Incentives for training in trades, as labor-intensive careers lag | Eastern NC Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is Katherine Zehnder.

    In the last year, there has been a push in North Carolina, on par with a national trend, to increase education related to trades-focused careers, with national funding allocated to trade programs.

    In June, North Carolina received a $1.2 million federal grant, as part of $84 million in grants announced by the US Department of Labor (DOL) across all 50 states. The grants are allocated to increase the capacity of Registered Apprenticeship Programs to meet the Trump administration's goal of expanding the program to 1 million apprenticeships.

    "This federal push toward apprenticeships reflects an effort to revive the skilled trades after years of cultural pressure that steered young people toward four-year degrees," Joseph Harris, fiscal policy analyst for the John Locke Foundation, told the Carolina Journal. "However, as tuition costs continue to rise, trade careers are regaining attention. The open question is whether channeling federal grants through institutions can meaningfully influence those individual career decisions, or whether real change depends more on wages, employer demand, and market signals."


    Tyler Hulin from Randleman, is one of many success stories coming out of ApprenticeshipNC. Hulin is a graduate of United Brass Works, Inc.'s Machinists Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), according to a press release. Hulin's interest in the field began in a machining class he participated in at Randleman High School.

    "I really enjoyed doing things with my hands," said Hulin, in the NC Community College's press release. "I found a niche for that."

    Hulin's father encouraged him to explore machining as a long-term career option. He learned about registered apprenticeship opportunities through his career development counselor. Hulin connected with United Brass Works, Inc., a member of Apprenticeship Randolph and a local manufacturer.

    "Working at United Brass Works, Inc. has been great! There are always opportunities to learn," continued Hulin.

    Another example is the Animal Hospital of Statesville, a RAP partner that also offers a pre-apprenticeship track for veterinary technicians. These programs are open to students 16 and older in Iredell-Statesville schools, according to another NC Community Colleges press release. Pre-apprenticeship tracks are also available through the Harbor Point Animal Hospital and Aloha Veterinary Hospital.

    "It gives the students an opportunity to explore the career path," Todd Williams, executive director of industry, trade, and business development for Iredell-Statesville Schools, said in the release. "It also shows them the options available to them to continue their educations."

    As of August 2025, according to the US Chamber of Commerce, North Carolina's labor shortage is extreme, with only 76 available workers for every 100 open jobs. There are 257,000 open positions and a labor force participation rate of 59.2%. Blue-collar jobs such as construction and agriculture often aren't the first choice for those entering today's job market.

    The Office of Apprenticeship recognizes ApprenticeshipNC to act on behalf of the US Department of Labor (DOL) and is the state apprenticeship agency within the North Carolina Community College System. ApprenticeshipNC coordinates with employers, community partners, and educational institutions to cultivate and develop the RAP and pre-apprenticeship programs across the state.

    Wake Tech Community College is one of many community colleges that offer apprenticeship programs through RAP and is registered with ApprenticeshipNC. The North Carolina Rural Water Association also offers RAP apprenticeships registered through ApprenticeshipNC.


    In addition to the $1.2 million for the apprenticeship program, North Carolina also received a $4 million grant from the DOL for workforce re-entry training for incarcerated individuals - the $4 million falls under the Pathway Home grant announced by the DOL in February.

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