The NCWorks Commission has approved and endorsed five new regional plans to help people prepare and train for work.
NCWorks Certified Career Pathways are education and training plans that help job seekers enter particular industries. These pathways are designed by employers in collaboration with the state’s workforce development and education professionals. Career pathways outline and define the following:
- Necessary courses at the high school and college level
- Required credentials
- Experience required and the employers in a given area who provide work-based learning activities related to that field
- Various certificates and degrees in the related field
“People need to know what skills and credentials employers require to achieve career success in a chosen field,” said Will Collins, executive director of NCWorks. “That’s why these career pathways are so important. Employers lead the way by working with our workforce and education agencies to provide the skill and training workers need to meet industry demands.”
Career pathways are designed not only for students, but also for adults and individuals who have lost jobs through no fault of their own. Individuals access a career pathway through public schools, community colleges, and public and private universities.
Pathways must be reviewed and approved by the commission. During its quarterly meeting in Raleigh in February, the commission certified the following pathways:
- Hospitality and tourism - approved for Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties.
- Health-care/nursing - approved for Alamance, Bladen, Cumberland, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Orange, Randolph, Richmond, Robeson, and Scotland counties.
- Advanced manufacturing - for Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties.
- Health sciences - approved for Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, and Wayne counties.
- Mechatronics and advanced manufacturing - certified for Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Rowan, Stanly, and Union counties.
Since 2016, the NCWorks Commission has approved a total of 14 certified career pathways all across the state.
NCWorks
The NCWorks initiative aligns state and local services and resources to meet the workforce needs of businesses, connects North Carolinians to technical training and quality careers, and uses data to monitor and assess program outcomes. Groups implementing NCWorks include N.C. Commerce’s Workforce Solutions team, the NCWorks Commission, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, and the North Carolina Community College System. For more information about NCWorks, visit nccommerce.com/ncworks.