Today Governor Josh Stein announced the winners of the Governor’s NCWorks Awards of Distinction for 2026. A regional apprenticeship initiative, a manufacturer, a sector partnership, and five individual North Carolinians received awards for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions related to workforce development. The award recipients were recognized on October 14 and 15 during ceremonies held in Greensboro as part of the 39th annual NCWorks Partnership Conference.
“This year’s inspiring NCWorks award winners represent the best of how we build opportunity here in North Carolina,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We are America’s top-ranked state for workforce development because of people and partners like these honorees.”
The NCWorks Partnership Conference, organized by the N.C. Department of Commerce, brought together more than 700 workforce development professionals from throughout the state. Attendees represented local workforce boards, NCWorks Career Centers, state and federal government, education organizations, community-based organizations, community colleges, the private sector, and labor. This year’s event provided professional development that aligned with the goals and strategies of the Governor’s Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships.
The Governor’s NCWorks Awards of Distinction honor outstanding examples from the state’s workforce development system, including the students and jobseekers who receive training, the professionals who provide career services, and the employers and other organizations that support a skilled workforce.
2026 Governor’s NCWorks Awards of Distinction Recipients
Outstanding Innovative Partnership: South Piedmont Workforce Apprenticeship Partnership. The mission of the South Piedmont Workforce Apprenticeship Partnership is to expand registered apprenticeship opportunities that meet regional workforce needs while supporting employers and learners. Led by South Piedmont Community College, other partners include Union County Economic Development, Union County Public Schools, and Wingate University. This partnership seeks to reduce administrative burdens and barriers to encourage more companies to participate in apprenticeship opportunities, building a network of more than 30 employers from various industries. Meanwhile, the program has sought to integrate education systems to give students clear, supported pathways into high-demand careers, starting with pre-apprenticeships at the high school level. The partnership has served more than 60 registered apprentices across sectors such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and education. It has helped supply highly trained manufacturing technicians and directly supported efforts to address teacher shortages in the local school system.
Outstanding Employer: The Timken Company – Lincolnton Bearing Plant. For 47 years, the Timken Company has been a valued employer and community partner in Lincoln County. This manufacturer of engineered bearings maintains a workplace culture that supports growth, accessibility and career development for employees while offering competitive benefits and family-friendly flexible scheduling options. Six Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) help foster belonging and engagement, with groups for people with disabilities and for veterans, among others. The company also emphasizes tuition reimbursement and training, often partnering with Gaston College. Timken regularly partners with the local NCWorks Career Center in Lincoln County to recruit workers and promotes work-based learning opportunities such as job shadowing and internships through the Lincoln Economic Development Association. In 2025-26, Timken contributed more than $560,000 to local schools, nonprofits, law enforcement, and community development initiatives. Employees volunteered during United Way’s Day of Caring, supported record-breaking food and school supply drives, and raised more than $260,000 through employee giving and company matching.
Outstanding Economic Impact: Gaston County Association of Manufacturers. The Gaston County Association of Manufacturers (GCAM), established in 2016 and led by the Gaston County Economic Development Commission, is an employer-driven, sector-based partnership that unites manufacturers with workforce, education, and economic development organizations. Its mission is to strengthen and sustain the county’s manufacturing sector by aligning workforce development, education pathways, and economic development resources to meet current and future industry needs. GCAM’s goals center on supporting business retention and expansion, attracting new manufacturing investment, and ensuring a skilled, responsive talent pipeline. This employer network now includes more than 70 representatives. Workforce services are embedded throughout GCAM’s model. The Gaston Workforce Development Board staff, the local NCWorks Career Center, Gaston College, and Gaston County Schools support the association by providing recruitment assistance, On-the-Job Training (OJT), Incumbent Worker Training (IWT), work-based learning, and credential-aligned education pathways. GCAM has also been instrumental in Manufacturing Week activities and other initiatives to raise the visibility of career opportunities in local industries.
Outstanding Adult: Blayne Hemphill of Morganton. Hemphill first enrolled in workforce training services through NCWorks in the fall of 2022 and began the Interpreter Education Program at Western Piedmont Community College. After overcoming and navigating numerous challenges throughout her life, she excelled academically while balancing her coursework, employment, motherhood, care for her brother with special needs, and volunteer work. Hemphill has since graduated from WPCC, earning her associate degree with a 4.0 GPA and Honors distinction. With a passion for serving the Deaf and DeafBlind communities, she learned American Sign Language, earned certification in Braille and became a certified Support Service Provider (SSP) for individuals who are DeafBlind. Hemphill is also proficient in ProTactile communication – a tactile language used within the DeafBlind community to convey emotional, environmental, and conversational information through touch. She has started her own business, providing culturally responsive navigation and support services for individuals who are DeafBlind and assisting with medical appointments, daily living tasks, travel, and community engagement.
