports strong retention and wage outcomes for registered apprentices.
  • Customized talent pipelines: Workforce Boards and community colleges can design bootcamps, certificates, and apprenticeship pathways tailored to specific roles and technologies.

Together, the 20 counties of North Carolina’s Southeast are building a workforce system that is responsive, collaborative, and employer-driven. By aligning NCWorks Career Centers, community colleges, Workforce Development Boards, and industry partners, the region is creating clear pathways from education to employment while helping businesses grow with confidence. This coordinated approach ensures residents have access to meaningful training and career opportunities, and that employers can rely on a skilled, adaptable workforce prepared to meet the demands of a changing economy.