Workforce & Education

Educating Talent That's Smart Enough to Stay Here

#1

Access to Qualified Labor

5.2M

Labor Force

#1

Largest Manufacturing Workforce in the Southeast

Worker in construction attire walking through warehouse
Workforce &
Education

Discover a Top-in-the-Nation Workforce

A region’s economic success is dependent on its workforce, and North Carolina’s workforce is consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation. In fact, North Carolina's ranking as the Top State for Business in 2022 and 2023 is in part due to the collaborative nature of its workforce development partners and because of our continued investments into our state’s workforce institutions’ abilities to meet industry demands.

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It's not hard to find talented, skilled and educated workers in North Carolina. Our diverse workforce is closely tied to the state’s top-tier universities and 58-school-strong community college system.

165,000+
Postsecondary Degree Recipients Each Year
52
Colleges and Universities
58
Community Colleges
20,000+
Military Personnel Entering the Workforce Annually
31,000+
STEM Degrees Conferred Annually
3
Tier-1 Research Universities
11
Historically Black Colleges and Universities

A Top State for Workforce

North Carolina is a well-known leader in workforce development, thanks to robust educational initiatives and a strong network of universities and community colleges. We attract, retain, and produce skilled labor in industries like advanced manufacturing, life sciences, financial services, clean energy, and more.

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Top Talent is Polished by a Top Education

Elite higher education institutions power our workforce. North Carolina has 52 colleges and universities (3 of which are Tier- 1 research universities) and 58 community colleges. The state also has the highest historically Black colleges and university enrollment in the country.

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Incentives to Develop Your Workforce

North Carolina provides robust resources for workforce development. New and existing companies can qualify for customized training grants and use the NCWorks Workforce Development network for a variety of recruiting and job training services.

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4th Largest Military Population in the Nation

20,000 of North Carolina’s active-duty military population (nation’s 4th largest) re-enters the workforce annually and has in-demand experience in fields such as engineering, IT, healthcare, communications, research and more.

soldiers dressed in uniform

Our investment in North Carolina’s greatest asset, its people, will ensure the state as a diverse, skilled, and healthy workforce, ready to support immediate and future business needs.

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The EDPNC helps businesses large and small succeed in North Carolina. For assistance, fill out the form and a member of our team will be in touch.

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Bryn Covington

Bryn Covington

Business Development Associate