Governor Josh Stein visited West Henderson High School to observe the Healthcare Fellows program, which supports students pursuing health care careers at Blue Ridge Community College. The initiative is a collaboration between Henderson County Public Schools, Blue Ridge Community College, AdventHealth Hendersonville, and UNC Health Pardee. It offers full financial support for students entering health-related fields.
“North Carolina has the eighth-worst nursing shortage in the nation, and rural communities don’t have enough access to primary care, behavioral health, and dental services,” said Governor Josh Stein. “After Hurricane Helene, it is inspiring to see how public schools, community colleges, and employers are coming together to innovate and create new opportunities for students. Their success shows that we must do more, and I am calling on the General Assembly to pass a full budget that invests in our next generation of nurses to address our state’s health care workforce shortage.”
The state legislature has not yet passed a full budget for 2025-2027. Governor Stein’s proposed budget would increase funding for colleges and universities to help fill high-demand health care jobs. His plan also includes more investment in North Carolina Area Health Education Centers to boost the number of instructors in the field and make it easier for people to join the nursing workforce.
Governor Stein also attended an event at the Land of Sky Regional Council where he joined local officials and community leaders in honoring residents from western North Carolina.
“In the wake of Hurricane Helene, local governments and community members sprang into action to rescue those in danger and support homeowners and small business owners to get their lives back on track,” said Governor Josh Stein. “As we continue the ongoing work of rebuilding, Congress and the administration need to get to work to deliver much needed dollars to western North Carolina.”
Stein continues pressing both state lawmakers and federal officials for increased investment in recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene. Earlier this year, he traveled to Washington, D.C., seeking an additional $11.5 billion from Congress for home rebuilding, infrastructure restoration, business support, government stability, and disaster mitigation measures. He also visited western North Carolina as part of a tourism campaign with VisitNC aimed at supporting local businesses by encouraging visitors.
