About Us

The Eastern Carolina Workforce Development Board, Inc. (ECWDB) is a non-profit organization located in New Bern, North Carolina. ECWDB is governed by a twenty-eight member board of directors in partnership with the local elected officials. This is the designated administrative/fiscal agent for the Federal and State workforce development funds appropriated by the North Carolina Department of Commerce to operate employment and training services in a nine county local area. Members of the ECWDB are appointed by the Elected Officials of their respective counties in accordance with criteria established by the Governor. ECWDB membership includes representatives from business and industry, education agencies, economic development agencies, vocational rehabilitation, and labor organizations. The ECWDB administers workforce development programs funded through the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). It contracts its programs with reputable organizations throughout the nine counties who provide services in their local NCWorks Career Center, serving both the job seeker and employer populations.

What We Do

Our role here at ECWDB is to ensure that the local workforce development system is market-driven and responsive to meeting the employment and training needs of both job seekers and employers. 

• Coordinate rapid response meetings with employers who are downsizing or facing a plant closure;
• Serve as a point of contact for business, industry and the public sector to identify solutions that address their workforce needs;
• Promote strategies to encourage life-long learning and improve workplace skills;
• Assist in the development of new training programs to benefit the region's workforce;
• Conduct planning, oversight and evaluation of local workforce development programs to include the NCWorks Career Center system;
• Offer advice regarding workforce policy and programs to local elected officials, employers, education and employment agencies, and citizens;
• Coordinate with economic development efforts to promote the region's availability of qualified workers; and
• Review local agency plans and grant applications for workforce development to ensure coordination of services.

Vision

Our vision for Eastern North Carolina is a qualified workforce with an educational attainment level that meets the needs of local firms so they can compete in today’s marketplace.

Mission

Our mission is to develop the workforce through a collaborative, customer-focused approach that facilitates partnerships between job seekers, workers, employers, and educators, aligning workforce requirements to economic needs.

Value

We add economic value to our community by ensuring that our public workforce system is responsive in meeting the education and training needs of our job seekers and employers alike, thereby leading to a better quality of life and ensuring employers have access to the skilled workforce they need, resulting in a thriving economy.

Staff to the Board: