Governor Stein Proclaims Workforce Development Professionals Month

Workforce Development Professionals Month

2026

By The Governor Of The State Of North Carolina

A Proclamation

Whereas, North Carolina’s 2026-2030 First in Opportunity strategic economic development plan emphasizes building a resilient, future-ready workforce; and

Whereas, the global economy continues to change rapidly, and ensuring that North Carolinians are ready for the jobs of today and tomorrow is of paramount importance; and

Whereas, the strengths of our state’s workforce and of our training programs have led to unprecedented economic development success for North Carolina and numerous accolades, including recognition as the top-ranked state for workforce development for 2026; and

Whereas, workforce development professionals connect North Carolinians to good jobs and help them become successful, productive workers while helping employers find new employees, upskill the employees they have, form work-based learning partnerships, and develop strong talent pipelines for growing industries; and

Whereas, workforce development professionals help jobseekers overcome barriers to employment though supportive services and find pathways to rewarding careers with family-sustaining wages; and

Whereas, North Carolina workforce development professionals help justice-involved people through reentry services, bolstering the state’s participation in the Reentry2030 initiative while also providing special programs for veterans, youth, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and people with disabilities, among others; and

Whereas, the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships, housed within the NCWorks Commission, has recommended goals and strategies to strengthen North Carolina’s workforce and expand access to good jobs, including a goal of engaging 50,000 employers as partners, a goal of doubling apprenticeships across the state, and the state's educational attainment goal that by 2030, 2 million North Carolinians from ages 25 to 44 have a postsecondary degree or credential; and

Whereas, workforce development professionals, serving within NCWorks system partners such as the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Workforce Development Boards, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, community colleges, public schools, and other organizations, strengthen our state with their expertise and leadership, allowing us to continue to build opportunity here in North Carolina;

Now, Therefore, I, Josh Stein, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim October 2026 as “Workforce Development Professionals Month” in North Carolina and commend its observance.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this twenty-fifth day of September in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-sixth and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifty-first.