NCWC Survey for NC Businesses

Mar, 24th, 2021

Dear North Carolina Employers,

North Carolina businesses are looking to hire skilled workers and to upskill their current workforce; industry-recognized credentials can assist in validating these in-demand skills.

The State wants to help build urgency and expedite the process for job seekers in obtaining credentials can improve their employability and achieve higher earnings, gain advancement opportunities, and experience enhanced job security. We are requesting your help to ensure NC workforce structures are providing skill training aligned with your employment needs.

We hope you can spare a few minutes to provide feedback on our initial list of non-degree workforce credentials identified as holding value in areas of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Business, Construction & Trades, Hospitality/Tourism/Service, Healthcare, Industrial & Manufacturing, Information Technology, Public Safety, and Transportation & Logistics. Thank you for your continued support in this effort.

The NC Workforce Credentials Core Team representing the NC Community College System, myFutureNC, NC Business Committee for Education (Governor’s Office), NC Department of Commerce, NC Works Commission (state Workforce Development Board), NC Department of Public Instruction, and the local NC Workforce Development Boards, has worked collaboratively over the past 18 months to:

1. Articulate the value in identifying a statewide definition of high-demand, high-wage, high-skill credentials for employers and workforce development entities across the state,
2. Define thresholds for high-demand, high-wage, and high-skill credentials within North Carolina,
3. Compile and refine a list of credentials using these criteria and input from business and industry,
4. Develop implementation and maintenance requirements for this work to support adoption and ensure ongoing relevance of the definitions and credential lists,
5. Draft recommendations on funding and policy issues related to implementing this list as a policy, advising, and incentive tool for both students and education and training providers, and
6. Present to sector governing bodies policy recommendations and work with legislators and staff to consider new policy and statutory changes and budget expansion opportunities to support this work. 

Additional information about the process and focus for this work is included in the attached NCWC Overview and initial list of NC Workforce Credentials.

Please respond to this survey about non-degree credentials of value for your business.  Note that you might get the request to complete this survey from multiple sources because we are trying to reach the entire North Carolina business community.