WHEREAS, to maintain and enhance North Carolina’s economic competitiveness, our state needs a well-educated, diverse, and talented workforce; and
WHEREAS, employers have expressed difficulty finding qualified applicants to fill open positions; and
WHEREAS, some employers attribute their difficulty in finding qualified workers to a lack of relevant education, technical skills, and durable skills among applicants; and
WHEREAS, apprenticeships are a proven means of training individuals for the jobs in high growth, high-demand fields with family sustaining wages and serve as a valuable resource for strengthening North Carolina’s workforce; and
WHEREAS, a growing number of individuals, particularly high school and community college students, are turning to apprenticeships to help them start their chosen careers; and
WHEREAS, employers around the state in partnerships with ApprenticeshipNC have created apprenticeship programs to help develop a talented workforce for their industry; and
WHEREAS, last year, 13,377 individuals and 1,698 employers were served by apprenticeship programs in the state in fields like healthcare, construction, and energy; and
WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina is committed to connecting job seekers to employers through our K-12 education system, community colleges, workforce development boards, and ApprenticeshipNC, which ensures that people in our state have a relevant and efficient workforce development system that develops skilled talent to meet the current and future needs of workers and businesses;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim November 13 – 19, 2023, as “APPRENTICESHIP WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.