A strong workforce is essential to economic growth in rural North Carolina. Across industries, employers need workers with the skills and experience required to fill current positions and adapt to changing technologies and business needs.
The Golden LEAF Foundation supports workforce preparedness by helping communities increase the number of qualified individuals with skills aligned with the current and future needs of local business and industry.
Golden LEAF workforce preparedness funding supports the development of new training programs or the expansion of existing programs when there is demonstrated demand from local employers. Awarded projects can use funding to purchase equipment and materials, to support building construction or renovation, and/or for start-up personnel.
While industries and occupations may differ, strong workforce development projects share common characteristics. Golden LEAF looks for collaboration among business and industry, communities, and K–12 partners to create continuous education-to-career pathways into high-demand fields. Competitive projects also leverage other funding sources, have well-defined sustainability plans, and align with broader strategies to meet workforce needs.
Measurable outcomes are also important. Golden LEAF tracks the number of students completing curriculum or continuing education courses, earning industry-recognized third-party credentials, and participating in work-based learning opportunities. The Foundation is also interested in whether students gain employment in their field of study.
These workforce development strategies can be applied across North Carolina’s economy, including agriculture.
Modern agriculture requires workers with knowledge and skills that extend from plants and animals to equipment, technology, data, and business. Building that workforce means introducing students to agricultural careers, providing relevant education and hands-on training, and creating pathways that allow students to continue developing their skills as they move toward employment.
Recent Golden LEAF-supported projects demonstrate how those workforce strategies are being applied at different stages of the agricultural education and career pathway.
Introducing students to agricultural careers and credentials
In February 2025, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $300,000 to Anson County Schools to expand existing Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in animal sciences, agriculture sciences, and natural resources.
Strong enrollment demonstrated student interest in the programs, but limited equipment and lab space restricted the district’s ability to offer Level II courses, preventing many students from completing a CTE pathway.
The project will expand curriculum offerings and provide specialized training in areas including hydroponics, sustainable farming practices, and agribusiness management. Upgraded labs and training equipment will provide hands-on learning, while partnerships with local agricultural businesses and farms will provide work-based learning opportunities. Students will also participate in field trips to regional agribusinesses.
The district expects 45 students annually to complete a CTE pathway in animal sciences, agriculture sciences, or natural resources. Golden LEAF funds are supporting equipment, supplies, personnel, and transportation costs.
By combining classroom instruction, hands-on learning, and exposure to employers, the project provides students an opportunity to explore agriculture as a career while developing skills that prepare them for their next step.
Building specialized agribusiness skills at the community college level
At the community college level, Golden LEAF is supporting efforts to build on early exposure with more specialized training connected to regional workforce needs.
In February 2026, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $585,000 to Wilson Community College to enhance its new Agribusiness Technology program, which launched in fall 2025.
The program responds to agriculture’s significant role in the Wilson County economy. One in three county residents are employed in agriculture-related jobs in Wilson County, yet rural students can lack exposure to agricultural careers and opportunities for hands-on training, while employers struggle to find qualified employees.
The Agribusiness Technology program provides hands-on training to prepare students for careers in agriculture, agribusiness, and related fields in the region. Wilson Community College expects 50 students annually, including Career and College Promise high school students, to earn academic credentials through the program.
Golden LEAF funding is supporting personnel, a hydroponics lab, an irrigation system, technology equipment, and related items.
The inclusion of high school students through Career and College Promise also helps connect different stages of the workforce pipeline, allowing students to begin developing postsecondary skills and earning credentials before graduating from high school.
Advancing agricultural education and training
Agricultural workforce development continues at the university level, where students can build advanced knowledge and practical skills for careers in an increasingly technology-driven industry.
In April 2023, the Golden LEAF Board awarded $500,000 to the University of Mount Olive to support development of the Shady Grove Educational Livestock Facility.
The livestock and forage training facility will provide research and educational opportunities for college students and the broader agricultural community. Students will gain practical skills relevant to current and projected regional needs in animal agriculture, with a particular focus on precision agriculture in crop and animal production.
The program also connects with high school agriculture academies, extending the pathway beyond the university campus. The facility will provide training opportunities for farmers and host events for high school students to expose them to agriculture-related careers.
Expected outcomes include increases in students completing curriculum programs, earning industry or third-party credentials, and participating in work-based learning opportunities. The project also secured $1.75 million from the N.C. General Assembly for facility construction, with Golden LEAF funds supporting design and infrastructure costs.
Connecting the agricultural workforce pipeline
Taken together, these projects demonstrate how agricultural workforce development can occur at multiple points along an education-to-career pathway.
A student might discover an interest in agriculture through a high school CTE course, begin earning college credentials through Career and College Promise, pursue specialized community college training, continue to a four-year agricultural program, or go straight to employment after completing any of the programs.
Whether the need is in agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, construction, transportation, or another industry, effective workforce programs begin with an understanding of workforce demand and build education and training opportunities around those needs.
Agriculture is both a Golden LEAF priority and an important part of the Foundation’s broader workforce development efforts. By supporting programs from high school CTE through postsecondary education and advanced training, Golden LEAF funding is helping communities build agricultural career pathways while preparing workers with the skills needed to support an industry that remains essential to rural North Carolina.