Outstanding Young Adult: Madeline Sink of Sylva. Sink became an active participant in workforce training services through NCWorks while pursuing her associate degree in Nursing at Southwestern Community College. She graduated in May 2026 after consistently demonstrating resilience, determination, and deep commitment to becoming a compassionate and skilled nurse. Her path into health care is rooted in her personal experiences that provided her motivation to serve others. After losing her father unexpectedly and later supporting her mother through an aggressive cancer diagnosis, she developed a firsthand understanding of the emotional, physical, and practical needs of patients and families during crisis. Sink has gained experience across diverse clinical settings, where she has demonstrated calmness under pressure, adaptability, empathy, and a patient-centered approach to care. After graduating, she secured employment at Haywood Regional Medical Center as a Registered Nurse in Behavioral Health, a position aligned with her long-term goals. In this role, she supports patient care, assists with daily activities, and contributes to a therapeutic environment for individuals experiencing behavioral and mental health challenges.
Outstanding Teen: Sara Gomez of Spruce Pine. Gomez enrolled in NCWorks’ youth services through High Country Workforce Development Board while she was a student at Mountain Heritage High School. She had been selected to participate in a special Dogwood Health Trust grant through the NCWorks Career Center, through which she completed a work-based learning internship with Hospice of the Blue Ridge, gaining hands-on experience in palliative care and confirming her long-term goal of becoming a nurse. While navigating family instability, helping care for her younger sister, and experiencing the impact of Hurricane Helene, Gomez remained focused on graduating from high school and pursuing a career in health care. Even before graduating, she completed her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training through Mayland Community College and used this credential to gain employment, building professionalism, confidence, and real-world healthcare experience. Gomez graduated from Mountain Heritage High School in May 2026 and continued her education through a co-enrollment pathway with Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College and Western Carolina University. She is on track to complete her associate degree in Nursing and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing within two years. Beyond academics, Sara has been a leader in her school and active in her community. She has organized blood drives and has served as a L.E.A.D. Mentor through Appalachian State University’s GEAR UP program.
Outstanding Customer Service in Workforce Development – Wayne Daves Award: Veatrice Johnson of North Wilkesboro. Johnson serves as an NCWorks Career Advisor for Adult and Dislocated Workers, where she supports individuals seeking economic mobility through career planning, goal setting, and access to training and employment opportunities. She is a relationship builder, a community partner, and a vital member of the NCWorks Career Center team. Johnson began her NCWorks journey in 2022 as a Youth Career Advisor in Wilkes County before moving on to a role helping adult participants find their unique pathways to success. Her adaptability and resilience were evident in 2024, when Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina. Johnson provided leadership to help implement a special federal Dislocated Worker Grant to provide jobs and training in the region affected by the storm. She helped place participants into disaster recovery roles, including the first placements at Anchor Ridge, a key community resource hub. Johnson has also been instrumental in expanding work-based learning by collaborating to develop two new apprenticeship opportunities. Her work on a Child Care Academy and related pre-apprenticeship initiative is already producing graduates and building a sustainable talent pipeline.
Outstanding Private Sector Workforce Development Board Member – Bill Ragland Award: Josh McKinney of Hickory. A vice president with Peoples Bank, McKinney has served on the Western Piedmont Workforce Development Board for 15 years, including five years as board chair. His service reflects deep commitment, strategic insight, and a hands-on leadership style that has strengthened the board, the workforce system, and the communities it serves. McKinney has worked closely with the board’s staff to address challenges, strengthen partnerships, and improve workforce programs that support employers, jobseekers, and regional economic growth. A champion for strong governance, he actively recruits and mentors new board members, helping build a workforce board that represents the community, is knowledgeable, and is aligned with the needs of local employers. He understands the importance of the employer voice in workforce development and has played a key role in strengthening business engagement and connections between the workforce system, the private sector, and community partners. McKinney’s insight has guided business roundtables, employer listening sessions, and discussions that help workforce leadership better understand hiring needs, industry trends, and workforce challenges. His private sector perspective has informed regional strategies related to training priorities, economic development, and talent pipeline development.
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This is a WIOA Title I program/project, which is 100 percent supported by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor as part of an award to North Carolina totaling $62,285,759.