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Workforce
Preparedness

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Golden LEAF supports workforce projects that increase the number of qualified individuals with skills aligned with the current and future needs of North Carolina businesses and prepare students with the technical and life skills necessary to enter work.

Projects awarded in this priority area will gather data to support outcomes including:

  • Increase in students earning at least one academic credential (curriculum diploma, certificate, or associate degree/con ed certificate) in the area funded.
  • Increase in students earning at least one industry/third party certification, license, or other credential (nonacademic) in the area funded.
  • Increase in high school students completing CTE pathways in the area funded.
  • Increase in secondary or post-secondary students participating in work-based learning.
  • Increase in secondary students receiving meaningful exposure and opportunities to explore local career opportunities.
Funding Opportunities for Workforce Preparedness Projects

Workforce Preparedness News

Critical Conversations (61)
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Critical Conversations featuring Edward Olive, Director of the University of Mount Olive Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center

Recently, Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton sat down with Edward Olive, Director of the University of Mount Olive Lois G. Britt Agribusiness Center via Zoom and filmed an episode of Critical Conversations. In this series, Scott talks with professionals about economic development issues affecting the state.
September 10, 2025
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North Carolina Community College System Launches Toolkit to Strengthen Rural Advanced Manufacturing Workforce

Recently, the North Carolina Community College System released a Rural Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships Toolkit. The toolkit includes innovative partnership models that are meeting the evolving workforce demands of the state’s advanced manufacturing sector, particularly in rural areas. The toolkit is designed to equip rural-serving colleges with practical strategies to expand training, strengthen employer partnerships, and meet regional labor demands. The resource includes real-world examples of how colleges are implementing solutions such as apprenticeship programs supported by ApprenticeshipNC, and customized training programs offered through NCEdge. These efforts are part of a larger push to align education and training with high-demand career pathways in advanced manufacturing.
August 27, 2025
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All in NC: Investing in Rural Schools is Investing in North Carolina’s Future Workforce

In rural North Carolina, the future workforce is cultivated in classrooms where middle school students are wrestling with math problems and exploring the first ideas of what their careers might one day be. That’s why the Golden LEAF Foundation launched the Golden LEAF Schools Initiative, a $25 million commitment over five years to strengthen middle school math instruction and career development in 15 North Carolina rural schools.
August 13, 2025