Governor Stein Highlights Skilled Trades Apprenticeship Program in Hertford County
Today Governor Josh Stein visited Roanoke-Chowan Community College to highlight how a recent Southeast Crescent Regional Commission grant is helping the college train Northeastern North Carolina's welding workforce.
“Apprenticeships help open doors to good-paying careers and enable employers to build a skilled workforce, creating opportunities for people to succeed close to home,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Programs like Weld to Work will prepare the next generation of welding professionals and support economic growth in northeastern North Carolina.”
“We are strengthening partnerships among employers and educational institutions to expand career pathways and prepare rural North Carolina’s workforce for in-demand jobs,” said Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “These investments help businesses find the skilled workers they need while connecting more North Carolinians to good-paying careers.”
The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) is a federal-state partnership investing in economic development, infrastructure, workforce development, and essential services across distressed communities in seven southeastern states, including North Carolina. The N.C. Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division manages the state’s participation. Governor Stein served as SCRC States’ Co-Chair from July 2025 through September 2026.
A $470,140 grant awarded in 2024 by the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) is helping Roanoke-Chowan Community College expand its Weld to Work Pipeline, preparing residents of Hertford, Bertie, and Northampton counties for careers in welding and advanced manufacturing. The investment supports facility renovations, new equipment, a full-time instructor, and tuition assistance, enabling the college to serve up to 150 welding students annually. Over two years, the project aims to enroll 300 students and help 270 graduates secure welding jobs. By aligning training with the needs of regional employers, including US Forged Rings, Nucor Steel and Newport News Shipbuilding, the initiative helps address workforce shortages, support business growth, and expand access to family-sustaining careers in northeastern North Carolina.
Governor Stein has long supported apprenticeship models that create more pathways to high-demand careers. Earlier this month, Governor Stein announced that more than 500 high school students completed summer pre-apprenticeship and youth apprenticeship academies this year through the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) in programs focused on electrical trades, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, biotechnology, and health care. In February, the Governor directed his discretionary Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding toward NC Career Launch, an NCBCE program helping businesses build high-quality youth apprenticeship programs in high-demand sectors. The Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships has set a goal of doubling apprenticeships statewide, and Site Selection Magazine ranked North Carolina the 2026 Top State for Workforce Development, recognizing the state for a variety of initiatives, including its strong apprenticeship and workforce programs.
In July, Governor Stein signed North Carolina’s first full state budget in more than two years. The budget invests in workforce development and the community college system, including $57.7 million for Propel NC and $3.1 million to support ApprenticeshipNC.
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