Securing Job Training & Workforce Development

Job training is not the only solution to wage stagnation, but improving the skills of working people is an important step towards raising wages and building career ladders that provide increasing incomes over time.

Our work focuses on building training pipelines that connect workers to training programs, support them in completing those programs, and then place them in living-wage jobs. We work to make sure that everyone who wants training can have it, with a special focus on those people most frequently left behind in the job market—people of color, workers with low incomes, and women.

Better Apprenticeships for All North Carolinians
Apprenticeship programs are a popular strategy that provide workers with long-term, on-the-job training placements with local employers. In North Carolina, many apprenticeship programs also provide students with the opportunity to complete an associates’ degree in a relevant occupational training program.

Communities across North Carolina are seeking ways to expand and extend apprenticeship program participation to address youth unemployment and employer-reported skill gaps.

As apprenticeship programs become more popular across the state, workforce stakeholders are increasingly interested in finding ways to make these programs more effective at meeting the needs of employers and students alike—especially for underserved populations.

The Workers’ Rights Project is collaborating with the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, the Triad Workforce Solutions Collaborative, and the NC Community College System to understand and advocate for removing any barriers to participation and completion in apprenticeship programs, especially in underserved populations including youth of color.

Our research is currently underway, so check back soon for details about our findings!

Experts
Alexandra Forter Sirota