Governor Josh Stein visited Davidson-Davie Community College on Apr. 29 to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week and highlight the college’s efforts in training North Carolina’s nursing workforce. Stein used the occasion to promote his Fiscal Year 2026-27 budget, called Keeping North Carolina Strong, which proposes investments in apprenticeship programs for high-demand sectors and aims to create more career pathways that do not require four-year college degrees.
The event underscored the importance of apprenticeships in meeting workforce needs across the state. “Apprenticeships unlock doors of opportunity for the next generation, help employers develop homegrown talent, and support our state’s workforce needs,” said Governor Josh Stein. “This National Apprenticeship Week, we are doubling down on our commitment to student success and proving that opportunity is built right here in North Carolina. No state will outwork North Carolina when it comes to developing our workforce.”
Jenny Varner, president of Davidson-Davie Community College, also spoke about the impact of apprenticeships at her institution. “Here at Davidson-Davie Community College, we have been fortunate to see first-hand how apprenticeships benefit not just the student but also the employer,” Varner said. “That’s our job as community colleges — to educate our students while meeting local and regional workforce needs to build stronger economies and stronger communities. And not just in advanced manufacturing and related fields, but also in healthcare — our healthcare apprenticeships have been cutting-edge and show great promise for helping address critical worker shortages.”
North Carolina is projected to face a shortage of about 12,500 registered nurses and 5,000 licensed practical nurses by 2033. Last week, Governor Stein announced his recommended budget for FY 2026-2027 that expands job opportunities by funding youth apprenticeship programs through NC Career Launch, supporting apprenticeships within state government agencies, and providing work-based learning grants for small businesses.
Stein has recently joined educators from Forsyth Technical Community College and Guilford Technical Community College to learn more about their child care pre-apprenticeship programs such as Building Bright Futures and Child Care Academies. In February he announced an expansion of NC Career Launch aimed at growing youth apprenticeship opportunities in high-demand sectors like nursing.
Site Selection Magazine ranked North Carolina as the top state for workforce development in 2026 due partly to its strong apprenticeship initiatives. The Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships released an end-of-year report last year outlining goals such as doubling statewide apprenticeship numbers.
