BY REP. TODD CARVER

Most people may not be aware North Carolina set a goal in 2019 to have 2 million people with a post-secondary degree or high-quality credential. This is an important goal for us to attain. Reaching this goal means we should have enough skilled members in our labor force to continue to grow our economy. I support this work and want to help people better understand why we all need to make reaching this goal a top priority.

I attended a forum hosted by Mitchell Community College, Iredell Ready and myFutureNC on Friday, March 28. The goal of the meeting was to update everyone on the status of the goal from the state and provide some perspective about what is happening in Iredell. The meeting was very well attended by a cross-section of education and industry advocates. This is an important point. The people who care the most about North Carolina meeting its 2030 attainment goal are industry leaders. It does a community no good to attract a large employer to relocate in their community, if there is not a skilled labor force ready to work for the company.

The meeting brought forth some good news. North Carolina has progressed from 1.45 million skilled workers in 2019 to 1.66 million in 2023. That is a 15 percent growth rate in our available skilled labor force. Iredell County is one of only nine counties in the state to be on track to achieve “Attainment Ready” status. We should be proud of the work that has gone into achieving this status. Making this goal means we are preparing our citizens for the needs of the current and future workplace.

There is still work to be done. Currently, close to 43 percent of Iredell residents ages 25 to 44 do not hold a post-secondary degree or credential. The myFutureNC model for attainment is broad enough to realize that not everyone needs a two-year or four-year degree to be successful in the labor market. Many students will only need a certifying credential, like I did for Basic Law Enforcement Training. This certification was the requirement to get employment. This is important because not every job requires a degree. I was fortunate to go on and obtain my degrees later for promotions, but the paper that got me hired was a credential.

If North Carolina stays on its current trajectory we will fail to meet our 2030 goal by 13,279 workers. This would be a failure for us as a state. We must have skilled workers to continue growing North Carolina’s economy. Investments in education and programs like Propel NC are targeted at helping people obtain the short-term credentials they need to become workforce ready.

I want to thank former Rep. John Fraley for leading the myFutureNC program for the State of North Carolina. We also should be grateful for the work of Iredell County Economic Development Corporation President & CEO Jenn Bosser. These two individuals, along with countless educational partners, are doing the behind-the-scenes work to make sure we are prepared for the future in North Carolina and Iredell County.

Rep. Todd Carver represents the 95th District in the N.C. House.