WHEREAS, to maintain and enhance North Carolina's economic competitiveness, our state needs a well-educated workforce, and employers need access to a pipeline of skilled talent; and
WHEREAS, many employers have 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 soft skills among applicants; and
WHEREAS, apprenticeships are a proven means of training workers for the jobs that employers need, and serve as a valuable resource for strengthening North Carolina's workforce; and
WHEREAS, a growing number of job seekers, particularly students, are turning to apprenticeships to help them start their chosen careers; and
WHEREAS, employers around the state have created apprenticeship programs to help develop a talented workforce for their industry; and
WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina is committed to connecting job seekers to employers through the North Carolina Community Colleges program, 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 15-21, 2021, as “NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.