October 14, 2026
Dear North Carolina Workforce Professionals:
Welcome to the 2026 NCWorks Partnership Conference! And happy Workforce Development Professionals Month! I want to thank the North Carolina Department of Commerce and our NCWorks partners who organized this event, and I congratulate all of you on helping to make North Carolina the 2026 top-ranked state for workforce development.
Because of our talented people and our innovative partnerships, North Carolina is leading the nation. We are proving that opportunity is built right here in North Carolina: opportunities to learn, opportunities to get a good job that can support a family, opportunities to start and grow a business, and more. It’s up to us to make sure that all North Carolinians understand, and can seize, these kinds of opportunities. And we will because of the excellence, dedication, and compassion of North Carolina’s workforce professionals and partners.
We are an optimistic, future-focused state with so many accomplishments and accolades. But now is no time to rest on our laurels. That’s why the Council on Workforce and Apprenticeships (housed within the NCWorks Commission) has identified goals and strategies to keep North Carolina moving forward. And your work is already helping us down that path of building a stronger and more prosperous North Carolina.
During this conference, you will learn more about how to continue making an impact in alignment with the council’s goals, like encouraging greater employer engagement, expanding Work-Based Learning, supporting credential attainment, or preparing our workforce with AI skills. You will also be able to celebrate North Carolina’s successes, including the inspiring recipients of the Governor’s NCWorks Awards of Distinction.
On behalf of all North Carolinians, I extend my gratitude for everything you do. Let’s keep working together to ensure that from Murphy to Manteo and from our urban areas to our rural landscapes and everywhere in between, opportunity is built here in North Carolina.
Sincerely,
Josh Stein
Governor