ApprenticeshipNC News

Youth Apprenticeship Academy Launched with $4 Million in Support from Bloomberg PhilanthropiesWake Tech Community College and the Wake County Public School System are launching the WakeWorks® Youth Apprenticeship Academy, a groundbreaking partnership designed to connect high school juniors and seniors with in-demand skilled trades careers. Supported by $4 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the WakeWorks® Youth Apprenticeship Academy in Raleigh is one of nine regions in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ first-of-its-kind $90 million national skilled trades initiative. This investment is the largest in Wake Tech’s history.Read More

GTCC, NC FAME’s First in Flight chapter graduates 26 in 2026 cohortGuilford Technical Community College and the North Carolina Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (NC FAME), The First in Flight Chapter, recently graduated its second cohort of 26 student recruits.Read More

2026 ApprenticeshipNC Awards Recognize Registered Apprenticeship Excellence in North CarolinaApprenticeshipNC is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 ApprenticeshipNC Awards. Since their inception, the ApprenticeshipNC Awards have honored individuals and organizations that demonstrate excellence, innovation, and leadership in North Carolina’s Registered Apprenticeship ecosystem. Recipients were selected through a competitive nomination and review process, evaluating performance, leadership, innovation, program quality, and overall impact.Read More

2026 ApprenticeshipNC Awards Nominations OpenThe 2026 ApprenticeshipNC Awards nomination period is now open! Each category celebrates the individuals and organizations that exemplify excellence, innovation, and leadership in North Carolina's Registered Apprenticeship ecosystem. Strong nominations provide concrete examples of impact, growth, and commitment to workforce development.Read More

American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive FundThe American Manufacturing Apprenticeship Incentive Fund is managed by the Arkansas Department of Commerce and is fully funded ($35.8M) through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor. The fund was created to address the urgent need to grow and modernize the U.S. manufacturing workforce and in direct response to the national call (White House Executive Order 14278) to expand access to high-quality registered apprenticeship programs.Read More

Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt Honors 2025 N.C. State Fair Apprentice Contests WinnersLieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt hosted a reception on December 15, 2025, honoring the winners and runners-up of the 2025 N.C. State Fair Apprentice Contests. The event celebrated the craftsmanship and technical proficiency demonstrated by the apprentices and pre-apprentices during the annual masonry, electrical, HVAC/R, and carpentry contests.Read More

Building Futures, Showcasing Talent: ApprenticeshipNC Highlights Registered Apprenticeship at the 2025 N.C. State Fair  ApprenticeshipNC celebrated the talent and drive of North Carolina’s next generation of workers through a series of apprentice contests held October 20–24 at the 2025 N.C. State Fair.Read More

71st Annual N.C. State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest: Building a Workforce One Brick at a TimeThe scent of fresh mortar filled the air on Monday, October 20, 2025, as 26 Bricklayer Registered Apprentices showcased their craftsmanship in the 71st Annual N.C. State Fair Masonry Apprentice Contest. Hosted by ApprenticeshipNC, the North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association (NCMCA), and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, this event is the longest-running contest of its kind in the nation. Participants, representing nine employers across the state, had three hours to build a complex structure—testing their knowledge, skills, speed, and attention to detail.Read More

ApprenticeshipNC Achieves Record Growth, Faces Uncertain Funding FutureThe State Board of the North Carolina Community College System approved the 2024–2025 ApprenticeshipNC Annual Report at the September 19 board meeting, underscoring its role as the state’s primary engine for workforce development.Read More