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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.

Current Funding Opportunity

Open Grants Program

News

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Middle school career labs support workforce pipeline for high-demand careers

Two middle schools in Wilson County are helping students think about their futures long before they reach high school through the College and Career Exploration Labs at Darden and Speight Middle Schools. The labs were designed to give middle school students hands-on experiences that connect classroom learning to real-world careers. Students explore a variety of high-demand fields through interactive modules focused on Biomedical Engineering, Manufacturing Technologies, Electricity and Electronics, Structural Engineering, Health Science Careers, Computer Drafting and Design, Environment and Ecology, and other career pathways tied to workforce preparedness.
May 27, 2026
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Bolstering North Carolina’s healthcare workforce pipeline

Across North Carolina, healthcare providers are facing critical staffing shortages. In 2025 the Golden LEAF Board of Directors awarded eight community colleges more than $4.1 million total to expand healthcare training capacity and prepare students for in-demand careers to help address these challenges. Funds were used to support expanding training capacity, modernizing facilities, strengthening career pathways, and connecting students directly to high-demand careers.
May 27, 2026
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Programs Perspective: The Challenge of Recruiting Career and Technical Educators

North Carolina’s community colleges are using creative strategies to recruit career and technical instructional roles. Golden LEAF Programs staff see firsthand these real challenges in the workforce preparedness projects they manage. Whether the Golden LEAF funds awarded support a new advanced manufacturing lab, a nursing expansion, or a skilled trades facility, one reality consistently surfaces: buildings and equipment are only part of the equation. Qualified instructors are often the critical ingredient.
February 26, 2026